At least you can pop in and see them in person, maybe even try them on. Although not ideal it's a step in the right direction and should stop some people going on the list and then turning it down when they get the call.
I’ve just come back from a few days away and there was a TT Wimbledon Dial 36mm DJ on oyster bracelet , the list was £8850 .
Also in Doncaster they still have a WG Skydweller Ivory Dial ( stunning as well ) at a previously Rolex AD ( few years ago and now it’s sister store is the AD ) at £3.5k off list as it’s not in pristine condition but is totally unworn.
I think it’s better than nothing Ken.
Looks better than empty windows.
Maybe let you try a couple of bracelet designs, see which looks/feels best?
Try it for size?
Demonstrate the bezel/glide lock?
Would potentially save a clients watch getting marked up (when it’s been shown to someone as we regularly see on here….)
It would be better if there were watches in the window however it doesn’t always work like that:
- - - Updated - - -
Maybe it’s been tried on by all and sundry ? See above….
Saw this AD in sussex, all of 6 watches in the very large window. Stock is short obviously or in the special metal cupboard out back.
#2558 below could have been Robinsons in Mcr yesterday. Big windows for the Rolex display, v.little in them. other brands seemed plentiful.
Mappin Kingston. I assume these must be exhibition models but I see no sign
Still nice to try on. Wouldn't mind seeing the different colours of the OP41 in person.
Was pretty nice on although the AD said he'd be dead before I got to the end of the waiting list lol. I did put my name down for the pink one so let's see
As a fan of Rolex watches, I really can't even bring myself to bother walking into a Rolex AD currently to be honest. Bottom line, I don't enjoy the experience. It's not that they don't have watches to sell (although that doesn't help!), I find the whole atmosphere is wrong. I walked past a London AD with sports models in the window for display (shared here yesterday) and I just had no enthusiasm to even bother going in. Comments like the one you mentioned may be tongue-in-cheek, but honestly it makes the customer feel like a 2nd class citizen IMO.
At least with Rolex it's understandable, I don't blame the staff for not having stock and I'd likewise get weary in their shoes I imagine. There's no easy fix to excess demand, so I've sympathised with the Rolex position on other threads in the past. However I walked down that whole street of 'luxury' type stores (old bond street) and in every single doorway a security guard leered out uninvitingly. The 'we don't need to sell to you' attitude just seemed to be the prevailing feeling I got whenever we did pop in somewhere, despite these being stores full of stock with hardly a customer in sight... My wife commented on how ridiculous it felt and I felt the exact same. Perhaps that's my hang up, but I don't think so. We went shopping on Oxford Street instead. Maybe it's all part of some master marketing plan and in 10 years I'll be overcome with desire to buy from these places, but I can't help but feel these 'luxury' brands are driving away their future customer base with some false pretence of exclusivity.
\irrelevant rant over
With no or very few watches to sell, how do the single brand boutiques/ADs cover their overheads for that shop? Salaries, rent, rates, utilities etc - all add up?
This is such a dull and pointless thread.
Pretty extensive selection for viewing purposes in Mappin and Webb Nottingham, under new instruction from Rolex to display everything before collection from chatting to the lady in store.
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I think the thread has outlived its purpose since now what you see in window May not be for sale or might be dummy.
M&W Tunbridge Wells had CHNR GMT, Green OP, & 2 more sports models on display with a sign firmly saying display models only. Forgot to get a picture mind you.
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Edinburgh has succumbed to this too. The "what do you want?" attitude when you enter and inability to just let you browse the store without hassle really puts me off even going in nowadays. This discounting the complete lack of product knowledge of most of the staff. You don't have to be a nerd to study a bit the stupidly expensive items you're trying to sell.
They've even started wanting an appointment just to drop things off for service. Idiocy.
I know exactly the AD you’re talking about.
I went to the door (on a quiet morning) to be met by a female SA holding an iPad. She asked if I had an appointment to which I said no.
She said they were appointment only (offering one for later in the day) and I said not to bother. She was clear immediately that they had no steel sports models and an appointment was only to browse what was in stock (ladies models).
Last edited by Nairn1980; 11th September 2021 at 22:40.
The only shop window for 2021 Rolex is Chrono24 over 1000watches for sale. Way more than any other brands. Rolex are so shit at distribution the AD must be laughing at them with 100% mark up and queueing around the block
Are Rolex the mugs now?
Last edited by Dandandanman; 12th September 2021 at 00:40.
This was my situation until the AD who I'd bought from previously (a Watches of Switzerland branch) stopped stocking Rolex and didn't bother to tell me
I haven't put my name down elsewhere since then, although I do really like that watch so maybe I will at some point.
Last edited by M1011; 12th September 2021 at 15:00.
Goldsmiths Meadowhall has everything (I think) except Explorer/Explorer 2/Milgauss.
Looked closely at a pink(!!) OP36 to confirm it is the same bracelet size as the DJ36, which it is, and not the Explorer. So my wait for a black dial continues.
The chap said display only is for the foreseeable future and that it is not allocated stock but will be rotated with other stores. He also said they were regularly getting steel models in (how many I don't know) that are pre-allocated.
Last edited by markbannister; 12th September 2021 at 14:42.
Goldsmiths in the Metro centre send staff out to engage with you if you stop to look at their window display , which as expected is hardly worth looking at anyway.
Message to the management, I’d rather not have one of your staff point out what watch I’m wearing when all and sundry are walking by in a crass attempt to engage when they wouldn’t progress an enquiry regardless because of the non existence of stock.
An appointment for a service drop off ? ,surely all staff are fully trained to deal with such mundane matters not one specific person ?
The world has gone mad.
I had to book appointments with Laings (Argyle Arcade) to drop off & collect a couple of repairs. Laings have a standalone area for service & repair drop-offs/collections which is upstairs, away from the main retail area.
Initially, appointments were required because there was no permitted walk-in access to the shop. When that was permitted, it was to allow for cleaning etc. between clients. Then, I was told it was because of reduced staffing due to absences because of Covid.
______
Jim.
Well I’ve gone and done it and purchased a GMT Pepsi at a grey.
Couldn’t be arsed with hoops I had to jump through after spending a small fortune with them and they still laughed at me when I suggested could I have a Pepsi.
I’ve paid double over list. Yes some will call me a fool however I have always wanted one so I’m picking up next week. Can’t wait for it.
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Well done Wes, I think you have done the right thing. Sure there are loads of the ‘I won’t pay a penny over list’ brigade on here, but when I paid nearly £14k for a Daytona back in 2016 people said the same thing. Had I kept it I would have been wearing it for 5 years now, the list price has crept up and the bonkers market price is just that, bonkers.
You enjoy it mate
Gut wrenching to pay so much but for me it's really the only watch I need. Can't wait to see it on the Friday thread.
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Don't blame you at all. Everyone says they'd never pay over retail until they do. Then they realise if they'd done it sooner it would have been cheaper and they could have it a year ago. Shame to get that reaction from the AD after buying the WG YM42 but no point dwelling on that.
Enjoy it when it comes. Great looking watch.
Anyway it could be worse. You could have bought a BLRO in white gold for £28k and then saw one released in steel for £7k after. Heart breaking.
I'd rather the steel for 15 than the gold for 28 (32/33 at today's prices). No question. It's only when you're hitting 27k for a white steel Daytona that I'd switch to white gold instead.
White gold SkyDweller is also a fine example. That would be about 40-42k now and you get Arabic numerals instead of batons indexes to differentiate. The steel is 16 from WF so 14-15 in reality.