I am so glad IWC didn't keep my card then insist I return to Munich to pick it up otherwise I would be held responsible for its loss.Originally Posted by SydR
Its hard to hear some of these story's and understand why anyone would put themselves through this humiliation.
Until customers stop accepting these practices, ADs will carry on. The lure is too much and customers are accepting the practices. Including me. But then again the AD didn't want my warranty card as I purchased an Air King. No affidavit. No monthly selfie request. Nothing. Take your watch and get out of here.
I thought that each & every Rolex watch has a unique serial number engraved upon it , either between the 6 o'clock lugs, on the rehaut, or both.
I'd assume that Rolex SA records the serial nos. of which watches it ships to each of its regional/national distributors & that those distributors record which watches go to each AD in their area...
...or am I missing something (always a possibility with me!)?
______
Jim.
I was fortunate to be able to coincide the trip with meeting friends in the area.
What miffed me most was the withholding of the warranty card wasn’t mentioned until after I’d made payment.
From photos you cant really see the serial number on the rehaut so there’s no way anyone can know the serial number unless someone takes photos of it. Therefore the ADs are anonymous
...so you agree that each watch bears a unique serial number & is therefore traceable by that serial number to the AD that first sold it?
______
Jim.
Don’t you think Rolex know which serial numbers go to which AD
I think your missing the point. How will Rolex know what the serial number is to identify the AD from a photo for a Rolex that is for sale. If the warranty card is not visible then they would have to visit the seller to actually look for the serial number.
Last edited by awright101; 22nd November 2019 at 17:28.
Correct, I never said they could not. But with an advert that does not disclose the serial number they won’t know who the AD is.
Not so sure - a half decent dial shot and the serial is clear for all to see. This is mine...
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Change the angle very slightly and it would be totally out of view without ruining the shot...Not so sure - a half decent dial shot and the serial is clear for all to see. This is mine...
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It would, but I really don't think anyone really gives a jot.
I think ADs just do the whole card thing so Rolex UK can't blame it on them or use it to remove AD status.
Ultimately the flipping for profit is part of why there is hype and waiting lists - if you truly stopped it then it nay not be good overall for Rolex. The hype is part of keeping the brand unobtainable and exclusive.
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who is “they” in that sentence?
To say I’ve enjoyed reading this thread would be unfair. I have, however, found it fascinating. As someone in the market for something ‘special’ a little way down the line, this whole debacle has somewhat put me off Rolex as a brand. As for the AD involved, I’m surprised. I would be appalled if mine ever got themselves into a position where their customer (me) ended up being treat pretty shabbily. Lots to be learnt from the thread. Thank you to everyone who’s contributed. As a relative newbie to this end of the market, it’s an eye opener.
BTW, lovely Omega you’ve now got OP!
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Mentioned this thread to my AD's manager today. They told me an exchange card can be done for the prices mentioned (apparently January sales are quite often to blame when they write the previous year in by mistake!).
The next one is for the universal 14 day return policy, you have a change of heart and fetch it back but with that, Rolex insist they send the watch back to inspect so it's still in as new condition (I never knew this).
If the warranty card is lost-no replacement can be purchased.
That is, of course, correct despite the protestations to the contrary of certain posters with their own agenda.
Why anyone would find this unusual is beyond comprehension.
Of course Rolex would not re-issue a guarantee card because they have no way of telling if the original was genuinely lost. Issuing replacements would be a sure way of having multiple cards with the same serial number in circulation. The undesirable consequences of this are blindingly obvious.
Indeed.
I’ve found this thread absolutely extraordinary for a few reasons.
1. A high-end jeweller who has stock which clearly runs into hundred of thousands, if not millions of £’s, can’t keep a few bits of plastic and paper safe
2. A manufacturer of high-end jewellery / horology who does not have a way to associate/disassociate a small piece of plastic to/from its very expensive goods in a simple, electronically secure way
3. Consumers / resellers who, between them, have contrived (willingly or otherwise) to place too much residual value in said small piece of plastic, which clearly bears little-to-no bearing as to whether or not the watch it relates to is real or not, and/or has a valid guarantee or not.
