What do Rolex AD's do with Discontinued Exhibition Models?

[ZDaytonawatchlvr]

I was wondering this question so I asked my local AD Salesperson and they said they don't have an answer yet. Has anyone heard anything? Thanks, Bob

[rg9390]

I know some ADs will still sell them until they are gone. But you don't expect they will have Daytona and Submariner stock unsold, as these models are usually sold within days of stock arrival.

You might get some Lady Date-Just or silver dial OP. Given the discontinued model this year are all models in demand (mainly Daytona), I doubt there are much left.

[Slimpee]

Originally Posted by ZDaytonawatchlvr

I was wondering this question so I asked my local AD Salesperson and they said they don't have an answer yet. Has anyone heard anything? Thanks, Bob

Mine said the same thing.

[JDsnewwatch]

The same thing they do with all of the other watches, sell them to the grey market dealers for cash

[Redemption144]

My AD said that some of the exhibition watches actually didn’t have a movement caliber inside and were just empty shells ?!? Guess it is still worth something ��
Especially the perfect 10:10 one with the 28 on the day.

[Watchsprings]

Originally Posted by JDsnewwatch

The same thing they do with all of the other watches, sell them to the grey market dealers for cash

This^

[SS Oyster]

Today I visited an AD I frequent where my work takes me frequently. The SA who helps me there said Rolex was telling them they wanted to see 50 exhibition watches on display. The AD only had 39 Rolexes in stock, so they had to put them ALL out and were still 11 watches short.

[gyang333]

Was at Sydney Duty Free and they had a Milgauss on display. I asked what happens, and they said it's possible they're sent back to Rolex, or they get offered to preferred clients.

[BayAreaTech]

Classic "New Old Stock" (NOS) debate. MSRP still holds AFAIK.

[amh]

Originally Posted by JDsnewwatch

The same thing they do with all of the other watches, sell them to the grey market dealers for cash

Indeed

Originally Posted by Redemption144

My AD said that some of the exhibition watches actually didn’t have a movement caliber inside and were just empty shells ?!? Guess it is still worth something ��
Especially the perfect 10:10 one with the 28 on the day.

Dealer is not being truthful...

[Turb0wned]

I had someone tell me those belong to Rolex and will have to be sent back to them.

[amh]

Originally Posted by Turb0wned

I had someone tell me those belong to Rolex and will have to be sent back to them.

Sure they will....

[enjoythemusic]

They send them all to me to work on. Now to be frank, sometimes a few seem to not get back to dealers because, hey, you know, these things happen ;-)

watchmaker_bench.jpg

[Law52]

I asked my SA this very question this past week. He stated that they don’t have warranty cards for the exhibition pieces and in the past all discontinued pieces were sent back to Rolex. But you never know if they may change the process.

[brandrea]

They go into the recycling scrap heap at Rolex

[Chadridv]

Originally Posted by JDsnewwatch

The same thing they do with all of the other watches, sell them to the grey market dealers for cash

haha

They own them, so they can do whatever they want with them.

We've been hearing stories of some people getting lucky with the technically discontinued watches, since VIPs have been calling and saying they'd prefer the new models. Perhaps, at least some of us watch nerds might get the watches we've been asking for.

[Calatrava r]

ADs have to get boxes and paperwork from Rolex before they can do anything. Most ADs say the watches are returned to Rolex to change over this inventory through a swap. I have not heard of any ADs getting the papers to sell the watches.

[dchernikoff]

I thought the exhibition watches were just that - empty shells for display only. You mean they've been showing real working watches and not selling them?????!!!!!!

[Driver8]

Originally Posted by Redemption144

My AD said that some of the exhibition watches actually didn’t have a movement caliber inside and were just empty shells ?!? Guess it is still worth something ��
Especially the perfect 10:10 one with the 28 on the day.

Those sound absolutely perfect for the guys here who admit to never bothering to set their Rolex.

[Brich436]

Originally Posted by dchernikoff

I thought the exhibition watches were just that - empty shells for display only. You mean they've been showing real working watches and not selling them?????!!!!!!

I can tell you all of the ones I tried on at Alvin Goldfarbs in Bellevue, WA were real watches - the second hand was sweeping and the time was not stuck at 10 / 2 like the display only models wo movements are. Even the white gold Sub - oh man is that thing a tank!

[pgleason2]

Originally Posted by dchernikoff

I thought the exhibition watches were just that - empty shells for display only. You mean they've been showing real working watches and not selling them?????!!!!!!

Yes they are real functional watches. Unscrew the crown and wind them up when trying them on. Just had My AD do that today while showing my how the skydweller works.

[SAP7]

They are all REAL now.
Anyone who says otherwise is making it up. And they belong to Rolex not the AD.

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by dchernikoff

I thought the exhibition watches were just that - empty shells for display only. You mean they've been showing real working watches and not selling them?????!!!!!!

They can't sell them. They don't have box or papers. No warranty can be activated. If Rolex finds out they sold one and they will, there goes the Rolex account. Try running a jewelry store in today's world without a major brand like Rolex. Zero-foot traffic.

[blada4life]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

They can't sell them. They don't have box or papers. No warranty can be activated. If Rolex finds out they sold one and they will, there goes the Rolex account. Try running a jewelry store in today's world without a major brand like Rolex. Zero-foot traffic.

They can and they do. It depends if the display piece was a Rolex thing or designated as such by the AD only. Two diff things. My experience is if the watch is real they can definitely sell it. And they will. Just not necessarily right away. I just bought an “exhibition” OP.

Also, if the above watch is display only per the AD and gets discontinued, then it can sell anyway. No special rules exist.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by blada4life

They can and they do. It depends if the display piece was a Rolex thing or designated as such by the AD only. Two diff things. My experience is if the watch is real they can definitely sell it. And they will. Just not necessarily right away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, we are talking about different things. If an AD puts an inventory watch in the "Exhibition Case" forever reason, of course, they can sell it anytime they want. They have box and papers on that watch, and it was intended for sale to the public. My understanding is that there are no "Rolex things" either as the ADs actually are required to pay for the Exhibition Watches. ADs still tell me they have no idea what will happen to these watches, but most believe they will all go back to Rolex at some point in time for a store credit against watches they can sell.

[Wilsdorfs Shoe]

I read somewhere that some dealers sell a watch and tell the buyer to come back in two weeks because it will be used as a display model until then. It works on a revolving cycle. They wrap them in plastic but it is till a display watch if that matters.

[sensui]

The real answer is cpo. They are real watches with small restrictors pieces on movements.

[Blacklist]

Do the exhibition models even have serial numbers?

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by Blacklist

Do the exhibition models even have serial numbers?

Yes at least the ones on my local AD





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[kittansett]

The AD paid for them. They can do whatever they want.