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Old 20 December 2010, 05:24 AM   #91
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Chris

What is the supply like for the new SS SubC? Not that I am looking to buy one right now but say I came in to you AD on Monday and told you I wanted to purchase one how long would I expect to have to wait for one to be available?

M
Supply for the Sub-C is very good, we've been getting two a month since launch. If you came to me tomorrow, I would say "here's the watch, congratulations!"
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:24 AM   #92
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how does Rolex determine what is vintage, is it a rolling time period like they use for antique cars?
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:24 AM   #93
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Chris...amazing how things differ across the Pond...or when compared to Asia.

When I was at Jack Road in Tokyo this past spring, the Black Dial SS Daytonas were at a $1,000 or more USD premium over white dials. I could have gotten a pristine M series White for $8,600 USD.
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:26 AM   #94
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I will be completely honest with you, I have never come across any lint inside the watch before. The watches all go to Rolex UK first, and they will have their own internal quality checks, and we trust their judgement.
2 out of 3 of my watches bought in the UK had lint under the glass. It usually only appears after a few days of use so I guess it gets moved around and the lint sticks to the glass via static or something. I never take mine back to the AD for correction, they go to the RSC in London and it is done while I wait. Well worth the trip .

Either way, from my exprience, I don't think Rolex do any additional quality check for the UK
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:30 AM   #95
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how does Rolex determine what is vintage, is it a rolling time period like they use for antique cars?
Could you clarify that a bit for me?
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:32 AM   #96
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Chris...amazing how things differ across the Pond...or when compared to Asia.

When I was at Jack Road in Tokyo this past spring, the Black Dial SS Daytonas were at a $1,000 or more USD premium over white dials. I could have gotten a pristine M series White for $8,600 USD.
Geographic location plays a very big part, cultural differences really affect what's popular. It's another fascinating aspect of watches and watch collecting
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:34 AM   #97
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2 out of 3 of my watches bought in the UK had lint under the glass. It usually only appears after a few days of use so I guess it gets moved around and the lint sticks to the glass via static or something. I never take mine back to the AD for correction, they go to the RSC in London and it is done while I wait. Well worth the trip .

Either way, from my exprience, I don't think Rolex do any additional quality check for the UK
That's interesting to here, Daniel. As I say, I can only go on my (relatively limited) experience, but at least the RSC sorted it out for you The aftersales service provided by RSCs is truly exceptional, though, and certainly the best that any of the brands we deal with offer
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:35 AM   #98
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It depends on individual stores. The big chains operate a national waiting list policy, whilst independents will be based on the supply to one store. To give you an idea, we have about 30 to 40 names on the list, mainly biased towards white dials. As for time in terms of years, it's a bit convoluted, but could be anywhere between 4 to 8 years - however, that's based on everyone taking one when it's their turn, and this isn't always the case. For example, no one wants the most recent black-dial Daytona we've received, it's proving hard to sell
Thanks for that. I'm surprised about the demand bias towards the White over black. Personally I have bought the black face 2 weeks ago and had the option of either.
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:52 AM   #99
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Does Rolex have any official policy regarding their AD's selling pre-owned Rolex watches or selling/installing individual dials or other cosmetic parts to the public? I used to see many years ago that some AD's had showcases just for pre-owned and showcases filled with various dials and bracelets they would sell and install on an exchange basis, and I never see that anymore.
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Old 20 December 2010, 05:58 AM   #100
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Does Rolex have any official policy regarding their AD's selling pre-owned Rolex watches or selling/installing individual dials or other cosmetic parts to the public? I used to see many years ago that some AD's had showcases just for pre-owned and showcases filled with various dials and bracelets they would sell and install on an exchange basis, and I never see that anymore.
Rolex are happy to allow ADs to sell pre-owned watches, just as long as they are displayed seperately from the new Rolexes (i.e. not in the same cabinet, or using Rolex display material). As for parts, Rolex UK are a little bit more open with their parts policy, but for dials, it is strictly on an exchange basis. It's very much a grey area for other parts, though, and not something I'm that well versed on, I'm afraid
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:00 AM   #101
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Wonderful thread! My question is: Why does the Turn-O-Graph seem to be unpopular. I've worn an AK, Dj and a Sub for years, but the new TOG was 'love at first sight'. Any ideas or opinions? Thanks, Mark.
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:03 AM   #102
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Wonderful thread! My question is: Why does the Turn-O-Graph seem to be unpopular. I've worn an AK, Dj and a Sub for years, but the new TOG was 'love at first sight'. Any ideas or opinions? Thanks, Mark.
Another good question. It's hard to say for sure, but my suspicion is that people see it as caught between two roles - it doesn't know if it's a dress watch or a sports watch. With certain watches, there is always going to be just a niche following, and the TOG is one of them, unfortunately. It's certainly one I find difficult to sell personally
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:07 AM   #103
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As far as I know, Omega UK's policy is different to Omega USA with regards to ADs. I don't believe there are plans to have a mass cull of ADs over here, but I get the impression that Omega is proportionally more popular here. There are several Omega dealers in the city I'm based, and I'd argue that we had the best positioning and possibly the best turnover. We consistently have the most varied range of watches, and we have a completely up to date range - one AD has watches in their window that have been discontinued for several years. I don't want to tempt fate, but I think we do enough in terms of positioning, shopfront, space dedicated to Omega and turnover of stock to keep them happy

