Does Rolex really track re-sales?

[pierson]

Hypothetically, I were to trade in a Rolex with another dealer, other than my AD, and they were to list it for sale, would that get back to my AD? Or, even worse, would Rolex track it back to them?

I’ve heard stories, especially with stuff like the stainless Daytona, but are they really true?

95% sure I’m not going to trade (I wouldn’t be selling), but more curious on everyone’s experience in this strange world where retail is so much less than market.


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[2loaded]

Rolex? Not a chance. AD can do what they like with their resources.

[khalifam]

Rolex don't give a dog's arse what you do with your watch.


The AD cares and upper management care, they say it's Rolex. Nonsense.

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[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by pierson

Hypothetically, I were to trade in a Rolex with another dealer, other than my AD, and they were to list it for sale, would that get back to my AD? Or, even worse, would Rolex track it back to them?

I’ve heard stories, especially with stuff like the stainless Daytona, but are they really true?

95% sure I’m not going to trade (I wouldn’t be selling), but more curious on everyone’s experience in this strange world where retail is so much less than market.


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Rolex cares not. Some of the AD's with control issues do.

Trade, sell do what you want its your watch. smh.

[joli160]

Rolex doesn’t keep track of ownership, they never have. It’s not Patek.
I bought 10 Rolex with blanco cards and could have written Donald Duck.
With the new style 2020 card you cannot even enter your name anymore on the card either.

They perhaps did this to facilitate the flipping and grey business. The brand is stronger than ever before with a win win for Rolex and their AD’s.
Never in the history more Rolex watches have been sold as in recent times.

[azs.77]

Rolex doesn’t care. ADs do.


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[pierson]

Thx! Was curious - so Assume Rolex only cares if AD’s charge above list and then calls it a day.


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[TimepieceRPP]

Saw another threads that unless it is a very rare piece like Rainbow daytona.

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by pierson

Hypothetically, I were to trade in a Rolex with another dealer, other than my AD, and they were to list it for sale, would that get back to my AD? Or, even worse, would Rolex track it back to them?

I’ve heard stories, especially with stuff like the stainless Daytona, but are they really true?

95% sure I’m not going to trade (I wouldn’t be selling), but more curious on everyone’s experience in this strange world where retail is so much less than market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The ADs I know do care a lot though, and big ADs like WoS or Bucherer have a large enough footprint for there to be a chance that a watch they sold you in location A returns for maintenance on the wrist of someone else at location B. In a world where every reason is good enough not to allocate watches to someone, I‘m not out to cross my AD. Besides, I don’t buy to resell or even to make money. If I let go of a watch it’s only when I trade up, which I typically address quite openly with them while purchasing whatever the funds are needed for.

[dpt.calvin]

Rolex dgaf.

[pierson]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

The ADs I know do care a lot though, and big ADs like WoS or Bucherer have a large enough footprint for there to be a chance that a watch they sold you in location A returns for maintenance on the wrist of someone else at location B. In a world where every reason is good enough not to allocate watches to someone, I‘m not out to cross my AD. Besides, I don’t buy to resell or even to make money. If I let go of a watch it’s only when I trade up, which I typically address quite openly with them while purchasing whatever the funds are needed for.

This would only be to trade up, but potentially not with my AD


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[77T]

Originally Posted by pierson

This would only be to trade up, but potentially not with my AD


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If it was traded to another AD in same market country that it was originally purchased, then it’s possible the country distributor could track it.

For example, RUSA. Their intranet has data on all sorts of parameters.

But only for the purpose of distribution metrics and governance - not to track you as an individual.


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[inadeje]

Rolex HQ don’t care.

ADs do care, and if you’re caught it’ll be curtains for any other watches. Blacklisted etc. What’s the probability of that happening? Slim. But it could in multiple scenarios. For instance, just by chance your watch is resold and the new owner knows it was sold by WOS, they may go there with it if it has a problem “I know it was bought here and now I have this problem”. Get the picture?

[pierson]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Rolex HQ don’t care.

ADs do care, and if you’re caught it’ll be curtains for any other watches. Blacklisted etc. What’s the probability of that happening? Slim. But it could in multiple scenarios. For instance, just by chance your watch is resold and the new owner knows it was sold by WOS, they may go there with it if it has a problem “I know it was bought here and now I have this problem”. Get the picture?

That’s why I have always traded in my Rolexes with that certain AD. The only problem is they were actually just bought by WoS… and my connection is now out.


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[MRBolton]

If Rolex doesn’t care, then why does the AD?

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by pierson

That’s why I have always traded in my Rolexes with that certain AD. The only problem is they were actually just bought by WoS… and my connection is now out.


