Rumor? Rolex ending partnerships with hundreds of ADs, focusing on boutiques

[relix63]

Originally Posted by Poodlopogus

I was actually referring to the specific location within Madison: a standalone store on the outskirts of a mall that has seen better days (but even in its heyday was dumpy). The two prior franchisees in Madison had locations more likely to have stayed “Rolex-approved” and I can think of other areas that the crown may have been kinder to. Hilldale, The Square, perhaps others and I wonder if that was part of the issue.

Hopefully you heard wrong, about both of the ill fated stores (no interactions with Green Bay; can’t speak to that one). Also of note, until relatively recently, both Brookfield and Green Bay had Patek, too. Quite impressive for Wisconsin to have two ADs but their showrooms are dwindling faster than Rolex!

I think a store in Hilldale would fit the Rolex model better, but they didn't ask me. It sucks that Gruno's did the renovations and then got dropped. They treated me well as did Schwanke in Whitefish Bay. Neither played any games and sold me watches with no purchase history.

Madison doesn't seem like a luxury watch place which I assume has something to do with it.

[Poodlopogus]

Originally Posted by relix63

I think a store in Hilldale would fit the Rolex model better, but they didn't ask me. It sucks that Gruno's did the renovations and then got dropped. They treated me well as did Schwanke in Whitefish Bay. Neither played any games and sold me watches with no purchase history.

Madison doesn't seem like a luxury watch place which I assume has something to do with it.

The problem is that there's are only one area of Madison where an affluent residential neighborhood and high(ish)-end retail actually meet (Shorewood/Hilldale) and and only one where there's a sufficient concentration of expensive office space and attractive commercial space (The Squaure). In fact I heard that Goodman's would have stayed a dealer but couldn't justify the cost of the build-out, probably given the size. Other than that, the nice areas (Maple Bluff, Fitchburg, parts of Middleton) are surrounded by pretty dumpy commercial areas, or nothing at all. And the reverse is true for any even semi-nice retail clusters.

West Towne is in a perfectly decent part of the city, though the mall itself (and the big box stores surrounding it) don't do a high-end jeweler any favors in terms of atmosphere. This despite the fact that there's always been a cluster of jewelry retailers right around there.

To your point, it sucks that they went to all that expense only to lose the line. I looked and it seems that Madison is also their only location that doubles as a Rolex-authorized service center. Further, when I've stopped in the staff's never been any thing other than exceptionally pleasant so I'd really love for this to be an unconfirmed rumor.

[Poodlopogus]

Something else interesting that I noticed, and not sure if any correlation exists: Of the WI dealers mentioned above, only one (the supposed "survivor") lists CPO on its website. Looking at other ADs all around, it seems that some are listing them, others aren't; is that any indication as to how long they're likely to remain?

[Rollieplz]

SA at Brown & Co in Roswell stated they will no longer carry new Rolex as of Jan 1st and I need to “get on the wait list” for their Buckhead location which will still carry them. Roswell will only now carry Certified pre-owned, I’m sure at a nice price…..

[Poodlopogus]

Originally Posted by Rollieplz

SA at Brown & Co in Roswell stated they will no longer carry new Rolex as of Jan 1st and I need to “get on the wait list” for their Buckhead location which will still carry them. Roswell will only now carry Certified pre-owned, I’m sure at a nice price…..

So Rolex is going to allow non-AD locations to sell CPO? That's very interesting. Wonder if it was a mutual decision where they wanted to move the full allocation to a single store (and weren't "axed" by Rolex)?

[Poodlopogus]

Originally Posted by OTX

This store sounds very familiar. Does it happen to be in Wisconsin? I know Wisconsin has 4 ADs and three will be dropped at the end of the month. There will only be one AD in the whole state of Wisconsin. Looks like Rolex is trying to stick to bigger cities.

So I looked on Rolex's store locator page today, and still see all four, and when I look on the stores' websites, only one of the Milwaukee ones no longer lists Rolex. Perhaps there's some kind of lag on the others? Or maybe a reprieve?

[Poodlopogus]

Well, looks like the predictions (in the upper Midwest, at least) were partly correct. T&S no longer an AD, while Madison and Green Bay remain intact. Oddly, looks like Rockford no longer is, and another in the Chicago suburbs also gone.

Most interestingly: T&S not listed on dealer locator, but still is listed under RSC locator... Perhaps just not updated yet, or perhaps recognition that there are some great semi-independent watchmakers out there that Rolex wants to continue enabling...

[MovieGuy]

All of this makes me sad. I was the Rolex sales specialist for the AD I worked at from 1998 to 2017. About a year after I left I heard from a previous co-worker that they had lost Rolex. I would have been devastated if it had happened while I was still there. The store I worked at did everything Rolex required of them as far as inventory, displays, advertising, etc. They did extremely well in sales also.

I can understand that in some geographic areas a boutique makes sense, but where I worked we sold to farmers, retired military, etc. Not the type who would venture out to the "big city" to make a purchase like a Rolex. I don't believe that Rolex has evolved or ever will evolve into the boutique-only level that they feel they are.

[sampelligrino]

Originally Posted by MovieGuy

All of this makes me sad. I was the Rolex sales specialist for the AD I worked at from 1998 to 2017. About a year after I left I heard from a previous co-worker that they had lost Rolex. I would have been devastated if it had happened while I was still there. The store I worked at did everything Rolex required of them as far as inventory, displays, advertising, etc. They did extremely well in sales also.

I can understand that in some geographic areas a boutique makes sense, but where I worked we sold to farmers, retired military, etc. Not the type who would venture out to the "big city" to make a purchase like a Rolex. I don't believe that Rolex has evolved or ever will evolve into the boutique-only level that they feel they are.

Very sad, and likely a sign of the times. To me just reinforces why I go grey, and happily so.