How hard is it to get the rolex you want

Wibbs · 08-04-2019 10:46am

Keyzer wrote: »

I asked wby such long delays and was told demand is insane and Rolex simply can't produce enough watches quickly enough - apprently they are working 6 days a week.

Or the cynic in me thinks it's basic luxury item marketing. With most brands, watches included the product it pushed to the customer, with some luxury brands the customer is pulled towards the product with the carrot of belonging to an exclusive club*. They do this in a number of ways, reducing the availability, rewarding existing return customers by putting them at the head of a "list", well known and famous types get first dibs, steadily increasing the prices etc. All fuel the demand. QV DeBeers, though at least with Rolex you get most of your money back when you sell, whereas second hand diamonds make the depreciation on a top of the range Mercedes look like sound financial sense. Ferrari do this kinda thing too. "We invite you to spend a million quid on a car". OH do you, G'way to feck.

Hans Wilsdorf founded Rolex over a century ago and the man was truly a marketing genius from the very start. He even picked the name as it was easy to pronounce in multiple languages as he noticed some of the more Swiss sounding names put people off(if you didn't know, you could pronounce even a simple name like Longines about three different ways. Omega two and good luck with Audemars Piguet

). And the brand learned his lessons well. Not just them, the Swiss have been very clever at marketing for a very long time. "Swiss Made" is a marketing campaign with over a century behind it, even though when they first tried promoting it the Americans were leagues ahead of them in quality and technology. The Brits weren't far behind.

Think on this; Patek a higher tier and higher priced yet much smaller scale brand produce an average of 60,000 watches a year. And their watches are far more "handmade". If supply was an actual issue a highly efficient company like Rolex who manufacture a mass produced product could double output in their sleep.

*And they all want to do this, just some are much better than others.

Eoin · 08-04-2019 11:00am

Absolutely - I can't believe that demand has gone up that much, without supply having also been reduced.

Keyzer · 08-04-2019 11:10am

Full agree Wibbs - I don't believe this nonsense either.

Apparently Rolex are pumping out over 800,000 pieces a year.

Cienciano · 08-04-2019 11:13am

It's like the nightclub with the manufactured queue outside to make it look busy and exclusive.

Wibbs · 08-04-2019 11:49am

To be fair to Rolex, they do produce a quality product with a long history behind them and their control of pricing and supply and brilliant marketing over decades means their customers don't need to think about depreciation in nearly the same way I dunno say Heuer customers do. In many cases you could buy and wear a Rolex for five years and sell it on and the value new to old would mean you wore the watch for five years for "free" or close enough. With some models in the current climate anyway you could even make a profit over the five years. So there's that. Compared to say the diamond market were "diamonds are forever" because they don't want people selling them en masse to reveal how much they're actually worth, which is significantly lower than what you pony up for new. Or Ferrari which make a nice product to a point, but if you daily drove one you'd be driven(or more likely not) demented with reliability(and they're lauded for being more reliable these days, which shows how piss poor they were in times gone by). Or other "luxury" goods like Haute couture* women's clothes and handbags, where in a few cases Italian and Asian fakes could be spotted because they were better made.

With a Rolex you can collect them, you could buy one only to wear it the next time middle management wheel out the powerpoint, or you could actually dive with it and in a pinch you could hammer in nails with it putting up a shelf. They're bloody good watches, just a pity the hype and the prices have gone so crazy in the last decade or so.

*I think it was John Lennon who mused that Haute couture was French for bullshit.

Jude13 · 08-04-2019 12:01pm

Even though I just bought one I agree with Wibbs. My dads pal had a GMT pepsi when I was a kid and I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen, that's the reason I got mine.

Not sure this is a like for like analogy as Rolex may hold back production but a guy in work dates a lady who works in hermes. They have two bags which are something mad like 20k-100k EU each (don't quote me on that, may be more may be less) Burken and kelly or something.

Anyway, if you go in to buy one and are not a regular you get put on a massive list which can take years. However, if you are willing drop the equivalent or more in addition to the price of buying the bag you will be brought in to the private section and told that it just so happens that the colour and type you want will be in tomorrow. Even though there are 20+ pieces of each in the back.