Omega do sell very well indeed - in terms of numbers of watches sold, they're comparable to Rolex, although the turnover figures will be lower (simply due to price points). Our biggest seller in the range is the Black Bond-style SMP 300m full-size quartz - it's at an attractive price point, and has a great feel on the wrist, especially compared to other brands around the £1300 mark. The Planet Ocean is another bestseller. Omega also consistently outsell our other brands, they're certainly an asset to the store
Great stuff, Thanks !

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Old 20 December 2010, 06:10 AM   #104
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Real sporting of you to start this thread Chris!!!

Hope you get a break soon
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:13 AM   #105
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Real sporting of you to start this thread Chris!!!

Hope you get a break soon
Agreed Bill.......

But I'm thinking Chris is starting to say to himself right now, "What have I done??":thumbsu p:

You are a good guy Chris!
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:17 AM   #106
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Agreed Bill.......

But I'm thinking Chris is starting to say to himself right now, "What have I done??":thumbsu p:

You are a good guy Chris!
Cheers Rob, but I honestly don't mind, the quality of questions have been really great! Just glad to be doing my bit for the forum
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:19 AM   #107
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Hi Chris,
Great thread, thanks for all the great info.

My Qs are:
- What is availability like on the new SubC-lv? Have you had any deliveries, and if so, do they go straight to 'waiting list' customers?
- Or have you had any to put in the shop window?
- Have you discounted any SubC-lv's? Or is it always RRP? :-)

Cheers!
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:23 AM   #108
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Occaisionally pieces get scratched in the store, as I have witnessed, by sales peeps when handling watches in the same hand as they are holding display case keys; keys and watches dont mix well, both asthetically and bottom line.

Oh, btw Chris, thanks for asking my previous query...

Anyways, have you ever seen a sales peep handling pieces in the same hand they're holding display keys?? Its quite a sight !

Oh, also, do you wear cotton gloves when handling pieces?

Thanks,
Randy
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:33 AM   #109
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Hi Chris,
Great thread, thanks for all the great info.

My Qs are:
- What is availability like on the new SubC-lv? Have you had any deliveries, and if so, do they go straight to 'waiting list' customers?
- Or have you had any to put in the shop window?
- Have you discounted any SubC-lv's? Or is it always RRP? :-)

Cheers!
Hi Phil,

Availability has been decent on the LV, we received one on our allocation yesterday. We've cleared our waiting list, so it is sitting in the window, waiting to find a good home. As for discount, I don't know on that one, as I wasn't about when the last couple were sold
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Old 20 December 2010, 06:39 AM   #110
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Occaisionally pieces get scratched in the store, as I have witnessed, by sales peeps when handling watches in the same hand as they are holding display case keys; keys and watches dont mix well, both asthetically and bottom line.

