Bought a new Rolex today. Terrible experience.

[benlee]

Originally Posted by BrummyJames

That’s a big no gentlemen. This watch is staying with me. I have no intention of ever selling it. I waited over two years for the pleasure. I am expecting my first born in January (boy) who god willing will wear this stunning piece one day.

I perhaps should have explained my feelings better in my original post. Of course I was ecstatic over getting the call, I just felt the dealership experience could have been better. Clearly this isn’t Rolex’s fault.

My money was good their sales skills were not. But I suppose therein lies the problem. These ‘hot’ models sell themselves and I couldn’t help but feel when I walked out of the store that I was made to feel thankful to be allowed to buy this watch. That can’t be right folks.

It will be better if you can describe the experience in more detail. Did they sit you down and show you the watch and offer you a drink? Are they polite in their conversation? Or were they kind of rude or indifferent to you during the transaction? Did they said thank you for the business when you are ready to leave the store after paying, or they just left you to walk out yourself? The rest of the stuff like removing stickers, keeping warranty card appears to be standard procedures in UK for buying Rolex so you can't blame the AD for doing that.

I have bought a few watches from London ( but not Rolex ) and were always treated very well. The experience at the Patek Salon especially has been exemplary.

[Muxi]

Enjoy your watch in good health. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. My only real gripe about this company policy is I might (most likely) forget to get the box and papers later on. See, I have a storage system now to avoid losing box and papers and links

[uhren917]

Originally Posted by SC11

As stated they are usually removed!

A few I have at hand

Nice coffins! I collect watch Boxes, especially Rolex. I also like coffins, and it would be cool to have some with the watch info like yours. Here in the states, I havent seen them with stickers.

Bottom line I think the OP should have gotten it if he wanted.

[doubleclass]

Do not let the new policies get to you, you have acquired a good watch. Congratulations nonetheless.

[sensui]

*sigh* Doesn't get any easier.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by BrummyJames

That’s a big no gentlemen. This watch is staying with me. I have no intention of ever selling it. I waited over two years for the pleasure. I am expecting my first born in January (boy) who god willing will wear this stunning piece one day.

I perhaps should have explained my feelings better in my original post. Of course I was ecstatic over getting the call, I just felt the dealership experience could have been better. Clearly this isn’t Rolex’s fault.

My money was good their sales skills were not. But I suppose therein lies the problem. These ‘hot’ models sell themselves and I couldn’t help but feel when I walked out of the store that I was made to feel thankful to be allowed to buy this watch. That can’t be right folks.

James, I'm still struggling to understand what the issue is here.

Were they polite and courteous or not? Can you please answer that simple question?

I can't help but feel that the problem with your purchase experience lies not so much with the sales staff but with your potentially unreasonable expectations?

Did you seriously expect them to have to "sell" you a watch that you were on a 2 year waitlist for?

This wasn't a bells and whistles sales pitch by the AD extolling the virtues of a fine time piece. Like it or not, you were simply collecting a pre ordered item that you had already decided you wanted.

[BrummyJames]

The issue was the behaviour of the sales staff. Do you work for them by any chance?

[jstan9]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

thats just it... i dont think you can. If your watch breaks, you take it to the AD and they send to RSC on your behalf. My reading of the warranty means the actual physical card entitles you to the warranty work. You have a warranty, you just dont get the card for 12 months.

I guess it depends on how Rolex themselves feels about a piece of paper being a substitute for proper documents.

Same as if you lose your card. Sure they know the watch is under warranty but they probably could refuse to fix it under the warranty. Do they go that far though? no idea.

So I buy a BLNR Batman and lose the card, Rolex refuses to fix it even though I have the receipt? That makes zero sense. The card is a piece of plastic. The warranty is activated at the time of sale.

[jstan9]

Originally Posted by Enoch

Not everyone buys a watch for themselves. Many buy as a special gift for someone.
The watch has a 5 year warranty no matter whom owns it or whether the card is present or not.

Exactly. These speculations about ‘missing cards’ are way off the mark. Rolex isn’t Mordor. They don’t have an all-seeing eye peering into the hearts of men to know if they sold to a flipper or gave the watch to girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife as a gift.

[Ravager135]

For one, I am of the opinion that if you pay for a watch you should get whatever comes with that watch. I have had ADs remove stickers for me in the past (as a courtesy). I've had others leave them on because they knew I was a collector and liked to remove them myself. I've never had an AD keep any card. They've always filled them out and given them to me. I've never been given the plastic coffin it is shipped in, but I have also never asked (this includes a Milgauss that I specifically ordered from a smaller family run AD).

The larger issue here is the overall AD mentality (that anecdotally seems to be worse in the UK than the US) that the buyer should feel "privileged" to purchase a Rolex and comply with a series of made up criteria by the AD. These sorts of requirements are made up. They are not universal across ADs and thus are likely not coming from Rolex.

