Are the days of seeing SS GMT, Daytona and Subs in AD display forever gone?

[The M3 Guy]

Yes gone and I am sure Rolex won’t flood the market when there is a downturn they will limit supply.

[TheoMich]

Aventura mall Rolex cases are full, but with nothing that anyone under 70 would wear, that’s the issue, they made 5 models of watches that people want and 30 that people don’t care for. That’s why most AD s are saying you can have that if you buy this. It’s like Porsche saying you can have the 911 but you also have to buy this ciivic as well. I’ve visited a bunch of greys and it’s funny how they have more brand new watches then they do used, and without warranty cards filled in. They say if a AD sells you a watch they wanna make sure your not gonna re sell it, bullshit why else would you not fill out the warranty card if your planning On keepomg It

[Harry-57]

I've never seen such multiples of available SS watches on display at an AD as those described in the OP. Having said that, I didn't pay much attention to AD Rolex displays before 1980.

Nothing stays the same. It might get better, it might get worse. Some people's better is other people's worse. Live long enough and you will see a change - of some sort.

[James Nye 1982]

I can remember walking into Goldsmiths (Now Mappin & Webb) in Tunbridge Wells about 4 years ago to help my friend choose an engagement ring and they had a SD4k, SubC and DSSD in the window..Imagine that now LOL..

[APPRF]

Some countries gone, but in some countries they do display moderately sought after pieces, but ask Market price or Grey price for them. It will be still difficult to find an SS Daytona, Pepsi, Batman, Hulk because they get sold to greys or Vips before they hit the displays. I've seen a Root Beer a Bluesy, 2 Sea Dwellers 50th and several others in AD display, at 20% 30% over MSRP for Root Beer and SD43 over the last 2 weeks. In Kuwait there's an instagram account that holds an auction every thursday on sought after pieces with guarantee and full stickers.

[h20addict]

It's been awhile since I have been in the market for a new Rolex but back in 2013 I went into multiple AD's and tried on a Hulk before finally pulling the trigger on a NIB example from DavidSW.

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by Frank McKay

I’m curious. Do you guys see this as a temporary thing? Or gone for good are the days of walking into an AD and seeing multiple SS BLRO, Subs, Daytona’s sitting in the display windows readily available for sale.

If you’re waiting for that you’ll be disappointed

[alphasports]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyNovember

Those days are gone.. Used to be Daytona, now extended to all professional SS models.. GMT/Subs now like Daytona used to be. Daytona SS now only for VVIP with mega spend. Can see SS Daytona reaching 30-40k (GBP) before too long. Rolex knows exactly what it’s doing..

I pretty much agree with this. Rolex sees steel Pateks et al retailing anywhere from hi 20's to 40's, they want a piece of that pie. A $6500 Explorer looks like a freebie in comparison. 5-10 years from now Rolex pricing will be thru the roof, exactly according to their plan.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by alphasports

I pretty much agree with this. Rolex sees steel Pateks et al retailing anywhere from hi 20's to 40's, they want a piece of that pie. A $6500 Explorer looks like a freebie in comparison. 5-10 years from now Rolex pricing will be thru the roof, exactly according to their plan.

Interesting take on it. I wonder if suddenly there will be major retail pricing spikes rather than the normal increases. If there is then I will never be buying a new Rolex again, or likely even a used one, as I’d be priced out of the market

Will Tudor replace Rolex at current Rolex retail pricing levels?

[Explorer2polar]

I think those days are long gone, its now an object of desire rather than function.

Hence the demand and shortages.

[Tavli3]

To all those that were buying Rolex back in 2008-9 what happened during the Great Recession?? Was there more supply? That will be our guide going forward. There will be another down turn at some point.

My guess is yes they will be available in the case at some point. Can't have empty cases forever! But to what extent and which models they become available is anyone's guess.

[Rado63]

If Rolex increases supply then discounting and gray market sales occur. I am doubtful we will see full cases again.

[Rashid.bk]

Well this is a mixed issue as the watches you mention in the op have mostly come out during the shortage so they were never really available.
The Daytona has been absent from displays for over a decade.
Now, Subs in all forms and even the BLNR and various Explores were indeed available and in cases and even maybe negotiated a discount about 4-5 years ago.

