I bought a Rolex submariner 2 weeks ago ish and they withheld the warranty card supposedly for 12 months to prevent flipping.
Apparently all uk dealers have been told to stop this practice and hand them over.
So I’m picking mine up tomorrow with no intention of selling mine but I wonder what measures they will take in the future to prevent it.

 

Haven't heard about withholding warranty cards, but have heard Rolex AD's have been told to remove all protective stickers before handing over, another attempt to slow down flipping.

 

It’s been common practice for the last couple of years in a lot of places in the uk

 

They won't be taking any measures although a 10% price rise on SS Sports is being suggested effective Jan 1st.

Rolex were threatened with legal action and advised all AD's to cease the practice of withholding cards in the UK immediately.

Some AD's are simply posting out cards, others are asking you to call in...with the watch!

 

How could they possibly justify withholding the warranty card? Personally, if the dealer would have told me they were keeping the card I would kindly tell them to screw themselves and find another watch.

Yes, the flipping of desirable new Rolex watches sucks, but in no way can this treatment be justified. I can do with my watch (and warranty card) whatever I want.

 

The UK was (and still is) to some extent the cheapest place to buy A SS Professional Rolex in the world.

A lot of stock was therefore being hoovered up by foreign tourists who could additionally reclaim VAT!

This was an attempt by Rolex and UK AD's to prevent hot pieces being flipped immediately on the secondary market at a significant profit, a very attractive proposition for those who prefer financial gain to owning a desirable watch.

It is all very well saying you would walk away and find another watch but if you previously wanted a SS Professional model in the UK and were fortunate enough to be allocated one then this is the hoop you had to jump through and the majority of buyers probably did, myself included.

 

Of course you are right, on second thought I would likely do the same if it was a watch I really desired However, I would questions the legality of this arrangement which I guess a lot of people did resulting in the change of policy.

 

I’ve just been and picked my card up from now on all stickers will be removed from sports models.
He told me that from January there will be a 7% price increase and with a lot of people getting there cards earlier than expected they predict a mad rush of flipping.
On a more ironic note I thought I’d show you the umbrella they gave me as a gift but the label says it all.

 

They even left the stickers on.

 

Maybe all the flippers will flood the market with SS Rolexes and drop the value to around or below retail.

Will this happen? Probably not but I would still love to see everyone speculating on Rolex get hung out to dry.

 

Lol I agree then I just looked at Watchfinder uk and they have a brand new submariner black for £12,000

 

List price /= sale price. When I was in Japan I saw literally dozens of Batmans, Daytonas, and Submariners sitting in shop windows for ~50% over list price and they seemed to be languishing there.

I was lucky enough to find a 114060 at retail last year before the market went completely crazy. I bought it basically on impulse and actually ended up selling it below retail, which I do regret. If I had held onto it a bit longer I might have been able to at least make my money back. They did give me a warranty card with it (in the US).

If the 10% price increase goes through, I can't see myself ever owning a Submariner again. I sold it because I felt it wasn't at all worth the ~$8,000 I had invested in it.

 

Found this particularly ridiculous around PM sports watches, dealer retained the card on a WG Daytona. Don't think you can flip that above retail really.

 

Hmmm, my AD claims they are just going to hold on to cards, no matter what Rolex says.

 

Which AD?

 

One of the bigger independent ones, not a chain.

 

Apparently a guy in Scotland was about to sue a dealer and they gave in and gave him the card.
Wording on Rolex website apparently states 5 years warranty with card other wise no guarantee will be honoured.
The sale of Rolex watches comes with 5 year as standard so dealers have to legally hand them over.
They still have the right to carry on with vetting procedures on who is allowed to purchase a Rolex after spending loads of money with them first.
A friend of mine has sent a video recording of a manager in the north west of England in a national chain who is seen to be gloating that he is the Rolex god . video has been sent to a consumer programme .
My own dealer local to me has not played any of these games and after a few visits over an 18 month period he came up trumps.

 

The end is near..... #GoodbyeADs #HelloCorporateBoutiques

 

Not the mgr from the Trafford Centre is it, guy is an absolute Biff

 

Yep it's James, manager at Goldsmiths Trafford Centre.

Complete Ass - he told me I had to do £150k spend per year on jewellery etc to get a sports model. Meanwhile he's taking back handers off numerous others, I know someone who is getting SS models off him and flipping them. I'm a genuine collector, I have been treated with contempt and sheer aggression.

Avoid Goldsmiths Trafford Centre