Precious metal Rolex discounts

[Number9]

Dear All,
I thoroughly enjoy reading this site but this is my first post here.
I currently have a GMT but am keen on a WG blue sub (smurf). To be honest I would rather have the dial on stainless steel, but since that isn't an option...
I have heard people on these forums talking about precious metal discounts of up to 20-25%. Is this still the case in 2017? And which countries have people experienced this?
I am fortunate to do a bit of travel with my work and will be in Hong Kong, UK and probably Singapore in the next few months. The UK certainly seems to have the best 'discount' in terms of VAT refund but would be keen to know what 'proper' discounts people have obtained.
Many thanks for your help

[Etschell]

Non ad will be the best option. Try watchrecon to get an idea imo.

[function12]

I got 25% off my gold Daytona 116508 in Cozumel last week. It will end up 27% off when/if I get the taxes back. I am happy.

[THC]

Welcome to the insanity lol

[Bryant Park]

Originally Posted by function12

I got 25% off my gold Daytona 116508 in Cozumel last week. It will end up 27% off when/if I get the taxes back. I am happy.

Good way to avoid the Harvey carnage. I hope you and yours were sparred and you didn't return to a mess.

To the OP I have recent data points that would confirm 25% is doable.

[AK797]

In the UK in a smaller AD you might get 10% off, but as they know you are a tourist and have VAT refund they will not be willing to give much off, such is the culture now.

[function12]

Originally Posted by Bryant Park

Good way to avoid the Harvey carnage. I hope you and yours were sparred and you didn't return to a mess.

To the OP I have recent data points that would confirm 25% is doable.

We left after Harvey. Water got very close but not in the house, thank God. We felt a little guilty leaving on our cruise but it was nice to get away after 4 days of rain.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by AK797

In the UK in a smaller AD you might get 10% off, but as they know you are a tourist and have VAT refund they will not be willing to give much off, such is the culture now.

So an AD will accept one price from a resident, but would turn down an offer from a tourist for the same price?

[gccmd]

Given the choice I would buy a mint condition used precious metal Rolex. The depreciation on these watches from the AD price is huge (much more substantial than on the stainless steel models).The exception would be if you could find an AD that would be willing to heavily discount the watch.

[Ruud Van Driver]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

So an AD will accept one price from a resident, but would turn down an offer from a tourist for the same price?

Yes they would. They're a business not a charity.

A non EU resident is going to be able to claim almost 14% back at the airport when leaving the country and that's not an insignificant amount of money.

I'm not saying it's right but it is what it is. I've seen the same thing in the Caribbean when I worked on a cruise ship. Island duty free shops would sell high end goods to certain ship's crew, who they knew to be earning a lot less than some others, at a lower price. I'm not going into further detail because I don't want to start a ruck that will lead to the thread getting locked (or me in trouble!).

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by Ruud Van Driver

Yes they would. They're a business not a charity.

A non EU resident is going to be able to claim almost 14% back at the airport when leaving the country and that's not an insignificant amount of money.

I'm not saying it's right but it is what it is. I've seen the same thing in the Caribbean when I worked on a cruise ship. Island duty free shops would sell high end goods to certain ship's crew, who they knew to be earning a lot less than some others, at a lower price. I'm not going into further detail because I don't want to start a ruck that will lead to the thread getting locked (or me in trouble!).

You're missing my point. I am asking if an AD would sell a watch to a resident for X price, but then when a foreigner offers to buy the same watch for X price then the AD would let the foreigner walk out of the store? Why would a business accept a certain profit from one person but be unwilling to accept the same profit from another person?

[Samuraimuscle]

The biggest discount I've gotten a quote for on precious metal models are 20%

[zaratewl]

Only way my AD considered any discount was if the watch was in a precious metal.

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[Ruud Van Driver]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

You're missing my point. I am asking if an AD would sell a watch to a resident for X price, but then when a foreigner offers to buy the same watch for X price then the AD would let the foreigner walk out of the store? Why would a business accept a certain profit from one person but be unwilling to accept the same profit from another person?

I get your point. At least I think so anyway.

If a UK AD offers a British resident a.n.other Rolex at 20% discount, I don't see why he should offer it at the same price to Johnny Non-resident if he doesn't have to. He can use the VAT refund as a bargaining chip.

However, if Johnny Non-resident overhears the AD offering the resident a given deal, the AD would then be hard pressed to refuse the same price to Johnny Non-resident. Something like that?

[Number9]

Thanks for the replies everyone

[Number9]

I'm originally from the UK, my upper lip is still satisfactorily starched and I shall refrain from calling the salesperson "cobber" or "Shiela" if at all possible, or shouting "ya flamin' galah" too frequently, so my tourist status should remain unknown, if that makes a difference

[ratty]

I wish someone would tell me where you can get a 20% discount in the UK. I couldn't get a 10% discount on a platinum Daytona!

