The sad sad current state of Rolex at Retail

[heuermonaco]

The sad sad state of Rolex at retail
At my local AD today

There was a Ceramic Daytona inside the store too ~ with the same sign. “... these are the property of Rolex, and we’re not allowed to take them out of the display”

Several arguments with frustrated potential clients have ensued I’m told.

What a debacle.

*sorry for double post mods

[Yess]

Are these 'hollow' watches

[htc8p]

i just voted with my wallet and got speedmaster (there were 3 other customer picking up their watches same day too). let rolex do their own thing

[Rori]

Rolex Boutique here has almost all models available for clients to try on. They are real not dummies. They are not for sale though.

[exador]

Originally Posted by Yess

Are these 'hollow' watches

The dummy watches are permanently set to 10:10 and date to 28.

[Rogdogg]

A little piece of me dies inside every time I think about the current situation, so I try not to, but that can be quite difficult.

Hopefully some day it will get back to normal but I fear they are very happy as it is and have no intention to do so. Hopefully the Instagram posers and speculators will also lose interest some day and retreat back under the rock from which they came.
I can dream can't I

[Hotrod297]

So what's their end game?

Try it on, get a boner, put your name on the list, and maybe, just maybe we'll call you?

[scurfa]

Originally Posted by Hotrod297

So what's their end game?

Try it on, get a boner, put your name on the list, and maybe, just maybe we'll call you?

If you can even get on the ‘list’


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[Hotrod297]

Originally Posted by scurfa

If you can even get on the ‘list

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So True!!

So it's: "Try it on, get a boner, get told you cannot get on a list, walk-out with a boner. Go to a grey dealer, pay 50-100% over retail so you can relieve the boner!"

[Smarties]

Rolex let herself become a commodity for speculators, no longer a watch company .......

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by Smarties

Rolex let herself become a commodity for speculators, no longer a watch company .......

If I owned a successful business producing circa one million expensive luxury items per year and all I heard was people bitching about how I mismanaged my company and how I should produce more I’d tell them where they can stick their opinions

Rolex owe nobody anything, and we can all rest assured they do not require our opinions on their business model. There is likely just a handful of people on the planet that have anything of any value to contribute to Rolex as a business.

[grimps]

At least people have the chance to try and look at these Hot watches in real life, Then they can add themselves to a 10 waiting list :)

[Rolexavidfan]

This is probably the new norm - zero discount for sports professional model. Minimal discount for the other models. Join the waitlist game for hard-to-find models. Don’t call, we will call you. The tell tale signs are there, typical of a Veblen goods.

This Veblen model is also being replicated for other watch brands especially the stainless steel sports models.




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[AK797]

Originally Posted by grimps

At least people have the chance to try and look at these Hot watches in real life, Then they can add themselves to a 10 waiting list :)

Looks like in this case they cannot come out of the display so this is just creating more angst as OP has said, at least let people try them on and then they can be inspired to wait or go grey, but this clock-teasing is out of order.

[mttb]

Originally Posted by Rori

Rolex Boutique here has almost all models available for clients to try on. They are real not dummies. They are not for sale though.

True, tried various models that are tough to get, ie ss blue SkyDweller, reason being that apparently many customers are even more bothered that they cannot even see a piece in person, let alone buying/ordering it, therefore many of the bigger ADs keep showpieces in stock

[THC]

Originally Posted by AK797

Looks like in this case they cannot come out of the display so this is just creating more angst as OP has said, at least let people try them on and then they can be inspired to wait or go grey, but this clock-teasing is out of order.

100%

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by exador

The dummy watches are permanently set to 10:10 and date to 28.

Interesting that the OP’s photo doesn’t show this.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

If I owned a successful business producing circa one million expensive luxury items per year and all I heard was people bitching about how I mismanaged my company and how I should produce more I’d tell them where they can stick their opinions

Rolex owe nobody anything, and we can all rest assured they do not require our opinions on their business model. There is likely just a handful of people on the planet that have anything of any value to contribute to Rolex as a business.

Very well said Scott

[zorinindustries]

I think the frustration I would experience would be the flow of emotions from:

“Holy s$&$ is that a 6 digit sub on display?”

To

“Oh, so it’s not for sale...”

To

“Wait, they have enough of these to just use them as shelf knickknacks?”

To

“I’m done with Rolex. This is ridiculous.”

*jumps on TRF to get watch fix, reads how the bubble is going to burst and sees hope again*

Repeat


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[beshannon]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

If I owned a successful business producing circa one million expensive luxury items per year and all I heard was people bitching about how I mismanaged my company and how I should produce more I’d tell them where they can stick their opinions

Rolex owe nobody anything, and we can all rest assured they do not require our opinions on their business model. There is likely just a handful of people on the planet that have anything of any value to contribute to Rolex as a business.

Agreed

Rolex has never had it better. I sincerely hope they continue to make their luxury jewelry available to fewer people!

