To drop off my GMT Master II purchased in 2013 for service….While I was waiting for the paperwork to process i perused the mostly empty display cases and the few “display only” pieces…Sub, Explorer, Sky Dweller, President and a few others. I felt somewhat sorry for the Rolex salesman….At the service counter the staff and I were joking about the days when one could actually go into a dealer and walk out with a watch… Rolex is a flagship brand for this dealer and to see such a large showroom empty of watches, just Bizarre. (As were the armed guards in body armor who let my very casually dressed self in) Lost my dammed warranty card in the process, I don't know what possessed me to take it out of the box. Still have my sales receipt and Its a keeper anyway but still Grrrrrrrrr no more full set.

 

The nice thing about a vintage watch store such as Wannabuyawatch and Secondtimearouond, both in Los Angeles, is that they are friendly and have lots of watches of all makes for you to see. Just be respectful as you ask to see this one or that...and show your appreciation for the time they have spent with you. It also helps to look at their websites first so you have somewhat of an idea of what you want to see.

 

The showroom maybe empty but they are selling every single piece they are getting before it even hits the case so I doubt they are hurting. I am glad Rolex has decided to stock showpieces at all ADs.

 

I don’t doubt that. They are also a high end jeweler and have other Watch lines. Still bizarre though. I’d think that Rolex would supply at least one sample of the full line to a high end store in a wealthy town. Not a GMT in sight.

 

I've seen and touched different steel professional models at AD's. For exhibition only and bla bla bla.

 

Did someone say GMT?

I was lucky I could try this one on at the Rolex AD in Melbourne Airport, Australia, about a month ago.

 

I see you are rocking it with the tags

 

I was just the other day at my AD, made Friends with one of the senior sales ladies. Something funny she said: "In 20 years I've been working in this business, I have never had a situation where we are sold out on all models (including 28mm ladies DateJust) and have literally zero stock in watches. Everything that gets shipped, it gets all sold out in an instant to customers"
They employed at lest 6 people just to answer phones and write emails just to say to potential customers that the waiting lists are now closed.
Crazy times we live in. Mind you, we are not talking about some big AD in Paris, London or New York. Just a city in the small country of Croatia.

 

And just to add insult to injury, Rolex has strict requirements for ADs in terms of display space, etc.

 

Yeah- not a good look. My local AD is dead empty in the Rolex wing and it’s right when you walk in the door. Looks like they are going out of business at first blush.

 

And yet no problem at all getting something like a JLC. Mind boggling.

 

It's funny because each sales assistant tells us different stories

 

howwwwww-DE

 

Approved the service estimate today. Full factory spec service plus a new crystal is gonna run me a bit north of a grand. !2 weeks, I love the watch so its a no brainer. Its performed yeoman service as a travel tool and sailing watch so some time at the spa is well deserved.

 

I'm used to buying them for that price or less

 

I was invited to introduce myself at a new local AD and found it strange they pointed out the Rolex area that was being overhauled to ironically display no watches, not even exhibition models. Rolex has strict standards from what I hear. Having watches on display and for sale should be a standard.

 

If you intentionally don’t build enough, even more people will come. And they’ll be pissed when they have to “build a relationship” and get on a waiting list.

 

Its just bizarre. Flies against the idea of actually having inventory of a product so that actual customers can buy…Generally when one has no inventory, one cuts advertising.

 

I was in an AD in Boca Raton last week. Mostly empty but they had a Sub, Dweller, President, Perpetual, and a couple of ladies watches. Less than 7 but more than 1 if my math is right. I could feel the guards breath on my shoulder and the lovely sound of the sales rep giving a prospective buyer the routine run around. Lovely shopping experience. 10 out of 10 recommended.