Cienciano · 08-04-2019 12:14pm

That hermes price wouldn't surprise me. I was getting a wallet and a particular website that has lots of fake stuff kept giving me fake hermes stuff. I wanted no brands on it, but out of interest I checked the price for the authentic hermes card holder.

https://www.hermes.com/ie/en/product/city-8cc-jungle-card-holder-H074367CAAA/

Jude13 · 08-04-2019 12:23pm

This lad get presents of stuff from his OH, his work shoes etc. recently lost one of his cuff links but doesn't have the heart to tell her. Not sure the whole thing will last. Young lad trying to keep up with her pals boyfriends.

I kept hearing about how easy it would be to get X Y Z Rolex in the middle east, and it's a farce. The buying power here is something else. There is no way to get a SS daytona or a GMT Pepsi or batman. There is always someone who has dropped 100's of K already in store. I travel the gulf with work and as there is feck all to do in Kuwait or Riyadh etc in the evenings so I always made a point of hitting the AD's in each city to see if I could get a pepsi and they would laugh, ditto for the daytona. The watches on show here are very much for the taste of the region. Gold with loads of bling.

A few of the lads in here have fake subs that alongside a real one, Subs are by far the most common rolex first watch out here (from the 10 years Ive been here), its tough to tell the difference. They pay about 400-500 euro for a good fake. Which I think is mad.

Cyrus · 08-04-2019 12:26pm

reminds me of the time i went into boodles on grafton st, they had both a nautilus and an aquanaut but wouldnt sell me either unless i wanted to buy some jewellery

Wibbs · 08-04-2019 12:43pm

Jude13 wrote: »

The watches on show here are very much for the taste of the region. Gold with loads of bling.

Aye gaudy as feck and tasteless with it. The Asian market can be sometimes similar. Some American markets the same, sports and music star types. Cultural thing I suppose.

A few of the lads in here have fake subs that alongside a real one, Subs are by far the most common rolex first watch out here (from the 10 years Ive been here), its tough to tell the difference. They pay about 400-500 euro for a good fake. Which I think is mad.

I've seen some fakes that were scarily close to the real deal. Some of the vintage ones could easily fool you. Never mind the ones made with real movements and cases with dials and hands made up to be much more valuable pieces. There have been questions over a few of the vintage Rolex Milsubs down the years. John Mayer had "issues" with his one. When something rare comes up the conversations and debates and even fights that break out on Rolex forums are interesting to read. Agreement is rarely found.

Rolex don't help, as part of their marketing spiel is to distance themselves from the fans and let them do a lot of their marketing for them and they won't definitively authenticate watches. Plus for many a year they would replace parts on vintage pieces as a given and bugger the value.

Jude13 · 08-04-2019 1:02pm

Isn't there a fake rolex spotter on instagram who has caught a few 'famous' people wearing very high end watches that are actually fake.

Cienciano · 08-04-2019 2:27pm

Jude13 wrote: »

Isn't there a fake rolex spotter on instagram who has caught a few 'famous' people wearing very high end watches that are actually fake.

A lot of people on the replica watch forums have gen and rep mixed in together in their collection.

Keyzer · 08-04-2019 2:33pm

Cienciano wrote: »

That hermes price wouldn't surprise me. I was getting a wallet and a particular website that has lots of fake stuff kept giving me fake hermes stuff. I wanted no brands on it, but out of interest I checked the price for the authentic hermes card holder.

https://www.hermes.com/ie/en/product/city-8cc-jungle-card-holder-H074367CAAA/

One of the most ludicrous things I've ever seen - 770 quid for a bit of leather.

Cienciano · 08-04-2019 2:37pm

Keyzer wrote: »

One of the most ludicrous things I've ever seen - 770 quid for a bit of leather.

If they were handing them out free at the train station I wouldn't take one.

oxocube · 08-04-2019 2:43pm

Cienciano wrote: »

If they were handing them out free at the train station I wouldn't take one.

My missus got me a Secrid wallet for my birthday. When she told me they were €70 I went nuts. In fairness, I really like it now. So it was a good purchase by her

Time · 08-04-2019 3:07pm

oxocube wrote: »

My missus got me a Secrid wallet for my birthday. When she told me they were €70 I went nuts. In fairness, I really like it now. So it was a good purchase by her

On a side note, those are pretty much complete marketing too. I've tested my own leather wallet on the card reader in work and it won't read it at all. the leather is enough to block the signal.

