AD Holding Warranty Cards

[tla]

I read in the past that UK ADs were holding warranty cards to prevent buyers from flipping hot watches. Has anyone else in the world experience this in the past year?

[ThatSubGuy]

Heard about it. Don't care about it. Only flippers would care.

[ks58]

Haven’t seen it around me but wouldn’t mind.

[JRell]

I would be somewhat concerned you will get the warranty card back from them. How long do they hold it?

[Bmats]

Fine by me, one less thing for me to lose.

[TimepieceRPP]

Not happened in UK anymore, but I know Japan would keep the warranty card and later post it to back to you if you re non Japan resident before the Covid 19 pandemic. But as far as I know Japan ADs won't sell any hot models to non residents since 2019.
Haven't travelled for a long time and not sure what their practice is now.

[tla]

Originally Posted by JRell

I would be somewhat concerned you will get the warranty card back from them. How long do they hold it?

They just said a few months at most. I don’t mind it. Just curious if anyone else was still doing that. Thought they wiped that practice but I guess it’s per dealer basis.

[fskywalker]

Not in the USA at this point from what have seen on the forums


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[Jackie Daytona]

I may be mistaken but I believe there was a lawsuit related to this practice in the UK in the past and warranty cards were returned to owners. They should no longer be doing this if I am remembering the events correctly.

[jaySL350]

Originally Posted by Dontknow

I may be mistaken but I believe there was a lawsuit related to this practice in the UK in the past and warranty cards were returned to owners. They should no longer be doing this if I am remembering the events correctly.

Your correct,,,,WOS etc can no longer hold back warranty cards,,

[Off Script]

Originally Posted by ks58

Haven’t seen it around me but wouldn’t mind.

Originally Posted by Bmats

Fine by me, one less thing for me to lose.

Every time this subject comes up I am genuinely amazed at how many people would accept this practice as a condition of purchase. Why on Earth would anyone pay tens of thousands of dollars for an item to turn around and be dictated what they can/can't do with it after the transaction is complete. If you want to wear your watch, donate it, flip it, gift it or run it over with a truck that's your business alone. No one else's. Rolex's AD/grey problem is an AD/Rolex problem not yours. Holding back warranty cards to ensure people aren't doing whatever they please with their personally owned merchandise is not going to do a thing to stem the tide of whatever this problem is. If you make me sign a contract to hold the card before I make the purchase then I walk without the purchase and take my business somewhere reasonable. No contract, then I'm leaving the store with everything I paid for, including the warranty card. Sorry to rant, but people just going along with these tactics is why they persist. VIP lists, purchase history, AD gifts, kissing AD rear end on your lunch break, holding warranty cards, holding back perfectly salable merchandise in the safe for a more appropriate buyer -- You don't owe anyone anything besides the price on the tag. This is all nonsense. The irony is this is a self perpetuating cycle. We're forced to go grey because of all this nonsense.

[TswaneNguni]

No

[Bmats]

Originally Posted by Off Script

Every time this subject comes up I am genuinely amazed at how many people would accept this practice as a condition of purchase. Why on Earth would anyone pay tens of thousands of dollars for an item to turn around and be dictated what they can/can't do with it after the transaction is complete. If you want to wear your watch, donate it, flip it, gift it or run it over with a truck that's your business alone. No one else's. Rolex's AD/grey problem is an AD/Rolex problem not yours. Holding back warranty cards to ensure people aren't doing whatever they please with their personally owned merchandise is not going to do a thing to stem the tide of whatever this problem is. If you make me sign a contract to hold the card before I make the purchase then I walk without the purchase and take my business somewhere reasonable. No contract, then I'm leaving the store with everything I paid for, including the warranty card. Sorry to rant, but people just going along with these tactics is why they persist. VIP lists, purchase history, AD gifts, kissing AD rear end on your lunch break, holding warranty cards, holding back perfectly salable merchandise in the safe for a more appropriate buyer -- You don't owe anyone anything besides the price on the tag. This is all nonsense. The irony is this is a self perpetuating cycle. We're forced to go grey because of all this nonsense.

