Are there waitlists? - newbie

[KrakenCali]

I'm new to this Rolex fandom. I thought I could just buy a watch on a Saturday afternoon.

I gave the AD salesperson my information and expressed interest in a Milgauss. I was hoping it'd be an actual waitlist and if I wait a year, that's fine. But after a short pleasant chat, it really was just contact information on a slip of paper and a thank you. Is this common? Not sure if I'll even get spam or junk mail to the contact I gave him.

Is it common to submit one's name to multiple AD's?

[afmars]

No the waitlist isn’t real and chances are good you’ll never hear from them again. You’ll need to follow up and visit a few times and maybe buy something else in the mean time and then you’ll likely get the watch.

[Seddyspaghetti]

Very common. Good luck. You’ll need it.

[Hollie_Rollie]

I’d maybe try another brand…


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[Rad22]

My assumption is most ADs have different approaches to selling watches. You might get lucky. I have gotten extremely lucky with the watches I’ve gotten from ADs without spending nearly as much as some people on here will say you need to spend. I think stopping in multiple times will help you a lot. Go in every 1-2 months and just express your interest to the same SA. I think the model you want shouldn’t be too hard to get.


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[waterking]

Did you give him your real name and info? So...you are looking at a Rolex and worried about spam?
Makes sense.

[kieselguhr]

Welcome to TRF

What process is applicable to you is contingent on your relationship with the AD.

Been shopping with them for years and your parents before that?, a wait is reasonable. May still take a while but at least you have something to look forward to.

Have a bottomless pit of wealth? Been buying the entire stock of Oris, Breitling, and Omega that have been sitting in the AD’s display case for months? Well lucky you, just like everything’s else in your life, expect the fast track to your coveted Rolex piece.

Just a random walk in to this particular AD? Well you were likely the 78th walk in of the day, 396th of the week, and 982nd of the month and it’s only the first week of said month. That’s a lot of competition. Not to mention the other 2 types of customer mentioned above.

Good luck.

[Polar Bear]

If you're holding your breath i would advise you stop

[ks58]

Hard to believe the Milgauss is such a coveted piece now, but we live in different times than just a few years ago.

[casadecamporolex]

10,000 to 1 you walk in, put your name on a list and get a call back when available.

[10klakes]

The Milgauss is a great piece, I hope you get one. FWIW, I was just talking about this model and how I haven’t seen or heard of any coming in for over a year at my AD.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by KrakenCali

I'm new to this Rolex fandom. I thought I could just buy a watch on a Saturday afternoon.

I gave the AD salesperson my information and expressed interest in a Milgauss. I was hoping it'd be an actual waitlist and if I wait a year, that's fine. But after a short pleasant chat, it really was just contact information on a slip of paper and a thank you. Is this common? Not sure if I'll even get spam or junk mail to the contact I gave him.

Is it common to submit one's name to multiple AD's?

It's common.
Sometimes it bears fruit in a surprisingly short period of time, other times it comes to nothing.

Just a couple of questions if I may.
Why a Rolex Milgauss?
Which reference?

After all is said and done, Omega are class leaders in the field and you could potentially take delivery by the end of the week if the reference you are after is not in stock.
Plus you'll probably save some money

[stevestil]

Your chances of submitting your name to multiple AD’s and waiting for a call from one of them is extremely, extremely, extremely unlikely.

To be quite honest- if you’re not that into watches and just want to get a millgaus because that’s the watch you like, you’re better off going grey, paying above retail and have the watch in your hands in a few days and be done with it.

Many will tell you that the AD should be the one going above and beyond for you to spend your money, etc but the sad reality is that those days are long, long gone. Either accept it or don’t but that’s the reality.

If you are open to other brands and see this as a new journey for yourself or a new hobby, then find an AD with a sales associate you get along with, talk watches, maybe start off with another brand, buy a timepiece and build a friendship (I don’t like the term “relationship”) with your service advisor. As someone else mentioned above- omega is a great place to start. Sorry to say this but you have to more than likely spend some money first.