[tamiya]

Originally Posted by Number9

I'm originally from the UK, my upper lip is still satisfactorily starched and I shall refrain from calling the salesperson "cobber" or "Shiela" if at all possible, or shouting "ya flamin' galah" too frequently, so my tourist status should remain unknown, if that makes a difference

If shopping in person, don't you need the retailer to sign you a certificate to get VAT back? No chance staying incognito at checkout

Definitely that's the case in SG (TRS cert) and similar in UK, unless I was getting item mailed out of UK then they didn't charge VAT on my invoice.

In SG you can't TRS if you're an SG citizen or resident leaving the island either. Dunno if that's same for UKians flying out from Blighty.

[Number9]

Originally Posted by tamiya

If shopping in person, don't you need the retailer to sign you a certificate to get VAT back? No chance staying incognito at checkout

Definitely that's the case in SG (TRS cert) and similar in UK, unless I was getting item mailed out of UK then they didn't charge VAT on my invoice.

In SG you can't TRS if you're an SG citizen or resident leaving the island either. Dunno if that's same for UKians flying out from Blighty.

True. But the discussion regarding the tax refund certificate would come after the discussion of price, and it would be difficult for the retailer to then refuse the sale (I imagine). Plus, I would be paying tax on the item on returning to Australia, so I would not necessarily be saving any money there

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by ratty

I wish someone would tell me where you can get a 20% discount in the UK. I couldn't get a 10% discount on a platinum Daytona!

http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/rolex...ex-116506.html

21%. Not an AD but that's some saving!

[AK797]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

So an AD will accept one price from a resident, but would turn down an offer from a tourist for the same price?

Yes, now they will. On SS a tourist or even a non-local will simply be refused a sale let alone a discount, so on PMs they are much tighter on discounts as they know with VAT and the weak pound foreigners will do well enough without more than a 10% discount. More likely a UK resident will get 5-10% and a foreigner 0-5%, so still a much better deal for them. In London I would now expect no discount at all unless they know you.

[faimag]

Small ADs in Singapore offer 20% off (116505) to walk-in customers, whether local or tourist.

[tamiya]

Originally Posted by faimag

Small ADs in Singapore offer 20% off (116505) to walk-in customers, whether local or tourist.

Didn't SG HQ do a crackdown on discounting recently?

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by Ruud Van Driver

I get your point. At least I think so anyway.

If a UK AD offers a British resident a.n.other Rolex at 20% discount, I don't see why he should offer it at the same price to Johnny Non-resident if he doesn't have to. He can use the VAT refund as a bargaining chip.

However, if Johnny Non-resident overhears the AD offering the resident a given deal, the AD would then be hard pressed to refuse the same price to Johnny Non-resident. Something like that?

Right. The dealer can use it as a bargaining chip. But if the foreign customer is going to walk out if they don't get the same price as the local resident, then I would think the AD would seem to them. Its the same profit margin to the dealer with either customer.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by faimag

Small ADs in Singapore offer 20% off (116505) to walk-in customers, whether local or tourist.

20% off on that model isn't the motherlode. Based on secondary market prices, I would be asking for 30%.

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by AK797

Yes, now they will. On SS a tourist or even a non-local will simply be refused a sale let alone a discount, so on PMs they are much tighter on discounts as they know with VAT and the weak pound foreigners will do well enough without more than a 10% discount. More likely a UK resident will get 5-10% and a foreigner 0-5%, so still a much better deal for them. In London I would now expect no discount at all unless they know you.

Just curious how well you did on your 116618LB?
Here in the US models like that fetch 25% off.

[bdex75]

Cannot compare the locations but in the US I wouldn't entertain a PM Rolex at anything less than 30% off.

Find a smaller town AD that has trouble moving PM pieces and it can be done.



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[Ruud Van Driver]

Originally Posted by Bigblu10

Just curious how well you did on your 116618LB?
Here in the US models like that fetch 25% off.

In the US you also have state tax. In the UK, and here in Singapore for that matter, you pay the price on the ticket. So where your discount might be 25% there and in the UK or here it's 20%, it probably balances out.

As much as I love the US, it is unbelievably irritating to pick something up that says $100 on the price tag only to be told it's $108, or whatever, at the till.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Bigblu10

Just curious how well you did on your 116618LB?
Here in the US models like that fetch 25% off.

I bought way before Brexit so I got over 25% off, same as in the US back then. Now, I would be happy to get 10% off. However I can sell mine and probably make a little profit, unheard of on PM models a couple of years ago, and that's before another expected price rise here.

[ratty]

Originally Posted by Devildog

http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/rolex...ex-116506.html

21%. Not an AD but that's some saving!

OK, fair enough, but I was thinking about new from an AD.