Purchasing from an AD

[Bombela]

Hello everyone,

I've heard people of people being able to purchase watches directly from AD's, what that process look like? Do I have to go to the store and express my interest in a specific model or can I give them a call? I'm just trying to understand what's the best way to go about it. I've never purchased one from an AD.

Thanks!

[Moondoggy]

Welcome, someone more eloquent then I shall chime in. Stay tuned.

[krchrist]

what do you want?

[dpt.calvin]

Times have changed. You’re not going to get anywhere with a phone call in 2022, although that’s how I bought my first from an AD in 2015. I happened to be visiting Portland, OR and called Ben Bridge. They had a BLNR in stock. I wired them the money and picked it up first thing upon arrival. No purchase history.

Nowadays you need to show up regularly, maybe once a month, express genuine interest, and pray. Depending on the reference, you might get lucky and get something without purchase history. Then again, you might not. Depends on the reference and market you’re in.

If there was a secret recipe we could share with you, we wouldn’t. Otherwise we’d all be doing it already.

[Laszlo]

The process is luck but lightening can strike. Don’t invest too much, just wait and hope. It does happen. Trust me.

[4 Aussies]

The same thing as applying for a job, or asking a girl out on a date, all about coming across as genuine and sincere. Go in ask to speak to the manager, tell him or her, this is your first time in, looking to start building a Rolex collection. These are the watches I wish to purchase over this amount of time. Be honest and be yourself, put across the fact you are not a flipper only looking to build your personal collection. Then get creative and stand out from the other buyers waiting for watches. Why go through the trouble, you hope to gain thousands of dollars in market value over MSRP. You will gain back about as much as you can put into it. If you have the talent of winning friends and influencing people, you are more than halfway there. The other option is going grey, paying market value and getting any watch you want in 24 hours via FedEx. Choice is a wonderful thing, deep pockets also help. Good luck, keep us posted, and looking forward to seeing your incoming pics!!!

[insight]

I think the best is to check online,make sure you make up your mind for the type of watch you want before going to the store because if your mind is not made up and you go into the store trust me you will be confused as to which watch you would want to get,you know why? because there are a lot of bad ass watches out there man.

[ndrs63]

I think money talks. Sales associates are sick and tired of people walking in, doing all the small chat. If a SA gives you a Rolex without spend history means they lose the opportunity to make more sales, which means lower bonus, less job security, etc. Just doesn’t make business sense


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[padi56]

Originally Posted by Bombela

Hello everyone,

I've heard people of people being able to purchase watches directly from AD's, what that process look like? Do I have to go to the store and express my interest in a specific model or can I give them a call? I'm just trying to understand what's the best way to go about it. I've never purchased one from an AD.

Thanks!

All ADs are just retail stores that sells watches nothing more, and like any other retail store just visit one go in and ask nothing more simple.

[Harry-57]

I buy white goods on the phone or online. For a Rolex (among other luxury things), I would go in for a chat, make my wants known and see what they say. Who knows what I might walk out with - Rolex or otherwise?

You can try phoning. I suspect you will end up visiting.

[Cigars&Watches]

OP, there are plenty of videos on line and plenty of threads on the topic here and on other chat groups. Do your research and pack your patience. Best of luck!!

[Hpozzuoli]

I think people confuse rare with affordable.

[travisb]

Go in the store. Explain your interest and why. It'll be a long shot if you're a first time buyer but it can happen.
My brother recently walked into an AD with zero purchase history and expressed his interest in the new 36mm Explorer. He got the call 2-3 weeks later.

[1William]

Welcome. Use the search engine here on TRF and YouTube and you will get the general feel of the market and what you are up against. Good luck.

[RaZCaL]

It also depends where you are located. There is no way in big cities like NYC or LA that you would be able to purchase from the AD with any history. I wouldn’t waste the time and just go grey if you really want a piece. Otherwise, look towards other brands.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by travisb

Go in the store. Explain your interest and why. It'll be a long shot if you're a first time buyer but it can happen.
My brother recently walked into an AD with zero purchase history and expressed his interest in the new 36mm Explorer. He got the call 2-3 weeks later.

