To Grey or not to Grey?

[214270Explorer]

All the Grays literally have thousands of the hard-to-obtain Rolex models.
A check of what they have for sale will easily verify this.
And they want SO MUCH over MSRP?
Crazy and laughable.
They cannot seem to sell more than a few to the very desperate buyers, as their ongoing large stock suggests.
But -- Your money, your choice.
You have received good advice above about showing determination to AD's, and to show them you are a serious buyer and not a flipper. Sometimes that is all it takes for an AD to take you seriously. They DO want to screen out the flippers.

[MalcolmSquare]

Welcome. I also have experience with the SoCal market. I'm not too familiar with that specific model's availability, but I know there are ADs in SoCal that will work with passionate, non-flipper buyers.

Just a thought, but maybe strike up a relationship with an SA by visiting in person and talking casually about your interest in watches and what you're looking for. Consider mentioning that the watch is important to you because you want to celebrate some recent life achievement. Explain that the lack of supply is troubling, and that you would prefer to buy from that SA, but that you would be willing to go grey if you can't get it by X date (again, because the purchase is tied to your recent promotion/child/etc.). If you're wearing your Sub and mention that you'd like to form a relationship for more watches in the future, that could help. You sound like exactly the kind of new client that many SAs would want.

[kizerman]

The first one is the toughest but once you are in, you are in and it gets much easier. I would wait, the relationship some scoff at here is priceless once established.

And if you do it the right way, the wait for the first one is not as long as some make it out to be.

[MrMercedes]

Life is too short! Go grey!

[Harry-57]

I can only speak from a UK perspective. The TT black Daytona is the only Daytona I have seen in AD windows, including my AD on two occasions in the last 3.5 years. By Rolex standards this means it's "easy" to obtain from an AD.

I go with three models for Rolex purchase:
If there is a model I want but don't want to wait an indefinite period for, and the AD is in play, I impose a time limit on myself. After X weeks/months/years if the watch doesn't show up I go grey.
If there is no chance from an AD and I really want the watch, it's a grey purchase immediately.
If I'm on a wait list and I'm not interested in paying over MSRP, I will wait it out. I would wait for a TT black Daytona.

Your choice.

[Bigmozza]

Me personally would never pay over the odds for any watch but I don’t mind waiting from my AD each to there own good luck.

[Dhub71]

Thanks for the input everyone!

Quick update - Over the past two days I've gone to three more local ADs, had great conversations with sales people and am now on an additional three "lists". The gist from each of them was that while the two tone (black dial) sells rather quickly once it's in stock, they do not have people requesting them in advance. Given this, I strongly feel the probability of being called once it is in stock is high... it's just a matter of waiting now.

[Harry-57]

Hopefully you won't have to wait too long.

[jb335]

I like the update. Wait for the AD and then you’ll have decent purchase history that’ll open up other watches to you.


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