Rolex supply issue

[pickettt]

While at the Beverly Hills RSC, I asked about the reduced production output and I'm told, "From the sales director of California," that they are producing no fewer units than they ever have. What they claim is happening is that the demand has just skyrocketed. So, what they are saying is that they're making them, people are just buying them up at an unprecedented rate. Sounds fishy, but I guess it's possible. A lot of other conditions would have to be met for this to be true, but it's possible. I'm not endorsing any of this information, just repeating what I was told by representatives of the RSC today.

[Player-VC]

I do heard different stories from ADs, I am currently looking for a sub c the sales person told me the used to get around 3-4 sub c restock every month, now they just having around one per month.

[SLS]

My local AD could not be happier with the increased demand. He flat out told me that when you have pre-sold customers walking into the store, a good salesperson will take advantage of that.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by pickettt

While at the Beverly Hills RSC, I asked about the reduced production output and I'm told, "From the sales director of California," that they are producing no fewer units than they ever have. What they claim is happening is that the demand has just skyrocketed. So, what they are saying is that they're making them, people are just buying them up at an unprecedented rate. Sounds fishy, but I guess it's possible. A lot of other conditions would have to be met for this to be true, but it's possible. I'm not endorsing any of this information, just repeating what I was told by representatives of the RSC today.

Sounds much more plausible to me.

[Smitty13]

I don’t know if I agree that supply is unchanged. If that were the case we would have more inventory at the store, my AD has stated they are simply not getting any watches in and that’s been the case for a long time. Perhaps global demand has increased and Rolex has diverted more supply to outside of the U.S.


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[c41006]

Of course they would say that

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by SLS

My local AD could not be happier with the increased demand. He flat out told me that when you have pre-sold customers walking into the store, a good salesperson will take advantage of that.

My AD said the opposite....that they wish they had more of the sports watches that their customers want to buy.

[sgwatch]

Originally Posted by Smitty13

I don’t know if I agree that supply is unchanged. If that were the case we would have more inventory at the store, my AD has stated they are simply not getting any watches in and that’s been the case for a long time. Perhaps global demand has increased and Rolex has diverted more supply to outside of the U.S.


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That's what I've heard - less inventory coming to the US, not necessarily less watches being made. Evidently, the US was getting more than normal for a while. Just the rumor mill.

[pickettt]

Maybe the ADs are making more profits selling nearly all of their incoming stock to greys, and blaming it on lack of production.

[rtalk]

In the old days, my understanding was COSC records were public so you could track the number of watches Rolex produced. Not sure if the data was granular to the model. I think though COSC records are private now. I wonder if you actually got the data what you would find.

[webprotege]

Originally Posted by pickettt

Maybe the ADs are making more profits selling nearly all of their incoming stock to greys, and blaming it on lack of production.

I would agree as these sites seem to have lots of sports models with <30 days on the warranty cards. Real head scratcher. Only thing I can think is the salesperson is getting a tip "$" back from the grey dealer maybe...

[woof]

I heard this before..it makes sense.

[rolehex]

I've heard opposite as well. Sounds like a salesman's pitch... and I'm a salesman.

[Seibei]

Originally Posted by pickettt

While at the Beverly Hills RSC, I asked about the reduced production output and I'm told, "From the sales director of California," that they are producing no fewer units than they ever have. What they claim is happening is that the demand has just skyrocketed. So, what they are saying is that they're making them, people are just buying them up at an unprecedented rate. Sounds fishy, but I guess it's possible. A lot of other conditions would have to be met for this to be true, but it's possible. I'm not endorsing any of this information, just repeating what I was told by representatives of the RSC today.

There is nothing fishy about it.

1. Rolex are producing no fewer units than they ever have. There is no reason to doubt that statement or call it fishy.

2. Demand has skyrocketed. There is nothing fishy about that either. Millions of people in China and India have recently become rich enough to be able to afford Rolex watches. Guess what? They are demanding Rolex watches. Where are these watches supposed to come from when Rolex is not making more watches? From markets such as the US and UK.

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by Seibei

There is nothing fishy about it.

1. Rolex are producing no fewer units than they ever have. There is no reason to doubt that statement or call it fishy.

2. Demand has skyrocketed. There is nothing fishy about that either. Millions of people in China and India have recently become rich enough to be able to afford Rolex watches. Guess what? They are demanding Rolex watches. Where are these watches supposed to come from when Rolex is not making more watches? From markets such as the US and UK.

I completely agree with this analysis. Nothing cloak and dagger or clandestine from Rolex SA........it is just a simple supply vs demand issue. The worldwide economy is super-strong right now, and the luxury market is thriving.