Extraordinary.
Agreed.
Well , they've managed to sell another watch out of it. Not much incentive to be competent when incompetence is rewarded. (And that's assuming it was incompetence and nothing more . . . malfeasant.)
What they could do and what they do do are two difference things. Again: cui bono? As for "high end" - what's the intrinsic value (parts and labour) of a Rolex?
Indeed
(A)greed.
I called Rolex to get the facts most of its true.
(Is there some punctuation missing?) If most then - which is true and which is not? Serious question.
Martyn
Let's not forget it's only because of 3 that the presence of the physical warranty card has any consequence. Roll up to Rolex with your in-warranty watch and they'll look up its warranty status on the computer, no card required. The importance of the card to Rolex is far less than to some owners.
I called Rolex to get the facts.
most of whats been said here to varying degrees is true.
they see nothing wrong with holding the cards,they are aware of people buying to sell and they dont like that.
I said make more watches then.
someone more eloquent can phone them and report back if they like.
Really?
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Wouldn’t be surprised after all this if the card is tucked in your box somewhere.
Said yourself you don’t know where the box even is so wouldn’t surprise me if they never sorted it on sale.
Be quite amusing.
They take the cards and give you a photocopy, or have done in my case over the last two year’s for sports models. I have just been in today to collect several cards and had to sign to say that I had collected these. An expensive day as my wife decided to buy some Art Deco jewellery.
You are cruel, but possibly correct.
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Apologies for the late comment and thank you for your substantive reply...
It is not clear to me what you are intending to excuse with the above info. You are just pointing out the costs of doing business in your line of work.I agree that we do make a profit on Rolex, and should do to be in business, however please bear in mind the following excuses I'm about to make
Since 2012 the AD's profit margin has been cut 3 times in the UK by Rolex primarily to stop the discounting which actually has worked well in principle. Then there is the obligation to buy replacement stock out of that reduced profit, pay for high security to protect the staff and stock that is so often targeted with the consequential high cost of insuring them. Throw in the fact that I and the rest of my staff do need paying at the end of each month (no commission BTW).
Then factor in the cost to us of fitting or refitting dedicated Rolex sales rooms and windows together with an increase in core stock from around 65 watches in 2012 to 110 for our size business which altogether came to £300K and now needs updating in the New Year. Then there's the cost of organised Customer events to showcase the latest Basel collection and also the Rolex gifts that we buy from Rolex to give to our customers and suddenly that profit hasn't gone far....
Indeed, you don't need to make any excuses! You have nothing you need to excuse in my opinion (since you don't withhold warranty cards).
There is no shame in making a profit and you do not need to justify your costs in order to justify making a profit, no matter who you are.
But that's the thing: If you don't need to make excuses or make justifications then nor do flippers or grey dealers or anyone else who chooses to sell their own property or stock. Their business, and their chosen mode of business, is as valid, right and proper as is yours. No profit is more magically valid than any other, regardless of the costs of doing business in any particular manner.
Exactly. I agree.
Ah, this strikes me as an internally contradictory viewpoint.
As as I observed above, if a watch owner sells a watch for a profit then I see no valid reason to think of it as any different to your profit. Their profit is no more or less "fair" than your profit -- there is no magic to make one more "fair" than the other. You enumerated your costs above but they are irrelevant in terms of fairness or rights over one's own property. They are just your cost of doing business. They do nothing whatsoever to magically make your profit more holy than anyone else's profits. If you make a profit (as you of course should!) then it is only right, proper, fair and reasonable for others to make profits too with their own property. That's not "profiteering" (an emotive term) -- it's just profiting, just like you profit from sales (regardless of your costs of doing business).
