from Zero To Panda, an experiment

[russ86]

Hey there! So, I've got this cool experiment brewing. I've been playing with this idea for a while but never really got around to it. Finally decided, why the heck not? Let's shake off the laziness and give people some entreatment.

Here's the game plan: I'm planning to walk into a brand new Rolex Authorized Dealer (AD) where I've never bought anything, and try to snag a stainless steel white dial Daytona. Home base is Miami, but I jet around to New York, LA, and Dallas for work quite a bit. If anyone's got a hot tip on an AD in those cities, shoot it my way. But to keep things interesting, I will pick a spot I've never checked out before.

Now for the cool part - I'm gonna share every bit of this journey. I'll start with updates on Twitter, just 'cause it's easy peasy, but I'll loop back and post here too, keep the story rolling. So, keep your eyes peeled on my Twitter and this thread. It'll be neat to see how long it takes me, a complete newbie with zero purchase history, to get my hands on a Panda. You guys get to tag along for the whole ride. Shoot me suggestions, ideas, etc.

https://twitter.com/watchspringinc

[APWorldTour]

Love fun threads like this. Good luck and if you’re offered an Oysterflex Daytona along the way please slide into my DMs.

[ducatiti]

Good luck. Sounds like you will end up getting one. Free advertising for the new AD as well.

You can do it :)

[onigiri]

I'm willing to place a bet that it's not going to happen in NYC or LA. But I believe it will happen, just not in any major metropolis.

[russ86]

Originally Posted by ducatiti

Good luck. Sounds like you will end up getting one. Free advertising for the new AD as well.

You can do it :)

I am actually thinking to keep the AD info private not to expose and sabotage this experiment, I know some of the people who work at the AD they are on the forum, but I will be posting pictures and etc from it

[MRBolton]

If people with high purchase histories can’t even get one, how do you plan to do this—especially since the supplies are drying up?

[russ86]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

If people with high purchase histories can’t even get one, how do you plan to do this—especially since the supplies are drying up?

I never said it will take me one day to get it lol I will start purchase history and I will see how long it will take me from first purchased all the way to Panda

[GreatScott]

Should we rename this the rejection log

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[Dyim]

Originally Posted by russ86

I never said it will take me one day to get it lol I will start purchase history and I will see how long it will take me from first purchased all the way to Panda

Cheaper to go grey right off the bat, I think.

[derek001]

I pray you end up smiling at the end of it.

[Tim Plains]

Won't happen but good luck with it.

[russ86]

Originally Posted by Dyim

Cheaper to go grey right off the bat, I think.

I’m not doing this just to get a panda, if I waned I would buy grey, I’m doing purely for the experiment sake to find out how long it will take me from scratch to get it

[Kreyzhorse]

Cool idea. Good luck.

[Watchesnguitars]

Grabbing the popcorn now...

[cy888]

Originally Posted by russ86

I never said it will take me one day to get it lol I will start purchase history and I will see how long it will take me from first purchased all the way to Panda

I have the feeling many of us are on this path.. This will be interesting to log.
Only Miami, New York, LA, or Dallas AD?

[Rollieo]

This will be fun. I hope you go to enough ADs and there’s enough to update, because it’s going to be at least a 5 year journey and you’re going to need some purchases to get there.

Ps Instagram > Twitter

[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by russ86

I am actually thinking to keep the AD info private not to expose and sabotage this experiment, I know some of the people who work at the AD they are on the forum, but I will be posting pictures and etc from it

If I’m reading this correctly, your experiment is skewed because you’ve already got the AD picked and obviously have inside knowledge of its employees online accounts and by your own admission “know some of the people who work at the AD”.


Sent from my Apple privacy invasion product

[Topspin14m]

You picked the wrong year to start this...

[jb335]

Everyone loves watching a train wreck!!

Lol, I’m half-joking. Wishing you nothing but the best and all the luck in the world.