Cienciano · 08-04-2019 3:11pm

Time wrote: »

On a side note, those are pretty much complete marketing too. I've tested my own leather wallet on the card reader in work and it won't read it at all. the leather is enough to block the signal.

Yeah, my €3 delivered ali express has enough to block signals too.

Wibbs · 08-04-2019 7:46pm

Makes sense OG. You're going to sell to valued customers you know and have a longterm relationship with. I would. It's more the lack of supply in the first place that's marketing. And it's working as the hype and stuff around the years of waiting and "lists" is booming at the moment.

CrowdedHouse · 08-04-2019 7:51pm

Lads I haven't been keeping up but what happened in the last 5 years? Less than 5 years ago I was considering a Submariner to mark an 'anniversary'. In Hartmanns I looked at Sub date, non date and I think they had a green one as well, I passed at the time because they didn't really grab me.

893bet · 08-04-2019 8:05pm

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Lads I haven't been keeping up but what happened in the last 5 years? Less than 5 years ago I was considering a Submariner to mark an 'anniversary'. In Hartmanns I looked at Sub date, non date and I think they had a green one as well, I passed at the time because they didn't really grab me.

You won’t see a green one in the AD again for a few years.....

893bet · 19-06-2019 2:33pm

https://www.watchfinder.ie/Rolex/GMT%20Master%20II/126710%20BLNR/39491/item/140506

The first jubilee blnr on watch finder.....21.6k.....f%#king lol!

Cyrus · 19-06-2019 2:41pm

893bet wrote: »

https://www.watchfinder.ie/Rolex/GMT%20Master%20II/126710%20BLNR/39491/item/140506

The first jubilee blnr on watch finder.....21.6k.....f%#king lol!

someone on tz-uk was offered 9k to sell theirs.....

surely no one will pay 21.6k, blnr doesnt look as good on the jubilee imo

893bet · 19-06-2019 2:50pm

Cyrus wrote: »

someone on tz-uk was offered 9k to sell theirs

Think they are offering a little more for jubilee.

Cyrus wrote: »

surely no one will pay 21.6

No one with sense (then again no one with sense will pay 8k either....).

There are people on mega money. Financial industry, large tech firms etc. making big buck and easy 5 figure bonuses that are happy to splash the cash.

Cyrus wrote: »

blnr doesnt look as good on the jubilee imo

I think so also. Seen one in the flesh earlier and it’s better than I though!

Have tried on a gaggle of watches today and yesterday!

Cyrus · 19-06-2019 3:15pm

893bet wrote: »

Think they are offering a little more for jubilee.

No one with sense (then again no one with sense will pay 8k either....).

There are people on mega money. Financial industry, large tech firms etc. making big buck and easy 5 figure bonuses that are happy to splash the cash.

I think so also. Seen one in the flesh earlier and it’s better than I though!

Have tried on a gaggle of watches today and yesterday!

sorry it was 12k not 9k, still its some markup.

i get your point on large bonuses, but it would want to be more like large 6 figure bonuses to really not care that you are paying almost 3 times retail for a s/s rolex. id rather get an AP or something more interesting.

893bet · 19-06-2019 5:16pm

Cyrus wrote: »

sorry it was 12k not 9k, still its some markup.

i get your point on large bonuses, but it would want to be more like large 6 figure bonuses to really not care that you are paying almost 3 times retail for a s/s rolex. id rather get an AP or something more interesting.

There are a lot of watches in safes around the place! Would be interesting to see a hard brexit and see what happens to prices. Prices will surely soften but perhaps not in the short-term. If WF open in Dublin I may be tempted to turn my BLNR into something more elegant with a higher RRP value. The fear is the fact that is discontinued and prices may still rise....need to remember that Rolex probably made 50k plus BLNRs since launch and they will never be truely rare in any logical sense of the word. You still have the hulk?

Tried on an AP today in a secondhand dealer. Standard enough RO on steel bracelet. Didn’t really light my fire like I thought it would. Think it would have been nice on rubber. I expected to like it more!

btkm8unsl0w5r4 · 19-06-2019 5:26pm

Watchfinders are robbers....all their stock is overpriced and their offers on used watches are insulting. I understand they are there to make a buck, but its readily available information. A snazzy showroom, appointment only, maybe with a nice dolly out front and tasty coffee will only further increase the prices, and I am sure they will have an interesting take on the exchange rate.....try em on there and then hop on chrono24.

