How to choose an authorized dealer to build a relationship with?

[FrançoisCzapek]

The many discussions on choosing to build an authorized dealer relationship and the gray market do not discuss how to actually choose a dealer to focus on.

Let's say you're like me and you live in Singapore (or Hong Kong) where there are multiple authorized dealers, including those selling both Rolex and Patek.

Let's also assume to narrow the discussion that you already have at least two "serious" watches like a Patek complication or higher end Daytona or Day Date, just no AD relationship. Presumably you walk in and the sales associates understand you are not going to waitlist for a Submariner or want to discuss buying a Calatrava.

How do you choose an AD to focus on, and do you have to choose a specific sales associate to focus on? How does the thought process work?

For example, do you consciously walk into the same store every few weeks if browsing exhibition models instead of passing by whichever is nearest when you are out over the weekend?

[qwertul]

I live in Singapore too and I can tell you overall the ADs aren't great unless you wanna buy the other not popular brands to "start a relationship". I had been a customer of one large chain here (bought 5 watches in total so far) but because of COVID and the general lack of Rolex in the recent years I stopped for a bit (last 2 watches 2020). Last year I went back to the boutiques and I'm told that since I stopped for those years I'm counted as a new customer and would have to purchase something else to restart the "relationship". To me this is utter bullshit. But also as the market softens with each passing day I think just give it a while, you might see them start to change their attitudes. Just my experience and 2 cents.

[joli160]

You must be kidding us.

You don’t vet them but they do you by the amount of cash you spend on jewelry or non hyped pieces preferably paying full retail.

Plenty good grey dealers in SNP that there is absolutely no need to play these games.

[padi56]

Its about time all this AD so called relationship stuff stopped,as all ADs are just shops that sells watches nothing more.

[FrançoisCzapek]

I did have a friend who, right before things reopened, bought a non-Patek perpetual from an AD. Guy got poached or reassigned, then my friend bought a Patek perpetual from the same guy less than a year later, with the understanding he would get a steel non-time only Nautilus within a year (promise kept). Guy was not even resident in Singapore.

So if you wanted to put your name down for a Patek perpetual or perpetual chrono with one of the many ADs in Singapore or even make a non-Patek purchase, I do wonder who you would do this with instead of putting your name down with all of them. American Express has a promo only with Hour Glass if that makes a difference.

[sgt10p]

Madness! You spend over the equivalent Grey mark up on 'other' watches so you can buy the watch you want at retail? Just go Grey, you're not going to wear the 'other' watch once you have the Rolex you want.

[kopi-c]

Originally Posted by qwertul

I live in Singapore too and I can tell you overall the ADs aren't great unless you wanna buy the other not popular brands to "start a relationship". I had been a customer of one large chain here (bought 5 watches in total so far) but because of COVID and the general lack of Rolex in the recent years I stopped for a bit (last 2 watches 2020). Last year I went back to the boutiques and I'm told that since I stopped for those years I'm counted as a new customer and would have to purchase something else to restart the "relationship". To me this is utter bullshit. But also as the market softens with each passing day I think just give it a while, you might see them start to change their attitudes. Just my experience and 2 cents.

This.

There are way too many rich people ahead of you, OP. The AD games here are silly and need to have a good amount of spend history.

[1William]

Don't waste your time. Buy in the secondary market and in the long run you might save money from models you had to purchase you did not want.

[kopi-c]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

I did have a friend who, right before things reopened, bought a non-Patek perpetual from an AD. Guy got poached or reassigned, then my friend bought a Patek perpetual from the same guy less than a year later, with the understanding he would get a steel non-time only Nautilus within a year (promise kept). Guy was not even resident in Singapore.

So if you wanted to put your name down for a Patek perpetual or perpetual chrono with one of the many ADs in Singapore or even make a non-Patek purchase, I do wonder who you would do this with instead of putting your name down with all of them. American Express has a promo only with Hour Glass if that makes a difference.