Oh, btw Chris, thanks for asking my previous query...

Anyways, have you ever seen a sales peep handling pieces in the same hand they're holding display keys?? Its quite a sight !

Oh, also, do you wear cotton gloves when handling pieces?

Thanks,
Randy
Hi Randy,

Can't say I have seen anyone do that, just asking for trouble! What we normally do is take the watch straight from the window and put it onto a soft Rolex branded tray. If I'm handling a watch for a customer, I'll wear cotton gloves if they're clean (they get dirty very quickly, and it doesn't look very professional), if not, I'll carry the watch with a polishing cloth
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:00 AM   #111
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Thanks Chris. I also have done a few Q & A sessions in my field (feature film colour correction) and it's always rewarding to give insight into areas the general public or devotees simply cannot find solid infomation. Best for the new year mate.
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:01 AM   #112
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Hi Phil,

Availability has been decent on the LV, we received one on our allocation yesterday. We've cleared our waiting list, so it is sitting in the window, waiting to find a good home. As for discount, I don't know on that one, as I wasn't about when the last couple were sold
Oooh, I know somewhere where there would be a good home....

(/Rummages down the back of the sofa for some coins/.... I'm sure the kids will be fine with not getting any Christmas presents this year... ).
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:15 AM   #113
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If a dealer can make $500 profit on a watch in low demand, will they accept a buyers offer? Is there a maximum discount a dealer can negotiate as set by Rolex or contract? 15% or 20%? Or can a dealer turn as many watches as possible by giving greater discounts? 30% or 35%?

How much authority does a sales associate have to negotiate? Should a buyer only negotiate with the store owner?

Is it possible to get a bigger discount buying two watches at the same time?

What advice would you give a first time buyer? Is it better to offer to buy immediately, or is it better to make multiple visits? What results in the best discount?

One last question. If a customer knows a dealer has an older rolex before the price increase, can that be used in negotiating a discount? Or will dealers only discount on the new price?

How can a customer get the best price at a dealer?
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:16 AM   #114
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How did the retired black dial LV sell?

Is it being requested along with the SD?

Is Panerai one of the lines carried in your store? If not, do customers ask or comment on Panerai?
Do you think Panerai has taken some market share from Rolex?

Is IWC a popular brand in the city?

My understanding is Rolex 2 tone watches are not very popular in England vs the states, is this true?

What are your top 3 Rolex models?
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:21 AM   #115
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How often do you run into the "WIS-buyer" ? How long does it take to notice that the person standing in front of you is a WIS; about how many questions does it take (that they ask) and how many does it take for you to find out (that you ask to come to the "aha, your a WIS" moment)??
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:35 AM   #116
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Just wanted to add my note of thanks to the OP.....really enjoyed hearing what you have had to say.
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Old 20 December 2010, 07:53 AM   #117
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Just wanted to add my note of thanks to the OP.....really enjoyed hearing what you have had to say.
X2. It is fun to see viewpoints from the other side of the counter.
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Old 20 December 2010, 08:26 AM   #118
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If a dealer can make $500 profit on a watch in low demand, will they accept a buyers offer? Is there a maximum discount a dealer can negotiate as set by Rolex or contract? 15% or 20%? Or can a dealer turn as many watches as possible by giving greater discounts? 30% or 35%?

How much authority does a sales associate have to negotiate? Should a buyer only negotiate with the store owner?

Is it possible to get a bigger discount buying two watches at the same time?

What advice would you give a first time buyer? Is it better to offer to buy immediately, or is it better to make multiple visits? What results in the best discount?

One last question. If a customer knows a dealer has an older rolex before the price increase, can that be used in negotiating a discount? Or will dealers only discount on the new price?