893bet · 19-06-2019 6:10pm

OmegaGene wrote: »

Friend of mine works in watchfinder Canary Wharf and he heard on the company grapevine that the Dublin branch will be an appointment only office much like some of the U.K. branches

Makes sense but makes it makes casual browsing difficult. I guess conversion of casual browsers is less than those with appointments. Will they ship watches over for viewings etc I wonder etc.

893bet · 19-06-2019 6:54pm

Dante Delicious Magnum wrote: »

Watchfinders are robbers....all their stock is overpriced and their offers on used watches are insulting. I understand they are there to make a buck, but its readily available information. A snazzy showroom, appointment only, maybe with a nice dolly out front and tasty coffee will only further increase the prices, and I am sure they will have an interesting take on the exchange rate.....try em on there and then hop on chrono24.

They are in business to make profit. They have their place. If looking to buy from them a certain deal can be struck on trade in.

Very difficult to sell a 10k plus watch in Ireland otherwise with limited shipping options and such a small market.

Cyrus · 19-06-2019 8:28pm

893bet wrote: »

There are a lot of watches in safes around the place! Would be interesting to see a hard brexit and see what happens to prices. Prices will surely soften but perhaps not in the short-term. If WF open in Dublin I may be tempted to turn my BLNR into something more elegant with a higher RRP value. The fear is the fact that is discontinued and prices may still rise....need to remember that Rolex probably made 50k plus BLNRs since launch and they will never be truely rare in any logical sense of the word. You still have the hulk?

Tried on an AP today in a secondhand dealer. Standard enough RO on steel bracelet. Didn’t really light my fire like I thought it would. Think it would have been nice on rubber. I expected to like it more!

I do

I'm half afraid to sell it although if they discontinue if I probably will I can't see prices continuing to rise like they have ...

Cyrus · 19-06-2019 8:29pm

Dante Delicious Magnum wrote: »

Watchfinders are robbers....all their stock is overpriced and their offers on used watches are insulting. I understand they are there to make a buck, but its readily available information. A snazzy showroom, appointment only, maybe with a nice dolly out front and tasty coffee will only further increase the prices, and I am sure they will have an interesting take on the exchange rate.....try em on there and then hop on chrono24.

I think it depends on what you want and what you are after

I have dealt with them a lot and generally been pleased with the outcome

username?! · 17-07-2019 11:43am

What's the best way to actually get put on the waiting list for a Submariner no date or 216570 in an Ireland AD?

I've called in before but just don't get taken seriously regarding being put on a list, I'm not looking for a BLNR or Hulk, just a "basic" steel sports watch.

Cyrus · 17-07-2019 1:15pm

username?! wrote: »

What's the best way to actually get put on the waiting list for a Submariner no date or 216570 in an Ireland AD?

I've called in before but just don't get taken seriously regarding being put on a list, I'm not looking for a BLNR or Hulk, just a "basic" steel sports watch.

ask can you leave a deposit should help

username?! · 17-07-2019 2:04pm

Cyrus wrote: »

ask can you leave a deposit should help

Good shout, I'll do that the next time I'm in.

Rootsblower · 17-07-2019 2:10pm

Cyrus wrote: »

ask can you leave a deposit should help

That probably won’t help, even “basic” SS models are massively in demand.AD’s require a previous purchase history before you get a shot at the good stuff. Your best bet without establishing a ‘relationship’ with an AD is to buy from the secondary market. Though this may cost a few bob more than retail price.

Cyrus · 17-07-2019 2:46pm

Rootsblower wrote: »

That probably won’t help, even “basic” SS models are massively in demand.AD’s require a previous purchase history before you get a shot at the good stuff. Your best bet without establishing a ‘relationship’ with an AD is to buy from the secondary market. Though this may cost a few bob more than retail price.

loads of anecdotal evidence in the UK that it does help.

Not sure how weirs or keanes operate here to be honest nor do i know how much stock they get!

Creamy Goodness · 17-07-2019 2:58pm

Does building a relationship with an AD span cross watch brands e.g. would me owning an Omega from Weirs help in getting on the Weir's Rolex list?