What kind of promo from Amex?

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

Let's say you're like me and you live in Singapore (or Hong Kong) where there are multiple authorized dealers, including those selling both Rolex and Patek.

That is a challenging market considering the massive concentration of wealth. Same thing with the Middle East. Perhaps find an Authorized Dealer in a lower income area in the USA, Europe, etc.

Singapore is an extremely affluent and connected environment. Are there any very prestigious / high society families you know in SG?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by sgt10p

Madness! You spend over the equivalent Grey mark up on 'other' watches so you can buy the watch you want at retail? Just go Grey, you're not going to wear the 'other' watch once you have the Rolex you want.

Absolutely this

I’ve gone grey twice in my life and no regrets.

On the AD, I’ve had a good amount of success by simply being myself. I’ve worked with one AD for many years now, and the folks there are friendly, knowledgeable and overall just nice people to visit with. I’m not a whale by even the most conservative metric, but they treat me well.

My advice is to work with an AD where you feel most comfortable and you hit it off. If they allocate you the watch you want great … if you get tired of waiting just go grey as Pete says

[Bmats]

So I’ll bite, although it’s US not Singapore. And the long timers here can roll their eyes, but that’s fine. The fact remains that (1) it’s hit or miss and one person’s experience isn’t necessarily going to be yours—for better or worse, (2) even with the market cooling, access to harder to obtain pieces can be gotten only if you have history and the AD chooses you (for whatever their reasons), and (3) this only applies if you want a piece every year or so—if you’re just getting one or two pieces it’s definitely better to go grey.

For me, the bottom line is just that there’s a leap of faith—you need to be a good customer, and they hopefully are quality enough to want you to be a happy customer. It’s easy to be the former, but there probably are less ADs that are the latter.

Here’s what I did: I just selected one AD in the area that had pieces I wanted. I went to many first, and visited and said what I wanted, and got different vibes from different places. One was just rude, so that was a cross off. Another made BS remarks about just putting out pieces and having no waitlists. Uh, ok. Others said it was hard. One I had some spend history with from jewelry (not surprisingly) was more receptive—even though it was a small amount. I didn’t go in and visit or anything; I think I texted once and asked what might be possible.

They ended up selling me a piece I wanted several months later. After that, I basically consolidated my luxury purchases there (things I was going to buy anyways and had been from a group of places). Since then, I’ve gotten more watches, some harder to get, but I’ve also been told what’s not possible because they just don’t get many of them in. I’ve never bought anything I wasn’t going to get. It has worked out for me, and I think it has worked out for them.

I only visit them when I have a need—like I’m looking for a new watch, looking to buy a gift; so it’s just a couple times a year. But I’ll email/text before I go.

[Easy E]

I don’t consider extortion synonymous with relationship. I developed a real relationship with my previous SA such that we still keep in touch long after he left the AD. The AD has since shown me they could care less if I as much as took my next breath unless I buy a pile of useless jewelry my wife has no interest in. One is a relationship the other is not. I would rather go grey these days.

[BillA]

Try to establish a relationship with AD, but if they don’t care and want you to buy needless jewelry and watches then move on. Just can’t see buying stuff you don’t need for a promise of something you want. One time when I was East Hampton, LI at London Jewelers they wanted to bundle me, I laughed in their face, I think you have to be a moron to give them that kind of business. If you are going to spend on needless jewelry or watches, and then get a watch from AD, you will never wear the useless stuff again, so might as well go grey.

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Just as in romantic and other interpersonal entanglements successful relationships go both ways so it’s not as simple as choosing an entity to have a relationship with, to a certain extent you must also be chosen. In my experience the most rewarding relationships are those that surprise you so maybe don’t try at all.

[Calatrava r]

Easy answer. Only give your business to folks who appreciate it and treat you with friendliness and respect.