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[SS Oyster]

I expressed interest in white dial Daytona 116520 back in 2010 with ZERO purchase history at a particular AD. I kept checking in every 5-6 months until 2014 and then let it sort of fall off without checking up. Fast forward to early 2022, when I went back into this AD as I started traveling to this city again a lot for business. I spoke to the store director stating I had tried to the the previous generation white dial 116520 for my 50th birthday in 2013, but now (12 years on the list) really wanted her help to get it done for my 60th birthday in 2023. Five months later, I got the call to come see her in the store. I flew up the next day, and there it was ... my brand new 116500 white dial! No purchase history, but 13 years of waiting.

Good luck with your experiment, but doubt you'll get one without either a huge spend or a LONG time on the list AND a big event to celebrate.

[GGGMT]

What’s an ‘entreatment’? Whatever it is, I’m in.

Please clarify: you have a mole inside an AD with whom you’ve been in contact about this effort, eg, buttering them up? Or are you like me: a total nobody with nothing no-how?


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[arcampado]

Originally Posted by russ86

Hey there! So, I've got this cool experiment brewing. I've been playing with this idea for a while but never really got around to it. Finally decided, why the heck not? Let's shake off the laziness and give people some entreatment.

Here's the game plan: I'm planning to walk into a brand new Rolex Authorized Dealer (AD) where I've never bought anything, and try to snag a stainless steel white dial Daytona. Home base is Miami, but I jet around to New York, LA, and Dallas for work quite a bit. If anyone's got a hot tip on an AD in those cities, shoot it my way. But to keep things interesting, I will pick a spot I've never checked out before.

Now for the cool part - I'm gonna share every bit of this journey. I'll start with updates on Twitter, just 'cause it's easy peasy, but I'll loop back and post here too, keep the story rolling. So, keep your eyes peeled on my Twitter and this thread. It'll be neat to see how long it takes me, a complete newbie with zero purchase history, to get my hands on a Panda. You guys get to tag along for the whole ride. Shoot me suggestions, ideas, etc.

https://twitter.com/watchspringinc

I’ll save you the time and money. Spend ~$200K on watches and jewelry over the course of about 4 years and you’ll get your Panda Daytona. That was my “social experiment” at least

[SS Oyster]

At a different AD on the East Coast, I bought a OF PM Daytona in December 2019. A while later, I asked them about a SS Daytona. Their response from the store director that liked me said, "I'll do you a favor and tell you in all honesty, it's never going to happen".

At my home AD, after many many watches and four years, I was finally able to get a black SS Daytona, but not the white one.

That's how hard it is to get a SS White Daytona.

[Largoshark]

Wasn’t there a member who started a very similar thread? An ongoing log of their journey to purchase a 116500 from an AD at retail. Went on for years, and ultimately I think they unfortunately gave up in the end.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Largoshark

Wasn’t there a member who started a very similar thread? An ongoing log of their journey to purchase a 116500 from an AD at retail. Went on for years, and ultimately I think they unfortunately gave up in the end.

Yep, he lasted 5 years and then went Grey, if i recall correctly

Anyway...
What's the record for the longest running thread on this forum?
I reckon this one may beat it

[cinli]

Very nice, kudos to you. Wear and enjoy it.

[PenDelicate]

Excellent idea!

But ... not enough self-flagulation >:-D

You need to up the pain a little.

Say the Panda costs 15,000. Calculate a minimum number of years: say 4. Try to save the cost of the Daytona in that time, by putting away a certain amount of money, in a dedicated savings account, each week: in this case, 75 dollars. So after 4 years, you'll have 15,000 just sitting there, tempting you to be spent on *some* watch. Then it'll be 16,000. Then 17,000. Just itching to be spent ... on a watch. Ooooo, the temptation ...

[Carguy87]

Excited to see the updates good luck!

[Tqmb79]

Lol. Unless you have a great story, not gonna happen. Are you going to make up a story? Just walk in and ask?

[Cru Jones]

To help maximize your chances, I suggest not referring at the ADs to the white dial 126500LN as a “Panda”. One, it doesn’t have a “Panda” dial. Two, referring to it as such to a dealer might make you seem like someone more interested in flipping it than a true fan of the watch.

That, or maybe it doesn’t make a difference and I just don’t like the nickname.

Good luck!