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Why would your connection be out? They bought the good will (you and other previous clients) when they bought the store. Why wouldn’t you enter the premises under new ownership and stake your historic claim to preference?

[kieselguhr]

I don’t think Rolex tracks it for reasons outside of sales metrics.

[dannyp]

Rolex is probably only interested in tracking ADs who knowingly sell to serial flippers. For that purpose, there may be monitoring of online sales, to try and figure out instances where this is happening, but the ultimate reckoning will be between Rolex and the selling dealer.

[stap]

This is anecdotal so take it or leave it: I’ve been told by two separate and unrelated ADs that Rolex will track secondary market purchases in an effort to reduce flipping. They will buy watches themselves and penalize dealers who sell a watch that gets flipped. Further, both told me that if a person is caught flipping, they will be blacklisted and not sold another watch.

Again, totally anecdotal. Perhaps it’s true, perhaps it’s a clever scare tactic implemented by ADs.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by pierson

This would only be to trade up, but potentially not with my AD


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As a courtesy, I'd always give the original AD the opportunity to trade (assuming you're going for an in-production watch). Depending on the watches, the AD, too, may consider it an "up" trade: For example, come in with a 2020 Pepsi offering an even swap for a brand new Daytona. Instead of having to sell that Daytona at MSRP, s/he has just traded it for a watch that can be sold for $25,000.

[iambarney]

Originally Posted by stap

This is anecdotal so take it or leave it: I’ve been told by two separate and unrelated ADs that Rolex will track secondary market purchases in an effort to reduce flipping.

Not saying you're wrong, but what does Rolex benefit from this? With or without flipping, this doesn't change their (artificially) constrained production of watches and empty boutique displays.

[Easy E]

My AD took a lot of heat because a customer pawned a BLRO and the pawn shop posted it online with a pic of the warranty card with the AD name and the serial - almost lost their AD status.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

Rolex cares not. Some of the AD's with control issues do.

Trade, sell do what you want its your watch. smh.

You are right and then you are right again!

[stap]

Originally Posted by iambarney

Not saying you're wrong, but what does Rolex benefit from this? With or without flipping, this doesn't change their (artificially) constrained production of watches and empty boutique displays.

Agree that the watches are being sold either way. But, with less flipping, maybe more people would be able to acquire watches. Perhaps the perception of the brand improves among those disaffected by the current environment.

Again, not agreeing or disagreeing with what the ADs said as I don’t know whether it’s true or not.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by khalifam

Rolex don't give a dog's arse what you do with your watch.
The AD cares and upper management care, they say it's Rolex. Nonsense.

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Originally Posted by dpt.calvin

Rolex dgaf.

Wow, some do try to bring TRF down to their own classless level.

[Seddyspaghetti]

Originally Posted by dpt.calvin

rolex dgaf.

+1

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by iambarney

Not saying you're wrong, but what does Rolex benefit from this? With or without flipping, this doesn't change their (artificially) constrained production of watches and empty boutique displays.

Originally Posted by Easy E

My AD took a lot of heat because a customer pawned a BLRO and the pawn shop posted it online with a pic of the warranty card with the AD name and the serial - almost lost their AD status.

Originally Posted by stap

Agree that the watches are being sold either way. But, with less flipping, maybe more people would be able to acquire watches. Perhaps the perception of the brand improves among those disaffected by the current environment.

Again, not agreeing or disagreeing with what the ADs said as I don’t know whether it’s true or not.

Rolex wants control over the distribution of its products from the moment they're produced until the moment they're on an owner's wrist. If the standard becomes Rolex SA sends to country-level distributors sell to ADs sell to secondary market sellers (via flippers) sell to consumers, Rolex has lost that control. Rolex has a vested interest in maintaining that control, and the mechanism for doing so is keeping its dealer network playing by its rules.

[ks58]

I think it matters and most ADs don't want flippers to do business with. Watches are meant to be bought and worn and enjoyed, not just resold right off the bat.

[Cigars&Watches]

I believe Rolex cares. This current flipping craze cannot be good for the Rolex in the long term as a business model. Rolex doesn’t want to be associated with a side hustle image that will tarnish their brand. I believe Rolex truly wants their watches to go to the watch lovers and enthusiasts first and foremost. This philosophy is one of the reasons Rolex has been such a great brand for so long. There are too many stories about ADs being sanctioned for selling to flippers as well that illustrate their desire to do what they can.

[Soultime]

Originally Posted by Easy E

My AD took a lot of heat because a customer pawned a BLRO and the pawn shop posted it online with a pic of the warranty card with the AD name and the serial - almost lost their AD status.

I do remember a couple of stories like that when the BLRO was launched.