I remember when the SD4K was released and I was in Dubai that year late summer and was in the mall looking around. They had a SD4K, GMT2c, all three Subs LN, 114060 and LVc, plus a Deepsea. They also had the Explorer 1 and a white Explorer 2, no black one...
I may have some photos on my laptop, that was just normal. The only watch which I kinda found hard to track down regularly was the Sub 11610LN, it would sell the fastest.
Daytona? Forget it, since the 116520 it's been vip only.

I even lived in Argentina and would visit the mall on Patio Bullrich and would always go in and try on watches and they always had a good selection. I once compared a BLNR and GMT2c LN in the same case and the Deepsea as well as Submariners and Explorers were frequently available. Just a regular old experience of buying and choosing which suits you best.

Will these days return, not in the foreseeable future, and it doesn't seem that Rolex even care. Frankly in a few years this will hurt them and their brand. We are a generation that was around during normal times and understand this so called shortage and accept it as a consequence of the times.
But a new generation is looming and there's no way that the usual common man will buy something as expensive without ever having even seen one in real life.
The rich buy anything, cars, houses, clothes without being present, it's all just "stuff". But a hard working middle-class normal person isn't going to just buy a car without seeing it or test driving it, or buy a $10k watch just because it's on youtube.
I know that me personally, my desire and appreciation of the brand that I fell in love with is dwindling. I love Rolex and I still have a passion for the brand and what Hans created and built, but the watches I really like exist today. I only really like a few Daytonas and the 114060. No other watch really calls me anymore, and they're unattainable, and I cannot justify me "begging you"(AD) to sell me a $10k plus unneeded luxury item.
I love mechanical watches, it's not a Rolex thing. I have one, if you don't want to sell me another silly watch, I'll just go elsewhere or use the money for other things like traveling in style.

It's just a watch after all. We're not talking about life sustaining organs.

[quakeroatmeal]

Forever, is a very long time.

[oldman2005]

Those days are gone, Rolex only produces a minuscule number of SS Sport so even a with a recession it would make little difference. During the the last great recession, SS Daytona was easier to get but it was still reserved for VIP customers here and never on displayed

[Syed117]

They never put multiples of the same watch in the case.

There was always one on display and the rest in the back. My AD always had multiple BLNRs, Subs, Explorers, and everything else in stock. This is 4 years ago. They used to have 5 BLNRs sitting around that they couldn't sell.

The Daytona was the only steel model that was truly rare.

[wyguy]

Same experience for me.

As early as fall 2017, traveling through TX as I normally do, I would stop at my favorite 'small town' Rolex dealers. For example, at Barnes in AMA I saw a BLNR, an LN GMT and BLRO (SS) sitting next to each other in the case. Out there in the open, no drama. Of course they are no longer an AD and my trips since then have turned up basically zero stock.

Originally Posted by ttmedical

At least once a week I think about window shopping in a small town in Texas that had a Rolex dealer, around 2015. A friend and I would on occasion go in and talk to the salesman about watches and the like and every time I was in the store, I noticed a lonely pair:

One black AND one white 116520 sitting in the display, just waiting for someone to pick them up. I'll chalk this up with my decision to ignore bitcoin in 2012 or not picking up some AMZN shares.

How the times have changed in the watch world hahah!

[jonathon555]

I seen a submariner in a AD display cabinet for sale the other day.

Blue face , solid gold that’s about it

[mattsrs]

Originally Posted by jonathon555

I seen a submariner in a AD display cabinet for sale the other day.

Blue face , solid gold that’s about it

Yea I've seen the Smurf in many ADs. It is not a sought after watch compared to SS models.

[kegan]

I think they are gone forever so I am too. These watches and the shopping experience were infinitely more enjoyable before they became such a big deal.

[Sandlapper1960]

I just visited the only AD in my town this afternoon. He had an Explorer, an Explorer II (black dial) and a Yacht-Master 42. Of course there were the usual PM and TT Daytona's , Subs and YM's. I thought that I saw a couple of DJ 41's. He said that he had a couple of SS Subs within the last couple of weeks but they get scooped up quick.

[Mr.Rolex1]

Its an unsustainable model

[petay993]

Right now demand is outstripping supply at an insane level.

Even pricy Greys such as Mark Worthington in Wilmslow, Cheshire are being cleaned out of nearly all there heavily marked up Rolex stock within days of it being listed.

The only one sticking is the white ceramic Daytona at £25k!!!!!
That will probably go shortly and put a new marker down, unless it signifies a tipping point and sticks, will watch with interest.