Congratulations to him Travis

OP first, welcome to the forum. This little story above ^^^ should give you some hope. Just be genuine, be yourself and strike up a conversation with an approachable sales associate. Stay in touch, and good things will happen.

Best of luck

[amh]

I've had the best luck by just being myself. I consider a watch purchase to be purely transactional - I'm willing to spend up to MSRP, dealer either has product or they don't. (And I realize these days they're all in the safe.)

- Visit the AD occasionally
- Be courteous, inquire about the models you want
- Leave without buying anything you didn't want (eg. a TAG, Breitling, jewelry)

I don't think this "relationship" needs to be anything complicated. Certainly the big spenders will always be at the top of the list but that's how life works in all areas. I can't drop 50k on other stuff just so I can get the 10k model I really want. I'll either wait or live without it.

[Feb_29]

Nowadays ADs are very cautious selling Rolex watches to strangers due to flipping issues.
Around my aria several stores lost they licenses do to Rolex watches end up in GM. My AD selling watches only to very well established customers. So, if you walk in the store and nobody knows you, it's very slim chance that you'll get Rolex watch. But you may get lucky, worth trying.

[Calatrava r]

It's incredible the market has deteriorated so many that people are actually asking how to buy from an AD. I do not buy the demand is off the wall strong notion touted everywhere. There is no reason people cannot buy a 31or 36 mm TT DJ within a reasonable timeframe. The hype is over certain sports models and that is it. It wasn't that long ago when some posters here referred to non-sports Rolex models in less than positive terms when they went into ADs and that was all that was in the cases.

[Jack T]

Posts 2 through 18 - played

[stevestil]

I can simplify this for you and I promise this method will work….


Spend money.

You can get on the famous wait list if you don’t want to spend money and get lucky. May take a few years but it happens


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[Jack T]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

It's incredible the market has deteriorated so many that people are actually asking how to buy from an AD.

This is the first such post that I have seen.

[EEpro]

Some good responses here already.

For sure you have to go in and will probably have to do that 3 times at least until their little visit note card fills up and the SA finally mentions you at a sales meeting.

Money spent alone isn't enough. Quite simply it's a combination of that and how much they like you. Nowadays working directly with a manager is your best bet if possible. The individual SAs lobby management themselves to get a turn to sell a certain watch to a certain client.

The product sells itself and they can use each steel piece to leverage additional sales. The "formula" for who gets what can range from dumb luck on certain pieces to formulaic for others. On the impossible to obtain items like Daytona it's closer to how much they like you. I've seen them turn down multi DD40 and ladies bundle plus Daytona. They have more customers like that than Daytonas.

[Oystersteel92]

Originally Posted by Jack T

This is the first such post that I have seen.

Maybe this direct from a brand new registrant to TRF, but there are more than PLENTY threads about maintaining/massaging AD relationships.

[Tim Plains]

OP has a Submariner. How did you buy that one?

[RazorD]

I wouldn’t waste your time calling at first. Go in person and start the conversation. Each AD will be different as far as lists. Etc.

[Mr. K]

Originally Posted by krchrist

what do you want?

This would be helpful

[waynorth]

I think it depends on where you live to be honest. I walked into the only AD in Alaska a month ago looking for a Sub or an Explorer II. I had no history with them at all. A week later I picked up the Sub. The next day they called and asked if I wanted an OP. I turned it down but told them to keep me on the list for the Explorer.

[krubs]

Would it be realistic to get a blue dial YM 40 with no purchase history?

[noshame]

Originally Posted by dpt.calvin

Times have changed. You’re not going to get anywhere with a phone call in 2022, although that’s how I bought my first from an AD in 2015. I happened to be visiting Portland, OR and called Ben Bridge. They had a BLNR in stock. I wired them the money and picked it up first thing upon arrival. No purchase history.

Nowadays you need to show up regularly, maybe once a month, express genuine interest, and pray. Depending on the reference, you might get lucky and get something without purchase history. Then again, you might not. Depends on the reference and market you’re in.

If there was a secret recipe we could share with you, we wouldn’t. Otherwise we’d all be doing it already.

This. Good luck, OP.