Really?
I don't mean to be rude but that story seems to have all the key ingrediants of an urban myth.
A colleague of mine recently bought a Sub from an AD in Hong Kong. When he got back to the Netherlands he found it was losing a minute a day and took it to the Rolex dealer at Schiphol airport. After careful examination (with my colleague present) the AD found the Sub to be a fake. Right.
He requested a flight to HK to confront the dealer. Walking into the shop, he found the salesman in question who greeted him with a "Welcome to XXXXXX, how can I help you?" After explaining the situation the salesman asked for ALL the paperwork, boxes, watch, the lot and said that he would discuss the matter with the manager who was in the office at the back of the shop. He gave the salesman everything and waited patiently, feeling satisfied that his case was being heard and that everything would be taken care of.
After 4 or 5 minutes, the salesman reappeared and calmly said to my colleague "Welcome to XXXXXX, how can I help you?".
Bloody hell.
Really?
I don't mean to be rude but that story seems to have all the key ingrediants of an urban myth.
Well it was told to me by another member on his crew. It had me flabbergasted too.
You do all look the same to us you know :lol:Originally Posted by Gould
So what was the resolution of the story? Did the manager come out and say it was fine or do an exchange?
Sounds very odd.. especially I preusme the colleague paid on a credit card.. and if that was the case then I would have been on the phone to the police whilst standing in the shop...
It sounds terrifying. I have yet to hear how it all ended but calling the HKG police would be the last thing I would do. I suspect it to be a cash deal, otherwise the dealer would be more hesitant to take such a risk. There was no manager as far as I know. The salesman might have been the manager and pocketed USD 5000 or whatever the sum was.
It sounds unbelievable, sorry. Both the story and the naivity of your friend. Have you asked him what happened rather than take someone else's word?
In Holland we call this "een broodje aap verhaal" or translated a monkey sandwich story :)
But maybe the end is more convincing............
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Sounds bunkum to me but I guess all things are possible
Gray
Wasn't there rumours of a scam recently where someone bought a watch, went home, swapped it for a fake and then returned the whole lot to the shop a few days later, usually at a busy time. Judging by the standard of knowledge among most salespeople in shops here, I reckon a fake could easily make its way into a shop's inventory via this method.
Please name the shop!
Cobblers. Unless he really did buy a watch from the 'nicey nicey genuwine wolex shop', in which case, more fool him.
I recon the Manager legged it!!
don't you get that the whole point of the urban myth is that there is no manager :roll:Originally Posted by kaneastin
lol.Originally Posted by Albellisimo
Not laughing at anyone that gets ripped off in this way - but at the above response :)
Doesn't sound too convincing to me - as I (and I am sure quite a few of us) would have the clown over the counter with a biro to his temple asking for my money back asap.
It's just a matter of time...
Ah yes, being stupidOriginally Posted by Albellisimo
HK would be one of the safest places in the world to buy a Rolex.
I am trying to track down this story to verify it. More to follow.
There is a part missing, either a follow up or a broken nose, arm and caved in chest.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
Costco is usually mentioned in connection with this.Originally Posted by Bogmanfan
______
Jim.
From an AD? Where AD stands for Authorised Dealer, not "A Dealer"? Nope, not buying it...Originally Posted by Gould
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Utterly hope this is not a true story... But if so, a very scary one !
One would usually expect that a transaction with an AD would be safe and not just a safe way to part with both money and dignity :twisted:
Please confirm the end of the storey, and the "Authorised Dealer" in question. Don't be shy in naming the shop either if its true.
Surly that has to end with a call to the police!
Whats a nightmare if true.
I have emailed the bloke that was there and he says (saw this coming?) that it was a longer ago that he originally remembered although he still stands by the story as I have told it here. The fact that it was an AD doesn't really matter. A rogue employee could easily do this. It would end up being his word against a customers, who is making outrageous claims about being robbed over USD 5000.
Nonsense, i would never believe a true AD would do that.
or that someone would be so aggreived as to fly back to HK, only for said salesman to take and dispose of all evidence, so decide to return home without further action? no way.Originally Posted by Time Cat
Oh well, that is how the story was told to me gents. Lets hope it didn't happen!