Watchfinder sold their £15.5k CHNR same day, their response, list a 2019 at £16.5.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Well this is a mixed issue as the watches you mention in the op have mostly come out during the shortage so they were never really available.
The Daytona has been absent from displays for over a decade.
Now, Subs in all forms and even the BLNR and various Explores were indeed available and in cases and even maybe negotiated a discount about 4-5 years ago.

I remember when the SD4K was released and I was in Dubai that year late summer and was in the mall looking around. They had a SD4K, GMT2c, all three Subs LN, 114060 and LVc, plus a Deepsea. They also had the Explorer 1 and a white Explorer 2, no black one...
I may have some photos on my laptop, that was just normal. The only watch which I kinda found hard to track down regularly was the Sub 11610LN, it would sell the fastest.
Daytona? Forget it, since the 116520 it's been vip only.

I even lived in Argentina and would visit the mall on Patio Bullrich and would always go in and try on watches and they always had a good selection. I once compared a BLNR and GMT2c LN in the same case and the Deepsea as well as Submariners and Explorers were frequently available. Just a regular old experience of buying and choosing which suits you best.

Will these days return, not in the foreseeable future, and it doesn't seem that Rolex even care. Frankly in a few years this will hurt them and their brand. We are a generation that was around during normal times and understand this so called shortage and accept it as a consequence of the times.
But a new generation is looming and there's no way that the usual common man will buy something as expensive without ever having even seen one in real life.
The rich buy anything, cars, houses, clothes without being present, it's all just "stuff". But a hard working middle-class normal person isn't going to just buy a car without seeing it or test driving it, or buy a $10k watch just because it's on youtube.
I know that me personally, my desire and appreciation of the brand that I fell in love with is dwindling. I love Rolex and I still have a passion for the brand and what Hans created and built, but the watches I really like exist today. I only really like a few Daytonas and the 114060. No other watch really calls me anymore, and they're unattainable, and I cannot justify me "begging you"(AD) to sell me a $10k plus unneeded luxury item.
I love mechanical watches, it's not a Rolex thing. I have one, if you don't want to sell me another silly watch, I'll just go elsewhere or use the money for other things like traveling in style.

It's just a watch after all. We're not talking about life sustaining organs.

But people are buying sight unseen. They are buying simply on hype and Instagram images. It’s the times we live in. There is money to be made, better not miss out, etc etc etc

[jonathon555]

Walked in an Ad the other day asked about steel pm’s. They said they get 30 calls a day asking to be added to an list.

They have seen a big uptake of milgauss and dj41. even those are not hitting the window. A list is starting on those , they have never seen this before

[al503]

I was in Waikiki with my late wife in 2015. We went into the AD on Kalakaua Ave. There weren't any Daytonas in the case but I asked if they had one that my wife could try on. They said yes and brought one out. A white dial. I asked if they had a black dial and they brought one out. There was another person asking/looking for a daytona and they had a white and black one out for him to look at. So. They had at least 4 daytona 116520's in stock.

[APPRF]

Originally Posted by jonathon555

Walked in an Ad the other day asked about steel pm’s. They said they get 30 calls a day asking to be added to an list.

They have seen a big uptake of milgauss and dj41. even those are not hitting the window. A list is starting on those , they have never seen this before

It's getting crazy in the UK.

[Muxi]

I think it is about determining buyer motivation from the supply side. A certain number of people buy for the love of the model while others buy for the instant profit. Rolex wants to temper supply to a subset of the former to retain desirability.

Unfortunately, from the market standpoint everything gets mishmashed. Thus, the abnormal market. Something that Rolex cannot solve without affecting its brand equity. As one watch journalist said, Rolex does not want to be known as that brand that produced those chronographs that everyone used to have. And rightly so.

The downside of being en vogue is the inevitable consequence of being out of style tomorrow.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Frank McKay

I’m curious. Do you guys see this as a temporary thing? Or gone for good are the days of walking into an AD and seeing multiple SS BLRO, Subs, Daytona’s sitting in the display windows readily available for sale.

It's temporary if you wanna call it that.

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by wyguy

Same experience for me.

As early as fall 2017, traveling through TX as I normally do, I would stop at my favorite 'small town' Rolex dealers. For example, at Barnes in AMA I saw a BLNR, an LN GMT and BLRO (SS) sitting next to each other in the case. Out there in the open, no drama. Of course they are no longer an AD and my trips since then have turned up basically zero stock.

You saw a SS BLRO in the case six months before it was announced? Great stock!