[JackGale]

As a matter of policy, I do not support a business that doesn't support its customers. The business I support must be based on a "relationship" of mutual respect and candor. If that's lacking, I go elsewhere or take a pass. That applies in terms of a watch or any transaction. I have never understood why an AD wants me to buy things from them that I don't want in order to potentially pay their full price for an item that I do want. That sounds to me like paying a ransom to---maybe---eventually---get something they sell back from them.

[TickTockChuck]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

Easy answer. Only give your business to folks who appreciate it and treat you with friendliness and respect.

I totally agree, there must be mutual respect as in all relationships. Trying to get you to buy stuff you don't want before they open the Rolex gates is devious. It really boils down to chemistry between you and the SA I've generally found. Cheers

[Robf52]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

Easy answer. Only give your business to folks who appreciate it and treat you with friendliness and respect.

This.

[FrançoisCzapek]

Respectfully, this isn't very actionable, at least for a Singapore context.

Again, I'm in Singapore where there are multiple ADs. Every single sales associate you meet in each is a Chinese Singapore male in his 20s (able to cover both English and Mandarin speaking tourists), perky, courteous, helpful, and knowledgeable. The business culture conditions people to be pleasant even if they are irritated.

No idea who among them to pick and it's hard to even remember anything distinguishing.

I notice that Patek ADs over here will not even ask for my contact information or might even assume I am not coming back or have no intention to buy, even if I enter wearing a Patek complication and ask specific questions, and even after they ask if I am resident. Some are more obvious about trying to identify my watch. Non-Patek ADs will get my contact information and do a gentle follow up to re-introduce themselves and say to drop a line if you need anything else.

[ArtNouveau]

Just from my experience, walking in cold to a new AD of any kind wearing a nice watch is a conversation starter but certainly not a ticket to immediately supplying you with a new watch. If anything they probably think you’re already someone else’s customer.

[FrançoisCzapek]

Not necessarily. The more tactful SA will ask how long you have been wearing the watch especially if it is discontinued or likely sold over ten years ago. That gives you an opening to mention it was a gift.

In this case, does it hurt if you mention you get your watch from a dealer, or it was sold by a friend (instead of saying it was a gift or from another country)?

[thenewrick]

I'm with Padi on this one. Y'all overthinking things bigtime. Or is your real question, "How can I get hype models at retail as soon as possible?". If that's your goal, just ask the AD what it takes and they should be honest. If they aren't just move on and they don't want to make a deal with you or don't like you.

[FrançoisCzapek]

No, my goal is to see if it's better to get a perpetual chronograph from an AD, which incidentally might be a good way to ask him to throw in a Nautilus or Aquanaut.

It's not something that will happen instantly and every AD will say at best there is no waiting list and they have to put in an order with no guarantees. So I'm literally asking how to pick an AD to begin this song and dance with, especially if there are some other purchases you might make.

For example, is it a differentiator to do as you say and gauge their responses?

Or is there no way and you should just pick the AD that's closest to where you live? (This is an answer too.)

[Gerardus]

Originally Posted by Robf52

This.

100% this!

[thenewrick]

Eh I think the private sector in Singapore/HK is going to be different than the West. Just ask the AD what it takes to get what you want. When talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry overseas it's hard to give advice. Most folks aren't in that lifestyle.

[omar-rye]

Mo money mo problems

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

For example, is it a differentiator to do as you say and gauge their responses?

Ask each AD directly, let them know your thoughts. May as well try them all, SG is a small country. If you know someone in high society who is already their client, it may help to have them with you.

You could also choose to become a YouTube 'personality', and after a few years and if you get a lot of followers that may help. During the early years do videos featuring store owners, various brands, etc. SG gets a wonderful variety of very high-end pieces, use that to your advantage for your videos.

[GotRolex]

What people would do for a watch. It’s a different world that we live in.


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[996marty]

All this relationship talk for me is a load of rubbish
Save yourself money in the long run and buy from a trusted reseller