Yes- it is time consuming- yes it is a pain in the ass- but this is the way to do it. Keep in mind- you are one of probably 20 people (depending where you are) on that day alone who have either called or went into the store to inquire about a Rolex. Their priority is existing clients. The “waitlist” really doesn’t exist and when an AD tells you they have no stock… believe me they have plenty of stock tucked away in the back and whatever watch isn’t already sold is in the process of getting sold to existing clients.

Having said all of this- can you get lucky and get a Rolex without any purchase history? Sure.

Good luck- like others have said above…. It will be needed!


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[Henrimontgomery]

Somebody went to Bucherer it seems.

The list is real but not like you imagine. Instead of a list it’s a table, a database with many facts and dimensions. Your wish is stored and if the CRM software decides it’s your turn, then you get a call. Of course the staff will be allocating based on internal scoring system probably, with categories and spending history as weighting factors.

[HogwldFLTR]

The best thing you can do is go back frequently to the ADs and keep yourself visisble and available. I stay away from my ADs unless I'm read to buy as they usually come up with somehting for me and it tends to be expensive.

[mattidk]

For some models yes like DJs, previous metals etc where in some ADs you put your deposit then you are on the waiting list.
For most professional models - no realy waiting list as other explain above, you will likely need to have history with AD in order to be ranked high when they receive the piece and consider you to receive that piece.
Your chance to get any Prof models as your first purchase at any AD is rare - there is exception but still...

[2loaded]

It will come with in 1 year (I'm a betting man)
Chime in and give us a wrist shot.

[1William]

My experience is that the so called lists are fluid and there is no sequential order to the selections the AD's make. To say you are late to the game is an understatement and while someone does win the lottery every time more than likely it will not be you. Read up on the current market conditions here on TRF and also on our Trusted Sellers. Pick a few Trusted Sellers and call and have a conversation with them about the watch you want and what are the options. My experience is that they are all very good at telling you about the watches and the market right now. You can negotiate and once you pay you can typically have the watch the next day by lunch. Look at this as a process and you will learn a lot. Good luck and go find your watch.

[ProCoach]

Originally Posted by 1William

My experience is that the so called lists are fluid and there is no sequential order to the selections the AD's make. To say you are late to the game is an understatement and while someone does win the lottery every time more than likely it will not be you. Read up on the current market conditions here on TRF and also on our Trusted Sellers. Pick a few Trusted Sellers and call and have a conversation with them about the watch you want and what are the options. My experience is that they are all very good at telling you about the watches and the market right now. You can negotiate and once you pay you can typically have the watch the next day by lunch. Look at this as a process and you will learn a lot. Good luck and go find your watch.

^^This^^

[brandrea]

Welcome to the forum

You gotta start somewhere, so if you find an AD with a sales associate or manager that you click with, I’d be patient and see if they come through for you. If they don’t and you get to the point where you’d rather enjoy your watch immediately, you can always pay up and go gray

[cbalster]

Less than a year ago I requested a blue stick dial dj41 and got the call 3 days later. In April 2021 I walked in and bought a bluesy out of a display case, leaving a TT sd43 and and TT black dial sub behind. Also in April 2021 I saw a full YG sub bluesy and a full RG GMT in the case. Many chiming in here so far assume that the situation of the past 6 months will last forever.

If you know exactly what you want and request it, you may get it or not in some time. Maybe you have a friend who can introduce you to the AD, maybe your kids go to the same private school with a lot of the AD's customers. Maybe you are the mayor of the town or something. So many factors can come into play so anyone saying your chances are close to nil are making too many assumptions.

[Ferrari308]

First - Welcome!

Second - I seriously hope you get the call for your watch.

Third - As has been said, waitlists are fluid and constantly changing. The Milgauss isn't one of the top 3-4 watches in demand, so that should work in your favor.

Fourth - follow up with your Sales Rep.

Fifth- don't be afraid to just go grey market if you decide you don't want to play the games. You can find any watch you want out there. You might pay a bit over retail, but it's much more efficient and you don't have to play the games or wait around for an AD.

Good Luck!!!



PDG

[KrakenCali]

Originally Posted by Dirt

It's common.
Sometimes it bears fruit in a surprisingly short period of time, other times it comes to nothing.

Just a couple of questions if I may.
Why a Rolex Milgauss?
Which reference?