Rootsblower · 17-07-2019 3:02pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Does building a relationship with an AD would that span cross watch brands e.g. would me owning an Omega from Weirs help in getting on the Rolex list?

If your name is in their database as a previous customer having purchased anything at all not just Rolex would help. Depending on how much the previous spend was will dictate how quick u get your no date sub. I’m told they are harder to get than a sub with date.

Rootsblower · 17-07-2019 3:03pm

Cyrus wrote: »

loads of anecdotal evidence in the UK that it does help.

Not sure how weirs or keanes operate here to be honest nor do i know how much stock they get!

They operate on previous customers get priority

Creamy Goodness · 17-07-2019 3:06pm

Rootsblower wrote: »

If your name is in their database as a previous customer having purchased anything at all not just Rolex would help. Depending on how much the previous spend was will dictate how quick u get your no date sub. I’m told they are harder to get than a sub with date.

Thanks. No looking for a no date sub but GMT-II with red/blue bezel. Probably just a long a list.

Cyrus · 17-07-2019 3:40pm

Rootsblower wrote: »

If your name is in their database as a previous customer having purchased anything at all not just Rolex would help. Depending on how much the previous spend was will dictate how quick u get your no date sub. I’m told they are harder to get than a sub with date.

have you been in weirs lately?

database indeed,

they still work off ledger books

Cyrus · 17-07-2019 3:40pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Thanks. No looking for a no date sub but GMT-II with red/blue bezel. Probably just a long a list.

forget about a blro gmt any time soon

Creamy Goodness · 17-07-2019 3:42pm

Cyrus wrote: »

forget about a blro gmt any time soon

I'd be happy to wait 2-3 years anyways, I think the missus would kill me if I bought any sooner :pac:

893bet · 17-07-2019 4:05pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

I'd be happy to wait 2-3 years anyways, I think the missus would kill me if I bought any sooner :pac:

There is no list if you are not known. They have 100 buyers for every watch. THey 100’s of enquiries a week from all over the world.

You have close to zero chance as possible.

It’s a funny dynamic that you need to spend x amount on **** you don’t want to be allowed spend on what you do want.

Rootsblower · 17-07-2019 4:19pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Thanks. No looking for a no date sub but GMT-II with red/blue bezel. Probably just a long a list.

Without a serious purchase history I’d say you’ve more hope of winning Miss World than getting a GMT Pepsi.

There’s 2 Tudor Black Bay GMT’s on adverts both look great

Creamy Goodness · 17-07-2019 5:19pm

"Rootsblower&#8221 wrote:

There’s 2 Tudor Black Bay GMT’s on adverts both look great

Unfortunately they do nothing for me, really dislike the hands, the crown and the faux rivets.

Cyrus · 17-07-2019 5:31pm

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Unfortunately they do nothing for me, really dislike the hands, the crown and the faux rivets.

seconded

Time · 18-07-2019 12:21am

OmegaGene wrote: »

Bet they won’t take it

They won't, I've offered to pay up front for a sub and got told no, but at least they know i'm serious.

scwazrh · 18-07-2019 12:31am

This thread really sums up how brilliant the Rolex marketing department is . People are willing to spend thousands in a store just to be awarded the privilege of being allowed buy a Rolex and then are willing to wait years on a wait list for same.

And at the same time there is Pateks , AP and grand seikos waiting for new homes but being ignored because they are not Rolex.All equal if not surpassing in quality but just don’t seem to create the same “want” that Rolex marketing can.

Rootsblower · 18-07-2019 5:48am

This article was on TRF a few months ago i believe it sums up the Rolex marketing strategy well

http://www.thefashionlaw.com/home/the-24-anti-laws-of-marketing

893bet · 18-07-2019 6:46am

scwazrh wrote: »

This thread really sums up how brilliant the Rolex marketing department is . People are willing to spend thousands in a store just to be awarded the privilege of being allowed buy a Rolex and then are willing to wait years on a wait list for same.

And at the same time there is Pateks , AP and grand seikos waiting for new homes but being ignored because they are not Rolex.All equal if not surpassing in quality but just don’t seem to create the same “want” that Rolex marketing can.

Patek and AP sports are worse! All trading double retail.

How hard is it to get the rolex you want

Comments