In summary, you believe, as I do, that "what the customer does with the watch is up to them" and so, to my mind, it logically follows that one cannot sanely or morally take the view that a person profiting from selling their own property is in any way less "fair" or less morally proper than any other seller's profits.
Amen to that ^^
I would really like a new Rolex one day, but withholding activity by some dealers would most certainly see me walk away and try to find what I want elsewhere, or simply buy another brand or buy used to avoid the hassle.
Going to Rolex is like asking permission to buy a watch. I am not sure I like the way the bra and has gone.
I had a call from the AD today informing me the card had turned up during stocktaking. I can have it if I send the AD's warranty letter back. It's a pity to give up 5 extra years warranty and a free service but it's gotta be done I suppose. All's well that ends well etc. etc.
Personally I think they owe you the card and the 5 extra years warranty and free service just for the hassle they've put you through.
It's worth pointing out that they've caused distress.
Glad you got it back. It would always bug me without it
Tell them you have already sold it for a obscene profit but you will let the new owner know.
Cheers..
Jase
You've lost the warranty letter...
(Glad they've found the card at last!)
I agree! Pretty poor to demand that back
Wow, is this Pragnells?
I thought they were one of the leading, established high end dealers.
Not classy!
This!.
They deserve the odd jibe given the stress they’ve put you through for THEIR mistake/carelessness.
Good that you get the complete set again though
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When I read this I thought, bet that turns up. Worthless to any body else just been misplaced. People make mistakes. Did make a good read though
I am surprised at Pragnalls, I would have expected them to return the card and honour the warranty and service. They also got an additional sale.
Practice your compo face?
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Well that was the long interesting and at times difficult read. OP, glad to read that the card has finally appeared. Overwhelming thought from me, is just how utterly mad the Rolex demand has become. I wonder if its not time for me to reduce collection (in my pension) maybe buy a Porsche GT car or two instead lol
Well I’m glad The OP got his original warranty card. However if it were me it would leave a nasty taste in my mouth.
I’m completely amazed that AD did this. I’m not sure I understand their logic that allowing OP to spend many more thousands of pounds with them on the Omega was appropriate remediation. The eventual offer of a free service and extra warranty should have been offered instantly without buying yet more stuff off them.
And then to finally take back that extra warranty and service. Dealer has some balls to do that! It would have tipped me over the edge in my interactions with them.
Net result: as a result of their cock up they’ve now sold two watches instead of one and OP simply got the full set Rolex he’d paid for in the first place.
Not sure if that AD is just a waste of skin, or symptomatic of how many ADs have now gotten so used to being in demand that treating customers like shit is now the norm.
"Hi, you remember that thing I borrowed off you then lost? Well I've found it but I won't give it back to you. Instead I'll trade you something for its safe return".
Fair enough give back/shred the letter but you've 'earned' that free service through a terrible experience and God knows how much lost personal time trying to sort it out.
Sounds like they stopped digging themselves a hole only to hop out and start fresh on a new hole. Silly.
Last edited by wileeeeeey; 24th January 2020 at 09:28.
This, Pragnells are a highly respectable and well thought of dealer.
Their actions here appear to be a little petty and I would have expected better from them.
It still rankles with me that they refused to give me a receipt when I took my Sub in for service at the back end of last year in case my watch went astray. It came back from RSC safely but I will seriously consider using a different AD when the next service is due if they decline to give me a receipt again.
How can they take property off you and not give a receipt? When I've sent my watches off at ADs they've given me till print outs and a carbon copy of their internal form detailing current condition similar to when you hire a car.
They seem to be going down in respects to customer service and I agree it seems very petty.
I am very surprised they did not give you a receipt for your watch. I got one for my wife’s date just and for my watch to get a chipped crystal replaced. It seems madness, I have not had any issues such as these yet.
Last edited by shoppy; 24th January 2020 at 19:37.
Strange one, they gave me a receipt for when I gave them my Tag for a service, and then again when the strap broke
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