[alphadweller]

Just another trick to make us want them more, to buy stuff we don't want so that we might be considered for an allocation.

Sports steel from ADs is a thing of the past unless we're ok playing their games. The sooner we realise it and accept it, the better.

Makes me appreciate my current Rolex pieces even more. And there's always the grey route at a premium, better than nothing.

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

If I owned a successful business producing circa one million expensive luxury items per year and all I heard was people bitching about how I mismanaged my company and how I should produce more I’d tell them where they can stick their opinions

Rolex owe nobody anything, and we can all rest assured they do not require our opinions on their business model. There is likely just a handful of people on the planet that have anything of any value to contribute to Rolex as a business.

That has to be one of the most genius business models I’ve ever seen. A whole new concept. Business tells its customers to go pound sand and piss off. Let’s just say I am pleased that you didn’t start Microsoft or Apple.

[1William]

I just accept it for what it is and move on. No sadness or anything else. There are many watches available for purchase from Rolex or any other brand for that matter. The market is what it is and when I want something I look at the cost and decide if it is what I want. I get my best price and make the purchase and get on with my ownership.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Patton250

Let’s just say I am pleased that you didn’t start Microsoft or Apple.

Exactly!

Rolex does not make disposable products

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Exactly!

Rolex does not make disposable products

What I really meant was with his attitude and he started Microsoft it would’ve never made it out of the 80s. But then you knew that.

Sad to see you hope less people own Rolex. Who do you mean? The little people? Or were you just being sarcastic to him?

[unclesallie]

I rarely post anymore on this Forum, but this thread has my attention, because:
at least three to four years ago, I was in Philadelphia at my now retired Watchmaker's Shop down on "jeweler's row." He was extensively trained at the Lancaster, Pa. watchmakers school, and then again in Switzerland, and earned certifications at multiple Swiss manufacturing facilities, including Rolex,and he had earned the coveted "rolex certified"(repairer/workman), no longer given out. He related to me THEN, that Rolex had drastically changed. He related first that when he had, years earlier, taken a tour of the production facilities on a visit to Switzerland, he had been treated extremely well, like a visiting dignitary. Then, he visited the facilities again, more recently(I estimate 5-7 years ago). He was taken in a group, and they were lectured about "being careful" and when they left, they were instructed to be "sure" they brushed all gold shavings/clippings off of their touring coats. The atmosphere was negative, and restrictive.

Separately, he related that "rolex certified" watchmakers, no longer can obtain the tooling they need to repair the newer Rolex models; not sure whether the parts access/discounts still append to the status.

His point? It's a Rolexcentric world. Rolex watches hold their value, unlike any other watches, except maybe Pateks. The sports models are in high demand, and vintage Rolex is at an all-time high. However, Rolex management has changed, and they want to cut out the "small" dealers and watchmakers. They only want factory repair work done, and their approach has become more and more restrictive of any and all outsiders.

Now, I read the OP's Post, in which there are rolex watches that are not watches? That cannot be tried on, because maybe they are hollow? Is Hollowness the new paradigm for Rolex? If so, Hans Wildorf would not be happy. He had a different vision, one of expansiveness and inclusion. That is all. Mods give me 20 post credits!(just kiddin).

[BamaHammer]

Originally Posted by Hotrod297

So what's their end game?

Try it on, get a boner, put your name on the list, and maybe, just maybe we'll call you?

No, it is try it on then get sold a TT Datejust

[enzomn]

I think there are customers out there now who are in the market for a watch like that but the customer doesn't even think about Rolex anymore since they can't even get their hands on them. They are just simply not in the running. I know I've been looking into other brands. Instead of trying to source a Daytona I ended up with an IWC that I think is way more stunning than a Daytona withstanding PM models.

[heuermonaco]

Rolex are singlehandedly propping up the Swiss watch industry ...

Due to no Rolex stock I’ve secured IWC x 2 and Omega Speedmasters x 2 ... happily

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by Patton250

That has to be one of the most genius business models I’ve ever seen. A whole new concept. Business tells its customers to go pound sand and piss off. Let’s just say I am pleased that you didn’t start Microsoft or Apple.

How eloquently you have out words in my mouth. But I’ll bite!

In this hypothetical scenario yes, some customers should be told ‘to pound sand’ if they are unhappy with the selection of one million products I produce and sell.

If, as a private enterprise I am quite satisfied with my production volume, variety and sales figures, I do not need unsolicited advice on how I can improve upon by business. Nobody has any legitimate argument for why I should produce a single unit more than I choose to. Especially if demand is high. It is very easy to exceed demand (bad for business) and nearly impossible to forecast and produce the exact quantity. Running at a supply deficit makes perfect sense, who wants to be sitting on a mountain of unsold stock because a forum says you should make more of X and less of Y?

If I want to run my business in to the ground that is also my prerogative provided I have no shareholders.