The matter is on file.
F.T.F.A.
The fact is, there are no facts. This story is fiction, and your 'bloke' says it was that long ago since made the story up that he can no longer recall the BS in any detail.Originally Posted by Gould
Authorised dealers are protective of their Rolex Authorised status and even if though this 'could' happen they'd do all they could to put the situation right, rather than have in store fraud/theft allegations and lose their AD status.
it could well be true, but not an AD, maybe just a shop selling used watches
So why post it in the first place?Originally Posted by Gould
No dealer name, no date, no ending?
FFS :roll:
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Give him a chanceOriginally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK
A friendly place to discuss watches without oppressive moderation
Yada, yada - the whole 'my mate' story malarky surfaces so many times and it inevitably ends up being a myth/lie/fabrication and does nothing for watch fora or online watch sales.Originally Posted by clockwatcher
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
I only told the story as it was told to me. I thought it was quite alarming. I am very wary of buying watches in the far east but have been tempted to do so in the past. This, coming from an airline crew colleague of mine served as a warning.
Perhaps I should have kept it for the pub.
I asume every Rolex store has multiple camera's inside!Originally Posted by Gould
(edit, this is my 100th post).
[quote=Chris_in_the_UK]Yada, yada - the whole 'my mate' story malarky surfaces so many times and it inevitably ends up being a myth/lie/fabrication and does nothing for watch fora or online watch sales.[/quote:arjxh24w]Originally Posted by clockwatcher
In an earlier post I mentioned that it could be very true, but not an AD. In fact highly unlikely an AD. It could have been a shop selling used or new grey market watches, if the latter is the case, then this could have possibly happened - benefit of the doubt is what I say
[quote=clockwatcher]In an earlier post I mentioned that it could be very true, but not an AD. In fact highly unlikely an AD. It could have been a shop selling used or new grey market watches, if the latter is the case, then this could have possibly happened - benefit of the doubt is what I say[/quote:2lg53k25]Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK
Story was posted as an 'AD' -the 'benefit of doubt' should be applied before the scaremongering posts start (and are subsequently supported) IMO :wink:
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
In an earlier post I mentioned that it could be very true, but not an AD. In fact highly unlikely an AD. It could have been a shop selling used or new grey market watches, if the latter is the case, then this could have possibly happened - benefit of the doubt is what I sayI agree on that. But to the un initiated, as the guy must have been, a watch shop full of new rolexes could be construed as being an AD. If indeed it is a true tale, he's not so bright, so possibly thought it was an AD, or at least told everybody it was and AD to spare his blushes. Just saying thats all.Story was posted as an 'AD' -the 'benefit of doubt' should be applied before the scaremongering posts start (and are subsequently supported) IMO :wink:
if it was an AD I would imagine Rolex would take an incredibly dim view of it, they would certainly withdraw AD status and possibly sue the company involved. I cant believe any AD would risk it.
Well this one is a right monkey sandwich, and no mistake.Originally Posted by Daddelvirks
After 4 or 5 minutes, the salesman reappeared and calmly said to my colleague "Welcome to XXXXXX, how can I help you?".Originally Posted by Gould
"yeah...just want to have my Daytona back..."
that is the one good point in this thread , monkey sandwich indeed :)Originally Posted by RobinMasters
Certainly sounds apocryphal to me. I've heard a similar story about a diamond ring so it defintely has a faint whiff of monkey about it. (Great expression by the way Dutch guys!).
Also unless you pay by cash, there is going to be a paper trail, and as others have said an AD could never get away with that sort of behaviour.
Well I suspect simply not an Authorised Dealer, just one of the many shops (often grey dealers) on Nathan Road with windows full of high-end watches. I suppose this fella imagined that fakes are sold in the markets but real watches in a real shop.
To be theoretical, this could be considered as storytelling, a marketing buzzword. This story is a proof of the strength of the Rolex brand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storytelling#In_marketing
More like a joke....
Not a rumour, but Costco!! now they are a lot more cautious and the watches are not included in their famous 'if you don't like it we'll refund it' policy.Originally Posted by Bogmanfan