Heard Ben Bridge Jeweler losing AD status

[tedo]

This becoming more common?

[BlondesNwatches]

Just one location or across their whole enterprise?

[ZOOK]

Originally Posted by tedo

This becoming more common?

That someone posts a rumor on the internet. Very common.

[tedo]

Originally Posted by ZOOK

That someone posts a rumor on the internet. Very common.

Ben bridge salesperson confirmed this, sorry

[Stan Cooper]

A number of Ben Bridge shops are still listed on the Rolex website and the Ben Bridge website has all the current Rolex models displayed. You'd think if all the stores had lost their AD status, Ben Bridge would no longer be listed on the Rolex website.

[BlondesNwatches]

My guess would be that they have a bunch of locations currently and are consolidating which locations will have Rolex going forward depending on the market.

[tedo]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

A number of Ben Bridge shops are still listed on the Rolex website and the Ben Bridge website has all the current Rolex models displayed. You'd think if all the stores had lost their AD status, Ben Bridge would no longer be listed on the Rolex website.

Yes, I even asked if no longer a future AD why not sell items on display. Just told me can’t, just as before. The dedicated Rolex section to be shut down apparently.

[BlondesNwatches]

Originally Posted by tedo

Yes, I even asked if no longer a future AD why not sell items on display. Just told me can’t, just as before. The dedicated Rolex section to be shut down apparently.

Did your specific salesperson imply ALL Ben bridge locations will be closed or just his?

[jb335]

I don’t have any information but this would not surprise me. At all.

Ben Bridges just feels so down-market to where Rolex is clearly trying to place themselves.

Feels like the days of Rolex in an aging mall with an unglamorous jeweler are over.


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[tedo]

Originally Posted by BlondesNwatches

Did your specific salesperson imply ALL Ben bridge locations will be closed or just his?

I didn’t ask since it’s the only BB I know of near me to be honest

[Tools]

Ben Bridge is one of the major carriers of Rolex, so it is not likely to be all of them.

Often a boutique opens up within the defined market area and other shops are relieved of their Rolex contract, often replaced with Tudor.

Every single Ben Bridge has never all been a Rolex AD.

Still, stranger things have happened, especially now that Rolex owns Bucherer and by extension Tourneau, only half of which are Rolex ADs.

[jb335]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

A number of Ben Bridge shops are still listed on the Rolex website and the Ben Bridge website has all the current Rolex models displayed. You'd think if all the stores had lost their AD status, Ben Bridge would no longer be listed on the Rolex website.

It may not have taken effect yet and this still on the website. Just theorizing.

OP, is the specific BB branch you went to still listed as an AD on the Rolex website?


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[Gaff65]

Here in San Diego at the Westfield UTC mall, the Ben Bridge shop recently underwent a major renovation, at which time they built out a Rolex boutique actually attached to Ben Bridge with both interior and exterior entrances to the boutique.

[2loaded]

Originally Posted by Gaff65

Here in San Diego at the Westfield UTC mall, the Ben Bridge shop recently underwent a major renovation, at which time they built out a Rolex boutique actually attached to Ben Bridge with both interior and exterior entrances to the boutique.

Would be a shame if this is the location OP is referencing.
Doubtful.. OP (tedo)?

[ZOOK]

Originally Posted by tedo

Ben bridge salesperson confirmed this, sorry

Originally Posted by tedo

I didn’t ask since it’s the only BB I know of near me to be honest

Do you mind saying which location? Is the store in a mall?

[jb335]

Originally Posted by Gaff65

Here in San Diego at the Westfield UTC mall, the Ben Bridge shop recently underwent a major renovation, at which time they built out a Rolex boutique actually attached to Ben Bridge with both interior and exterior entrances to the boutique.

Yeah, if they built out a dedicated boutique like that hard to imagine they’d be dropped so quickly. You’d think there would be some protection to the AD in the contract if they invested that heavily.


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[GrailTime]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

A number of Ben Bridge shops are still listed on the Rolex website and the Ben Bridge website has all the current Rolex models displayed. You'd think if all the stores had lost their AD status, Ben Bridge would no longer be listed on the Rolex website.

He said losing, so may not be immediate.

[tedo]

Originally Posted by 2loaded

Would be a shame if this is the location OP is referencing.
Doubtful.. OP (tedo)?