So, I don’t have a lot of purchases of Rolex watches, but the AD hasn’t kept the warranty card; I’m saying I wouldn’t care—the purpose if they did so would be to stop flipping, assume I want it. If anything, that’s more likely to have a positive effect on availability, as those that buy to flip won’t be able to flip right away. And that will possibly constrain (at least somewhat) the grey market supply, and perhaps make more watches available for people that want to keep the watch. Now that may not be popular in that some people want to do whatever they want once they get the watch—and I get the gift concern—but I don’t think a practice like this would be forcing people to go grey. Nor do I think this is AD ass kissing. If anything, it’s a practice that would turn off high volume purchasers who might not keep the watches anyway.

[Atone]

Speaking from direct experience, the most culpable with the flipping issue are actually ROLEX AD employees. Many (not all) are making a killing selling watches with a premium tacked on. My watch, my card, my box. GTFO here you’re gonna “hold it”. Nope. Nah. No sir.

[ThatSubGuy]

Originally Posted by Off Script

Every time this subject comes up I am genuinely amazed at how many people would accept this practice as a condition of purchase. Why on Earth would anyone pay tens of thousands of dollars for an item to turn around and be dictated what they can/can't do with it after the transaction is complete. If you want to wear your watch, donate it, flip it, gift it or run it over with a truck that's your business alone. No one else's. Rolex's AD/grey problem is an AD/Rolex problem not yours. Holding back warranty cards to ensure people aren't doing whatever they please with their personally owned merchandise is not going to do a thing to stem the tide of whatever this problem is. If you make me sign a contract to hold the card before I make the purchase then I walk without the purchase and take my business somewhere reasonable. No contract, then I'm leaving the store with everything I paid for, including the warranty card. Sorry to rant, but people just going along with these tactics is why they persist. VIP lists, purchase history, AD gifts, kissing AD rear end on your lunch break, holding warranty cards, holding back perfectly salable merchandise in the safe for a more appropriate buyer -- You don't owe anyone anything besides the price on the tag. This is all nonsense. The irony is this is a self perpetuating cycle. We're forced to go grey because of all this nonsense.

You don't understand the market.

[Off Script]

Originally Posted by Atone

Speaking from direct experience, the most culpable with the flipping issue are actually ROLEX AD employees. Many (not all) are making a killing selling watches with a premium tacked on. My watch, my card, my box. GTFO here you’re gonna “hold it”. Nope. Nah. No sir.

As padi56 would say, Have to agree.

Originally Posted by ThatSubGuy

You don't understand the market.

How about you explain it to me.

[Oxfordian]

Originally Posted by tla

I read in the past that UK ADs were holding warranty cards to prevent buyers from flipping hot watches. Has anyone else in the world experience this in the past year?

I picked up the new Submariner and had all the paperwork, cards, tags etc, given to me when I purchased the watch. This was from a store part of the WoS group.

[Driver8]

The last Rolex I bought at an AD was summer 2019 and they withheld the warranty card for a year (despite me having been a customer of theirs for over 25 years).... and I didn't give a damn. I don't buy to flip, so if keeping the warranty card makes it harder for those who do, then so be it.

[ks58]

Originally Posted by Off Script

Every time this subject comes up I am genuinely amazed at how many people would accept this practice as a condition of purchase. Why on Earth would anyone pay tens of thousands of dollars for an item to turn around and be dictated what they can/can't do with it after the transaction is complete. If you want to wear your watch, donate it, flip it, gift it or run it over with a truck that's your business alone. No one else's. Rolex's AD/grey problem is an AD/Rolex problem not yours. Holding back warranty cards to ensure people aren't doing whatever they please with their personally owned merchandise is not going to do a thing to stem the tide of whatever this problem is. If you make me sign a contract to hold the card before I make the purchase then I walk without the purchase and take my business somewhere reasonable. No contract, then I'm leaving the store with everything I paid for, including the warranty card. Sorry to rant, but people just going along with these tactics is why they persist. VIP lists, purchase history, AD gifts, kissing AD rear end on your lunch break, holding warranty cards, holding back perfectly salable merchandise in the safe for a more appropriate buyer -- You don't owe anyone anything besides the price on the tag. This is all nonsense. The irony is this is a self perpetuating cycle. We're forced to go grey because of all this nonsense.