How can a customer get the best price at a dealer?
It is down to a dealer's discretion, although massive discounts, if found out by Rolex, could prove to be a black mark against an AD. Rolex have a brand image to look after, and they price their watches at a level they feel they should be sold at - if you start discounting by massive amounts, it devalues the brand. It may be excusable in very rare cases, but if it started being a regular occurrence, then the AD can probably say goodbye to their relationship with Rolex. The margins really aren't massive on a Rolex, so it's not in a dealer's interest (given the high overheads and running costs involved with owning a prime luxury shop) to be selling Rolexes at huge discount.

As for authority, there is a deal of authority up to a degree - we just have to use our heads. For bigger discounts, it's best just to ask first rather than blunder in and get a telling off afterwards

If buying more than one, as in any business deal, bigger discounts make sense. I love selling multiple watches at a time, even if we make less than if we sold them individually

My advice for a first time buyer is to do your research. Make sure you know your product, that you know exactly what you want, and a price you'd ideally want the watch at. You can't always get it at the price you want, but if you talk about what you want with confidence and authority, you might be able to get a good deal. Take as long as you need to make your mind up - if that's one visit or twenty one visits, any salesperson worth dealing with will deal with you patiently, and want to help you make a final decision without being pushy

If you have been looking at a watch for a few weeks, and that same watch has had a price rise, then yes, it can be a springboard to get it at the old price at least. We're reasonable people after all, and it's not fair to expect you to pay one price one day, and a higher price the next for exactly the same watch. There's maybe a two week window after a price rise to negotiate like that

Hope this answers your questions sufficiently
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Old 20 December 2010, 08:33 AM   #119
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is it still snowing where you are?;)

P.S i followed ypu on twitter about a month ago. and you followed me back.. @tophstewart incase you are wondering?
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Old 20 December 2010, 08:45 AM   #120
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How did the retired black dial LV sell?

Is it being requested along with the SD?

Is Panerai one of the lines carried in your store? If not, do customers ask or comment on Panerai?
Do you think Panerai has taken some market share from Rolex?

Is IWC a popular brand in the city?

My understanding is Rolex 2 tone watches are not very popular in England vs the states, is this true?

What are your top 3 Rolex models?
The old LV sold at a ratio of one to three or four LN 16610s. It was quite a niche product, and wasn't to everyone's tastes. We've had no 16610 LV requests that I know of, but I have been asked a couple of times recently about the old Sea Dweller

We don't carry Panerai, as much as I'd like us to - I have a great deal of respect for the brand, and love their design ethos. We do get the odd person asking about Panerai, but not as many as Breitling, for example. To tell the truth, I had one chap come in wearing a Panerai asking about a Deep Sea a couple of months ago, and I did end up asking to try it on! That's the watch nut in me coming out at work Panerai is more of a niche brand over here, and to be honest, the city where I work simply isn't big enough for a brand like Panerai. Rolex is the highest rated watch brand in the city, and the other major brands are Omega, Breitling and TAG. I would argue that Breitling has been taking more customers away from Rolex than Breitling.

Again, IWC is too much of a niche brand for the city, and there aren't any dealers. They're only really successful in the biggest cities in the country, so people have to travel a fair bit to get hold of them

I'd disagree with two-tone watches, they do sell very steadily. Probably more so in the ladies' watches as compared to the men's, and the focus of two tone sales tend to come from the Datejust line. Saying that, the more saleable two-tone sports watches don't hang around forever

My three favourite models are:

1) The GMT IIc - my idea of the perfect all round Rolex. Practical, sophisticated, great movement and great history. Most people will either love the GMT or the Sub, and I'm a GMT man through and through

2) The Deepsea - I think it's the ultimate weekend watch, the watch you wear when no other watch can hack it. It's an engineering triumph, and a real reminder of why Rolex has the reputation for pushing the boundaries of watchmaking

3) The Datejust - It's an often overlooked model, but it's the backbone of the Rolex range, and for good reason. There isn't a watch in the world that has such a large scope for personalisation - hundreds of combinations, you can really make it your own
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