New Watch - factual AD experience...

[Ghost410]

Love it. It’s actually had peaked my interest as of late too

[DVR]

Originally Posted by JRell

Maybe for some reason it is different in the states? Who knows.

It must be because my dealer said she really had no choice. It was mandatory from Rolex. EU AD, not USA.
No photo of ID though. Bezel protector I got. But I think that was because she forgot to remove it.

[Jasb]

Yeah I have not had that happen, always get the tag, outter box and protector. Seems silly not to let you have em, since you paid for it…but you got the watch.

[JRell]

Originally Posted by DVR

It must be because my dealer said she really had no choice. It was mandatory from Rolex. EU AD, not USA.
No photo of ID though. Bezel protector I got. But I think that was because she forgot to remove it.

At the same time I would have questioned it, but still bought it. What else can you do in that situation?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by JRell

At the same time I would have questioned it, but still bought it. What else can you do in that situation?

Exactly. ^^^

It’s not like you’re going to say “stick it, if I don’t get the white hang tag I’m outta here”

[Rentalcarman]

I am surprised after all that, they didn’t tell you they had to hold the watch for a year to prevent flipping, but that you could come in and visit with it and try it on once a month until then.


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[Kevin of Larchmont]

Originally Posted by www777

What does the AD do with your picture and drivers license info?

Nothing I bet, probably a Psy Op to create the illusion of accountability, that someone is paying attention to you and your watch.

[RolexAwaytheDew]

Beautiful watch! Enjoy the watch and ignore all of the nitpicking of the tags and such.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by DVR

I have a very pleasant relationship with my AD, been a loyal customer since 1999. What the OP describes is in fact Rolex policy.
Frankly, who cares, it's about the watch, not some stickers or cardboard.

Steve, enjoy the watch

It may be Rolex, AU’s policy, but not in the US. I’ve gotten all those things with my Watches from my CA AD. Both were purchased pretty recently. But I digress. Congrats, Steve, on a fantastic reference. Wear it in the best of health. I am currently waiting on the 36 mm version. IMHO, the Explorer 1 is the coolest, and most underrated model in the entire catalogue.

Kat


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[illiguy]

Congrats!

[Cru Jones]

Nice watch!

Bad AD.

[DVR]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Exactly. ^^^

It’s not like you’re going to say “stick it, if I don’t get the white hang tag I’m outta here”

I had to laugh but so true.

[Dan Pierce]

Big congrats, Steve! That's a classic beauty!

A little surprised the AD didn't require a proctology exam too. All water under the bridge as you enjoy your new watch.
dP

[bmwsubmariner]

Congrats on the new watch!

I'm wondering if Rolex wanting stickers removed is so "new"/"sticker" watches are not hitting the used market and it encourages people to wear them? Probably not and just being optimistic, but that is my thought.

[Robison347]

I have gotten to know the AD in my small city, where they exist in the shadow of much bigger dealers in big cities. Many Rolex dealers are in that position . . . They sell 400 watches a year in less populous areas where the big city stores sell 4,000. If Rolex decides to trim stores, who do you think is at risk?

So the smaller stores have to be very careful to stay in the good graces of the Rolex rep and the company overall. One thing that means is keeping their watches off the secondary market. Rolex really dislikes that.

My dealer is only allowed one of many special models each year. So, for example, if someone buys a jeweled Daytona from him, and it ends up on the secondary market, and Rolex traces it to him through the warranty card, there is no question he sold it, nor is there a question who he sold it to. A few sales like that could cost them the franchise.

Compare that with a giant store like Torneau, who may have sold 50 of that same watch. For the little dealer, it’s a major problem. For a giant, it’s a drop in the bucket.

That makes dealers - especially smaller ones - very careful who they deal with. That is one reason a dealer would ask for ID on a first time customer and a major purchase. As a business owner who handles high dollars sales myself (not watches) I’d ask for ID if I was the least bit uncertain whether the person handing me a credit card was the owner of the card. If the person was handing me cash, I’d get the license if the amount was close to $10k because of the risks of money laundering accusations.

With respect to the dealers not handing over the tags and stickers . . . What do you need those for, if you buy the watch to wear? My memory may be incorrect, but I think the white tag comes on the watch when it’s in the shipping coffin from Rolex, and it gets scanned and removed when the warranty card is registered. The sticker don’t serve any purpose for a wearer, and if I were a dealer, I’d regard a request for that stuff as a red flag for a possible flipper, because that’s who values such things.

If that was your experience buying your first watch, I expect you will have a different experience buying the second, if you choose to do so. The more watches you buy (and don’t flip) the more comfortable the dealer will be with you, and the more likely you are to get a desirable piece when one comes in.

[omar-rye]

Did you tell your AD about Rolexforums?

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by www777

What does the AD do with your picture and drivers license info?

I think some people are using Rolexes as money laundering instruments. Maybe it’s a KYC (know your customer) type of precaution.

[Kiddodoc]

Congrats Steve! Great classic!

[Stew7]

All these posts about bezel protectors and white tags continue to baffle me. How about celebrating the arrival of a nice timepiece? That's what the site used to be about years ago.

As Pepperjack stated earlier, it is quite conceivable that Rolex has policies that all ADs do not follow in the same way or at all. So to stay "it is not Rolex Policy" is probably not correct. It's simply that the ADs do whatever they want - kind of like they always have.

[Calatrava r]

Great looking watch, Steve, Glad you got one from an AD. It is still very tough to buy a new Rolex from an AD in my neck of the woods.

[Cassian739]

Congrats, Steve! Fantastic looking Explorer!

[BillA]

It has been bantered on the forum about getting the white tag or not. Some AD’s give them and some do not. However, not giving the sleeve bewilders me. I can see them attaching the white tag to their paperwork but what are they going to do with the sleeve for the box? If you tell me it protects the box during shipping, that will be a stretch. The bezel protector just goes in the garbage, so that is a strange one also. When I bought my SubLV, the AD gave me the sleeve for the box, no white tag, no bezel protector.

[dubins930]

Fingerprinting will be their next move

[RTG]

Congratulations Steve. Beautiful timepiece.

[ArtNouveau]

Congrats Steve on your new GADA watch.

Just wondering why you didn’t loudly proclaim “Don’t you know who I am!”
Just kidding, wear it in good health.

[Oldfellow]

Congratulations on the Explorer Steve.
Interesting write up on your AD experience, at the end of the day you have a great watch to enjoy for many years.
If you get as as much pleasure from yours as I have from my Explorer 39, you will be a happy man.

[Harry-57]

One of the all time classics. Congratulations.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

That’s a nice watch!

I can’t believe they scrOOd you out of a FULL SET by not including white tag! Could be devaluing your watch by hundreds if not K’s...

JK

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Was going to say, “That’s not true!”, then saw JK

Kat

[noshame]

Congrats on your Explorer 40!

[rmlovett1]

Congratulations Steve!