I don't think anyone is forced to go grey. They make X amount of watches. 2-3 x want the watches. It's simple supply and demand. Feel free to jump to another brand who is more than happy to accept any and all business. But right now, Patek, AP, Rolex - it's all very hard to get, and the relationship matters. It is what it is. I'd rather go buy a Hulk right now and wear whenever, but can't.

[Off Script]

Originally Posted by ks58

I'd rather go buy a Hulk right now and wear whenever, but can't.

You can. If you want it right now you're "forced" to go grey because of all the AD shenanigans I listed and more.


I say all this having purchased from different AD's many times. I have a great relationship with my regular SA and her assistant store manager. They have never asked me for anything more than a credit card and an address to mail me gifts. I purchased my Hulk from this very same AD after I turned down a BLNR. Never any games whatsoever.

[KaVo8]

Not here in the States, I’ve purchased from AD and this subject never came up.


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[Skyrider01]

I just purchased a piece from an AD in the US today. I have the Warranty card.

[Thebuzz]

+1 US purchase and received everything except the stickers.

Rolex should just make the warranty non-transferable.


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[-Ally-]

Very much over.

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by Dontknow

I may be mistaken but I believe there was a lawsuit related to this practice in the UK in the past and warranty cards were returned to owners. They should no longer be doing this if I am remembering the events correctly.

I don't know the exact details but WOS had to slam this "policy Rolex imposed on them" into reverse and wipe a lot of egg off their face.

My AD never went in for anything like it. They thought it was a stupid idea.

[Polar Bear]

Didnt do much good anyway
I saw a number of UK Grey listings in 2019 stating: Full Set (warranty card to follow once returned by AD)

It wouldn't bother me much
The only people who are prepared to dig their heels in on the issue are either flipping the watch or are too concerned with resale value down the line.
Once the watch is out of warranty, the card is worthless from a practical point of view

[Brich436]

My AD holds them for 30 days. I could care less as I don’t ever sell but I normally pop in after a month and grab the card from them.


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[inadeje]

Not in the US, France nor Panama. The Three last places I bought Rolex watches.

[duquephart]

Originally Posted by Off Script

Every time this subject comes up I am genuinely amazed at how many people would accept this practice as a condition of purchase. Why on Earth would anyone pay tens of thousands of dollars for an item to turn around and be dictated what they can/can't do with it after the transaction is complete. If you want to wear your watch, donate it, flip it, gift it or run it over with a truck that's your business alone. No one else's. Rolex's AD/grey problem is an AD/Rolex problem not yours. Holding back warranty cards to ensure people aren't doing whatever they please with their personally owned merchandise is not going to do a thing to stem the tide of whatever this problem is. If you make me sign a contract to hold the card before I make the purchase then I walk without the purchase and take my business somewhere reasonable. No contract, then I'm leaving the store with everything I paid for, including the warranty card. Sorry to rant, but people just going along with these tactics is why they persist. VIP lists, purchase history, AD gifts, kissing AD rear end on your lunch break, holding warranty cards, holding back perfectly salable merchandise in the safe for a more appropriate buyer -- You don't owe anyone anything besides the price on the tag. This is all nonsense. The irony is this is a self perpetuating cycle. We're forced to go grey because of all this nonsense.

No you're not. You have the option of doing the sensible thing: Buying non-Rolex.

[watchtabs]

That’s like 2 years ago?