[John S]

Originally Posted by jamesthejeweller

I wanted to get a pulse on the general feeling from TRF members about Rolex ADs and whether or not anyone has had negative experiences over the last decade (or whatever frame of reference individuals have)

My thoughts around this subject have been piqued recently with news from India and China (Hong Kong) about AD collusion with gray market dealers, I have witnessed and experienced AD collusion with a gray market dealer (one of the biggest) in the UK and what they said to me when I called them out on this dodgy behavior in store has truly damaged my faith in ADs and their ability to resist the temptation to get greedy.

I left the UK in 2018 for a more favorable tax situation and better climate and my new local AD is about as honest and good as they come; no package deals, spending minimums, premiums or discretionary waiting lists, they do things by first come first serve basis which is really quite refreshing.

But is it time we outed these bent ADs?

Below is a summary of what my previous UK AD said to me in 2018 after being on a BLNR wait list since the launch of the MK1 BLNR.

1. (AD) "...We don't keep waiting lists any more..."
(ME) "...but I've been on a 'wait list' with you since 2015..."

2. You need to spend a minimum of £100k to be put onto a "favorable" wait list and you may get this piece within 12 months

3. (AD) "...You can have the next BLNR that comes in, but you need to pay 30% premium and we retain the guarantee card so you can't sell it..."
(ME) "... I might as well buy one at full premium with guarantee card from (insert major gray dealer name here) and not have to wait at all.."
(AD) "...yes you can do that, but we have a very close relationship with (gray dealer) and we'll tell them not to sell anything to you and we will blackball you.."

4. Our boutique owner (eponymous Rolex AD) makes the decisions on who gets what and when

I may have said something rude at this point and I left quite quickly, I really can't remember, but I have not been back to these guys since.

The point I want to convey is that, there are confirmed cases of AD collusion in India and China, but this issue as been going on in the UK and I can guess the US and Europe also since Rolex started booming.

Do we need to 'out' these ADs? Where does the community stand on this subject?

Best
J

Point 4 for me this year. As a consequence, I bought a Sub no date and a Batgirl directly from the owner.