Heart is set on a BLNR!

[KKholiday77]

Hi Everyone,
I have been a member on here for a short time now, but have been a long time Rolex owner. I have a SubC LN, an older Sub TT Bluesy, a Panerai 312, and my first watch, a Breitling Crosswind Special.
I have been trying for sometime now to get a BLNR (Batman) from an AD and I am told that they will add me on a list and they have no idea how long it will take. I am skeptical with all the postings I have read whether or not I am actually on a list at all. With that said, I am getting impatient and I will not purchase from a grey market! Any suggestions out there?
Thanks in advance!

[coralfarmer84]

If you ask me the mild premium might be worth it on this one. Especially once you factor in sales tax. Your only other option if you refuse to go grey is to try and get on as many AD lists as possible. This watch might be easier to get now that the new Pepsi is out

[123Blueface]

If AD wait is long and not willing to go grey, only option left is mugging someone?
Kidding aside, there is no other option if looking to buy new.

[jsausley]

I think a lot ADs actually have two lists. One is an "has shown interest" list and the other is a "vetted buyer with interest" list.

If you're on the "has shown interest" list you only get a phone call if they can't get in touch with any vetted buyer. That's why some people wait a year for a watch.

I showed interest in the BLNR with my AD last January. I emailed him and visited occasionally but never heard anything other than stories about the SS shortage. Then in June I bought a Rolex Explorer that he had sitting in the case.

Three weeks later I got the call that the BLNR was available. I jumped from the "interest" list to the "vetted" list as I had been willing to drop almost $7,000 on an Explorer, they knew I wasn't a tire kicker.

These watches are hard to find and they sell immediately when they come in, but that doesn't mean that the dealer isn't getting them. They get stainless steel watches every week or two weeks. Sometimes it's a Submariner, sometimes it's a GMT, sometimes it's a Daytona. They may or may not know what is coming in ahead of time (I'm not sure about that), so why should they waste their time calling 20 people on a "has shown interest" list that may or may not be ready to actually purchase the watch when they can just call the first vetted buyer who has already proved his "credit-worthiness" so to speak, and they'll buy it immediately? Hence the 20 people on the other list never even get a phone call.

[watchwatcher]

Originally Posted by KKholiday77

With that said, I am getting impatient and I will not purchase from a grey market!

I'm always curious when I read this statement followed by a request for advice on what to do next.

You do realize there are two choices and when you eliminate one you're left with the other one, right?

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by KKholiday77

With that said, I am getting impatient and I will not purchase from a grey market! Any suggestions out there?
Thanks in advance!

Yes, wait until an AD has one, simple.

[Bo-Dacious]

Originally Posted by watchwatcher

I'm always curious when I read this statement followed by a request for advice on what to do next.

You do realize there are two choices and when you eliminate one you're left with the other one, right?

I think his request for advice is valid.

You do have more than two choices. If your not willing to wait for the AD or your not going to utilize the grey market, the last option is to purchase used.

The only way to expedite the process with an AD is to gain their favor. This typically done by purchasing other products from them. If your not willing to do that, visit them often and be kind to the sales people. The first option will give you more definitive results and the latter will take a bit of luck.

My advice is to just wait.

[coralfarmer84]

Originally Posted by Bo-Dacious

I think his request for advice is valid.

You do have more than two choices. If your not willing to wait for the AD or your not going to utilize the grey market, the last option is to purchase used.

The only way to expedite the process with an AD is to gain their favor. This typically done by purchasing other products from them. If your not willing to do that, visit them often and be kind to the sales people. The first option will give you more definitive results and the latter will take a bit of luck.

My advice is to just wait.

I think a lot of us think of the "grey" market and used market as the same thing. Anything other than AD is "grey" territory

[travisb]

If you are only wanting to go the AD route, try some others if you're not getting results for your current AD.

[CoveWatch]

If you are absolutely set on not going grey.. then I would visit a few AD's around your area and put your eggs in multiple baskets.. good luck!

[Carry The Interest]

If you bought from that AD before they should at least be able to tell you how many people are roughly ahead of you on the list. That should give you a decent sense of how long things will take.

I'd also suggest driving around and visiting some other local ADs. Show your sincere interest and readiness to move fast -- you might be in for a "you know we actually just got one" surprise with the right person. This is not an impossible watch to get.

[peterskinner]

Just been trying a friends new one; very nice indeed. Interestingly, he seems rather lucky with his AD, having got several 'difficult' watches and been promised the next ceramic Daytona. He doesn't buy the previous metal stuff, the staff just seem to like him! And it may come down to weird things like that....
Although this is the UK, he drives a new five litre Mustang. Maybe that's the secret.

[KKholiday77]

Originally Posted by watchwatcher

I'm always curious when I read this statement followed by a request for advice on what to do next.

You do realize there are two choices and when you eliminate one you're left with the other one, right?

Thanks for your input

[KKholiday77]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I appreciate it. I was able to add myself to a few more lists. Now I have to wait it out.

[037]

Originally Posted by KKholiday77

I was able to add myself to a few more lists. Now I have to wait it out.

If you called to add yourself to these lists, be sure to stop into the stores and follow-up. Many ADs won't add names over the phone despite what they say. Stop in, get some face time, chat them up and confirm that they have your name down.

It's silly to have to put in this much effort but it's required in today's market of scarcity and flipping.

Good luck and happy hunting!

[KKholiday77]

Originally Posted by 037

If you called to add yourself to these lists, be sure to stop into the stores and follow-up. Many ADs won't add names over the phone despite what they say. Stop in, get some face time, chat them up and confirm that they have your name down.

It's silly to have to put in this much effort but it's required in today's market of scarcity and flipping.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Thanks for the tip! I will head over to them soon.

[thegents]

exercise more patience.

[calh22a]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but on popular models like this one, are AD required to sell at list price as set by Rolex? Have you encountered ADs who markup because of limited supply (just like many car dealerships)? Thanks for the input.

On a side note, I visited my AD recently. I was really initially thinking about a DJ41, but I got interested in the GMT so decided to see if I could find one. I spoke to her about the waitlist and she said it makes a difference if you come in and see them face to face vs calling over the phone to get on a list. They have an LN on hand too. I'm really tempted to pull the trigger on the LN, but it think BLNR would work better for me.

[R!$]

BLNR is awesome! Good luck!

[KKholiday77]

[QUOTE=calh22a;8911426]Sorry to hijack the thread, but on popular models like this one, are AD required to sell at list price as set by Rolex? Have you encountered ADs who markup because of limited supply (just like many car dealerships)? Thanks for the input.

Great Question! I am curious of that as well!

[RJRJRJ]

Originally Posted by calh22a

Sorry to hijack the thread, but on popular models like this one, are AD required to sell at list price as set by Rolex? Have you encountered ADs who markup because of limited supply (just like many car dealerships)? Thanks for the input.

Originally Posted by KKholiday77

Great Question! I am curious of that as well!

The AD owns the watch and can sell it for whatever they feel like.
On the other hand, Rolex can choose to stop shipping watches or terminate their AD status with any AD they choose to.

Translation: AD's don't sell for above MSRP.