After all is said and done, Omega are class leaders in the field and you could potentially take delivery by the end of the week if the reference you are after is not in stock.
Plus you'll probably save some money

I just like the look of the watch. Slick and quietly fun. Sub date is amazing. Fit perfectly on my wrist, but there are already multiple guys walking around my small office with subs.

116400GV


I really liked the 124270 Explorer I, but 36 doesn't work for me. It could have truly been an everyday watch.

[KrakenCali]

Thanks for all of the replies. This is an amazing community. I'll be sure to visit my AD again after the holidays.

Dirt, I just happen to like the Milgauss. It's slick and a little fun. I loved the Sub. It fit perfectly on my wrist but a few guys already have them around our small office. Plus the AD rep make it clear that Milgauss would definitely be more attainable. 116400GV

[Tikandtokalot]

More of a face fit list rather than waitlist.

[OYptL]

Sad times actually when it comes to retail Rolex AD’s. Mine were purchased between ‘07 -‘15 and my only waits were for extra links for each watch. All the ADs had what I wanted right in the case. BNIB at Rolex MSRP and the links were always two days most. Much like whats going on in the United States of America today, 10 years ago i would’ve said “ you’re crazy” about the Rolex retail situation today.

[Henrimontgomery]

Originally Posted by OYptL

Sad times actually when it comes to retail Rolex AD’s. Mine were purchased between ‘07 -‘15 and my only waits were for extra links for each watch. All the ADs had what I wanted right in the case. BNIB at Rolex MSRP and the links were always two days most. Much like whats going on in the United States of America today, 10 years ago i would’ve said “ you’re crazy” about the Rolex retail situation today.

If you knew what watches I tried decades ago, and a what price, you would not believe me. I’ve turned down so many watches because I didn’t like them, only to find them valued at 10x their prices now.

[OYptL]

Originally Posted by Henrimontgomery

If you knew what watches I tried decades ago, and a what price, you would not believe me. I’ve turned down so many watches because I didn’t like them, only to find them valued at 10x their prices now.

I totally believe you.

[goliat]

I got my Z-Blue Milgauss after a 4-month wait, with no prior purchase history. That said, the demand for the model has gone up quite substantially in the recent months.

Your chances of obtaining a piece from an authorized dealer all depends on the backlog of current orders on the model, your position in the backlog and whether or not the AD receives the model in a particular shipment. Usually, they receive the shipments on a monthly basis, but COVID has affected the supply chain quite dramatically.

For less desired pieces like the Milgauss, it usually goes according to this formula when dealing with a trustworthy AD:

1. You express interest for a particular model and they check whether they have it in stock - this is almost always an automatic "no" unless you are on the look for a Lady Datejust.
2. The AD registers your information and gives you an estimated wait time. For less desired pieces, it can be anything from 1 month to a year. This is an optimistic estimate in a way that the AD assumes the model will arrive in the next shipment - this is not always the case.
3. The AD burns through the backlog of orders as they restock the model in the shipments. If there were no prior orders before you, you will get the model as soon as the model arrives in the shipment. If the backlog is filled with orders, well, you know the drill.

What I just described is how it should go in a perfect world and the most trustworthy ADs out there operate this way. However, for hotter pieces, it's much more complicated. The backlog of orders gets so swollen that the management of the waitlist is next to impossible. Past a certain point, they just stop writing down these names altogether. In these cases, the waitlists actually fall apart and other means influence the decisions who gets the allocation, e.g. prior purchase history, whether you left a good impression, whether you brought a bottle of champagne or not.

Some ADs might even engage in shady practices, such as colluding with grey market dealers, in the hope of getting a cut of the huge grey market premium. This is actually illegal, but very hard to track down.

The cold hard fact is this: once the AD receives the shipment, they have the full right to do whatever the hell they want with it and allocate the models however they please. This is the exact reason why people tell you the waitlists don't exist. Well, they do.. kinda. But certainly not always.

Hope this clears things a bit. Good luck on getting the Milgauss!

[CoveWatch]

You'll hear a lot of anecdotal answers here on waitlists and if they're real or not. I would use your own judgement with your interaction with your AD and go from there.