I am happy you got the BLNR. It's a great watch; I love mine. I agree with the overall sentiment of your purchasing experience. This leaves buyers with a conundrum. Right now MSRP probably is the best deal for most people interested in a stainless steel professional model. Grey dealers are charging a premium (as is their right in this market), but the bonus is you don't have to deal with AD nonsense.

[Old Geezer]

Congrats on acquiring a beautiful watch. Wear it in good health and don't let the buying experience taint the pleasure of owning such a nice watch.

[jstan9]

Originally Posted by BrummyJames

The issue was the behaviour of the sales staff. Do you work for them by any chance?

Speculation like this seems unreasonably rude on your part. You asked for comments when you posted. Implying that his questions aren’t genuine and that he’s a shill for the AD in question isn’t nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by BrummyJames

The issue was the behaviour of the sales staff. Do you work for them by any chance?

Not at all.

Perhaps if you explained what the problem was with their behavior that would be helpful

[korneevy]

rather typical of these times...unless you are buying a $50K watch or one of these other watches that they can't get rid of, so gone are the days of champagne, courtesy or any other signs of "experience"...ADs treat "wait listers" like crap - cause it is a "hot" watch, you are supposed to just grab it and go, so they can focus on pedding the diamond-encrusted Day Just to the next chinese tourist. Sad.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by jstan9

So I buy a BLNR Batman and lose the card, Rolex refuses to fix it even though I have the receipt? That makes zero sense. The card is a piece of plastic. The warranty is activated at the time of sale.

the warranty terms state the warranty is ONLY valid if you present the card. Thats why im saying people shouldn't assume anything. Will they fix a watch without it maybe, but no one knows if lots and lots of watches start coming in without the original card or with receipts, or with nothing at all and expecting them to validate the date of sale themselves, then it may be an issue.

The terms are the terms, and if you didn't need the card then why issue it at all?

[jstan9]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

the warranty terms state the warranty is ONLY valid if you present the card. Thats why im saying people shouldn't assume anything. Will they fix a watch without it maybe, but no one knows if lots and lots of watches start coming in without the original card or with receipts, or with nothing at all and expecting them to validate the date of sale themselves, then it may be an issue.

The terms are the terms, and if you didn't need the card then why issue it at all?

Wow...I’m humbled. So, if you put the warranty card in your safe deposit box and the bank burns to the ground and all is lost, your Rolex warranty is worthless? That’s an interesting take on offering a five year warranty, making the $0.02 piece of plastic equal in value to:

- A $9,000 watch
- A sale recorded in an AD
- Receipts
- Credit card and other records
- CCTV footage of you buying the watch
- Records held by the AD and Rolex Corp that you bought the watch and that the warranty was activated at the point of sale

By these lights, losing your Amex card means you have to pay your credit limit to get a new card back? Because all the value lies in the $0.02 piece of plastic?

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by jstan9

Wow...I’m humbled. So, if you put the warranty card in your safe deposit box and the bank burns to the ground and all is lost, your Rolex warranty is worthless? That’s an interesting take on offering a five year warranty, making the $0.02 piece of plastic equal in value to:

- A $9,000 watch
- A sale recorded in an AD
- Receipts
- Credit card and other records
- CCTV footage of you buying the watch
- Records held by the AD and Rolex Corp that you bought the watch and that the warranty was activated at the point of sale

By these lights, losing your Amex card means you have to pay your credit limit to get a new card back? Because all the value lies in the $0.02 piece of plastic?

i think they have the ability to make exceptions as i believe they know the watch has a warranty even if you cant produce the card. Its more a thought about, can they start cracking down if they want. Its uncharted waters with cards being retained already so I just think people shouldn't assume anything as we dont know what Rolex will do if 50% of all watches that start coming in for warranty work and dont have the correct documents.

The fact that they might have made exceptions in the past due to a rare occurrence and now it becomes the norm.

IE what if you dont even have a photocopy of the card and you flip it? what if you only have a receipt? what if you nave nothing? warranty or no warranty?

[Dansta]

Originally Posted by R!$

they hold the papers for one year so you cant sell the watch

I recently got a Sub from Goldsmiths and they gave me everything.

I had to ask them to take all the stickers off

[richard371]

With the shortage and demand of these watches it’s a sellers world not a buyers.

[NorthCoaster]

I suppose you have to hold onto the fact that you have one of the most desirable and recognisable watches about at a fair price.

In the lifetime of ownership, the time spent with the AD is minute and the 12 months to get your warranty card will pass quickly.

You'll still have you awesome watch and will be free to choose where to go for services.

Sit back and time to realise that you are the winner and in the end they are the loser.

Congratulations and enjoy yourself!

[SamP]

Only real grumble is to collect the warranty card in a year. Ask them to post it registered post to you.

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by SamP

Only real grumble is to collect the warranty card in a year. Ask them to post it registered post to you.

Some ADs now want you to return after 12 months with the watch in order to get the warranty card.

[mobster600]

enjoy the watch, the 1 hour crummy AD experience should not ruin the years of enjoyment the watch will bring

I would jump through hoops to get a great watch any day of the week