Woodland Hills location

[GrailTime]

Originally Posted by Gaff65

Here in San Diego at the Westfield UTC mall, the Ben Bridge shop recently underwent a major renovation, at which time they built out a Rolex boutique actually attached to Ben Bridge with both interior and exterior entrances to the boutique.

You have to think then that will protect that location.

Rolex want all ADs to do these build out, at their expense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nEl5WaeUL4

This guy's Youtube is pretty funny, BTW.

[cdmorenot]

Originally Posted by jb335

Yeah, if they built out a dedicated boutique like that hard to imagine they’d be dropped so quickly. You’d think there would be some protection to the AD in the contract if they invested that heavily.


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Rolex doesn't give a crap. My former AD spent an enormous amount of money redoing their Rolex section only to be dropped less than 6 months after the expense.

It's their game...

[cdmorenot]

Ben Bridge is the ONLY AD in Tucson Arizona. Beautiful location in the Catalina Foothills. I recently visited and I was actually surprised at how lovely this location was.

I don't think this applies to all BB locations.

[DC116710LN]

Originally Posted by Tools

Ben Bridge is one of the major carriers of Rolex, so it is not likely to be all of them.

Often a boutique opens up within the defined market area and other shops are relieved of their Rolex contract, often replaced with Tudor.

Every single Ben Bridge has never all been a Rolex AD.

Still, stranger things have happened, especially now that Rolex owns Bucherer and by extension Tourneau, only half of which are Rolex ADs.

Agreed. I highly doubt all Ben Bridge locations will lose their status

[EdwardC]

Context and detail is important.

BB is the major watch AD in Hawaii. It has PP and VC too. I dont know anything, but I doubt this is across all BB shops.

[Mr. K]

I would be surprised if this happened. But hey it's Rolex, they make up their own rules.

[kopi-c]

Originally Posted by gaffs

You have to think then that will protect that location.

Rolex want all ADs to do these build out, at their expense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nEl5WaeUL4

This guy's Youtube is pretty funny, BTW.

YT video is not funny, more like click bait & the content not worth watching.

How many times does he have to say "unbelievable, but true"

[Stan Cooper]

Just a thought, but Shreve & Co. in San Francisco recently moved all their Rolex sales to their location in the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, and the San Francisco store is no longer an AD. I'm guessing they didn't want to make a huge investment in a Rolex boutique in both locations and the tech money in Silicon Valley made that location more attractive than downtown San Francisco..

[ArtNouveau]

Back in my days in Houston there were three Ben Bridge locations in malls around town and all three sold Rolex. The first had Rolex pulled when the region’s first standalone Rolex Boutique operated by another local AD opened in the same mall. That BB stepped up their watch presence with Tudor, Panerai, Grand Seiko, and other brands.
The second store dropped the line during the time when high demand/shortages became acute. The manager of that store told me at the time it was a corporate decision to send all the inventory they were receiving to their remaining location. That one was dropped a year or so later.
That said the Ben Bridge in Austin, in an upscale outdoor mall, remains one of only two Rolex ADs in the city.

[njlam]

I thank any BB located in the same city/town/area where there is a Bucherer is in danger (same goes for WOS). Rolex is not going to give these locations the best watches if they can sell thru Bucherer and make the full wholesale/retail spread.

Any Rolex AD that doesn’t have access to the most desired models won’t last long anyway.

I think the BBs that are in areas with no Bucherer dealers in the vicinity will be safe for now.


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[superpop]

Would be surprised if it was all Ben Bridge locations. They are very strong in the PNW and most of the Rolex indy AD's kind of live in the shadow of the BB stores here. I have to admit though that the BB stores I have frequented do have that schlocky mall vibe to them. They have a fairly strong owner though, so I am guessing they will be just fine.

[Bmats]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

Just a thought, but Shreve & Co. in San Francisco recently moved all their Rolex sales to their location in the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, and the San Francisco store is no longer an AD. I'm guessing they didn't want to make a huge investment in a Rolex boutique in both locations and the tech money in Silicon Valley made that location more attractive than downtown San Francisco..

I imagine that the location in SF had something to do with it. The area by Union Square has become so much less desirable and retailers are leaving the area. It’s a shame because it was a great area and hopefully it comes back. But if you’re a store and are going to consolidate moving down the peninsula makes a lot of sense.