[mikkolopez]

I seldom hear of supply shortage from areas like China and Asia than the West so it might be that Rolex diverted supply to Asia.

I’ve bought all my sports Rolex from ADs and they have it, it just does not stay long either. If I get the call, I hop over to the AD and claim it within a day otherwise it’s gone.

Grey dealers are a minuscule minority over here. People still frown on taking advantage of the situation and losing face. Even in Hong Kong.


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[Showcall]

Originally Posted by pickettt

While at the Beverly Hills RSC, I asked about the reduced production output and I'm told, "From the sales director of California," that they are producing no fewer units than they ever have. What they claim is happening is that the demand has just skyrocketed. So, what they are saying is that they're making them, people are just buying them up at an unprecedented rate. Sounds fishy, but I guess it's possible. A lot of other conditions would have to be met for this to be true, but it's possible. I'm not endorsing any of this information, just repeating what I was told by representatives of the RSC today.

I have been told they are not producing less but they are releasing less. Grey Dealers beware was what I was told!

[peterpl]

I dont think thats true. What has changed in the global economy that has driven this?

A $10k watch is still a $10k watch and to have exponential growth in people who have money to buy one in the first place + have a dramatic increase in people interested in watches to happen - i dont believe it.

[BrazenC5]

A sales director in a service center?

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[037]

Call RUSA NYC and they'll say the same. No matter how many times or how many different ways it's said, people will still doubt what Rolex says about the current status of production and supply.

Enjoy the drought while it lasts. It might not be around forever.

[glamorama]

I concur with the diverted supply to Asia theory. Of course they would divert supply to a growing market rather than stagnant market such as US and Europe.

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by BrazenC5

A sales director in a service center?

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No. It was a quote. The service center representative told me what the sales director told them.

[eurofunk]

Your hearing this for the few reasons

your not a premium customer, bet the AD will be telling you something different if you were a close or family Friend

supplies are still making their ways to ADs, the ADs are making it seem rolex is cutting back on the supply but in fact ADs are telling their close friends and customers different things. Why do you see new Basel and hot models available for others but never for some? Why are the bosses of some ADs instructing their Sales staff to hand over all popular models to head office whenever the stocks comes in? Simply because one isn’t a premium customer. If ADs were in fact not receiving popular sports models for sale they would wind up pretty soon relying on the other models nobody wants to buy

[Roger Lococco]

China


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[Speedbird-1]

How many "Oysters" in all forms, did Rolex produce, in say, 2012, compared with 2017/18.
It would be interesting to see the figures for these years also, for the number of Rolex watches exported to USA, China, India, etc.

[AK797]

Yes, I don't think supply is much changed, demand is the big game-changer and both Rolex and ADs are far more careful with whom they sell to now so it just seems like supply is shorter as they are basically allocation pieces in this hot market. The issue is over-demand not under-supply.

[Andad]

China

There goes 18% of the worlds population and a fair number of the wealthy?

[Speedbird-1]

You can't help but wonder, then, if, it's true that, he supply hasn't changed. What was happening to the stockpiles of product, before the recent alleged, surge in demand?
Did all the AD's have safes bursting with watches, like a De Beers underground vault piled high, with a mountain of diamonds.

[Soultime]

But the Chinese/SE Asia didn't become wealthy overnight.
It hasn't suddenly happened in Q3/Q4 2017.
It has been a steady increase in national income for about the last decade.

https://tradingeconomics.com/china/d...ersonal-income


Now, if Rolex has suddenly decided to divert supplies over there, that's a different matter. Although, we have had posts on here from people in China recently saying there are no hot models available in the stores.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by pickettt

While at the Beverly Hills RSC, I asked about the reduced production output and I'm told, "From the sales director of California," that they are producing no fewer units than they ever have. What they claim is happening is that the demand has just skyrocketed. So, what they are saying is that they're making them, people are just buying them up at an unprecedented rate. Sounds fishy, but I guess it's possible. A lot of other conditions would have to be met for this to be true, but it's possible. I'm not endorsing any of this information, just repeating what I was told by representatives of the RSC today.

I was told exactly the same thing at a Rolex event late last year. It is entirely plausible

Originally Posted by Player-VC

I do heard different stories from ADs, I am currently looking for a sub c the sales person told me the used to get around 3-4 sub c restock every month, now they just having around one per month.

Same volume of units produced + more global demand = less units delivered to your specific AD

Originally Posted by Smitty13

I don’t know if I agree that supply is unchanged. If that were the case we would have more inventory at the store, my AD has stated they are simply not getting any watches in and that’s been the case for a long time. Perhaps global demand has increased and Rolex has diverted more supply to outside of the U.S.

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You've just answered your own concern