New 2023 digital card / Rolex app

[thenewrick]

I just picked up a 70th anniversary Submariner and got a new digital card with it. My AD showed me the new app for AD's that registers a lot of data with the watch and other features.

You measure your wrist and the app suggests how many links to add or remove.

The app also registers the exact reference of the watch from the bezel color to bracelet to dial and how many links it has. The watch is tied to the card now. Whoever owns the card owns the watch as far as Rolex is concerned.

Has anyone else gotten this new card? Did they just start this with 2023 new references or have people been getting 2022 references with this card and app?

Maybe they're the same cards as the past few years but the app is new?

I kinda want the app myself but I believe it's for AD's only and they were only allowed to show me its features.

[puma1552]

Part of why I like well made, purely mechanical things is specifically so I DON'T have to deal with some damn app and some damn notifications.

I know you said it's an AD app, let's hope it stays that way.

[bluestreak]

This has been going on for a few years. It’s not new. The cards have an NFC chip that transmits to an app on the ADs phone. It’s not accessible by customer device.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by bluestreak

This has been going on for a few years. It’s not new. The cards have an NFC chip that transmits to an app on the ADs phone. It’s not accessible by customer device.

The ADs actually have a special phone, developed by Apple, for this purpose. It’s used to register the warranty with Rolex, and apparently, as you mentioned, can do other things. So, as you suspected, it is for ADs only. I was more impressed with the special machine Rolex developed, to heat the bracelet link screws, thereby melting the loctite, for easier sizing, and less chance of scratching any links. That was cool to see.

Kat


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[Watch-Geek]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

I just picked up a 70th anniversary Submariner and got a new digital card with it. My AD showed me the new app for AD's that registers a lot of data with the watch and other features.



You measure your wrist and the app suggests how many links to add or remove.



The app also registers the exact reference of the watch from the bezel color to bracelet to dial and how many links it has. The watch is tied to the card now. Whoever owns the card owns the watch as far as Rolex is concerned.



Has anyone else gotten this new card? Did they just start this with 2023 new references or have people been getting 2022 references with this card and app?



Maybe they're the same cards as the past few years but the app is new?



I kinda want the app myself but I believe it's for AD's only and they were only allowed to show me its features.

Bought my Submariner a year ago in 2022. Got the card and it was also scanned with a phone.

When they measured my wrist, they told me it gets stored in the app, so they can size the bracelet of any future updates when you go to pick it up.

Pretty cool, but I had to ask them to remove one link more than what they did.

They weren't happy about it and tried to convince me to leave it the way they did it .

The reason being that I asked them to make the bracelet snug with the glidelock extended to the max, while they were making it snug with it in the middle.

I was in my FAT phase then and I explained I oscillate quite a lot in weight and to "trust me", it will be the correct size once I lose weight

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[Bazil]

A microchip has been inserted to track everything in your life ..

[Norbert]

Is this to save money on the extra links?

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by Norbert

Is this to save money on the extra links?

If referring to the machine I mentioned, I imagine it’s to make sizing bracelets much easier for the SAs, lessen chances of scratching up brand new Rolex bracelets, and to ultimately deliver excellent service to customers. The SAs have to take a course, in order to be certified to use this machine.

Kat


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[J!m]

Why not put the chip in the watch so when a thief brings it in for service it can be recovered before they even check the engraving?

[AJMarcus]

Mods. Duplicate. Pls delete. Thanks

[AJMarcus]

I heard this is coming next: once you put your Rolex on for the first time a chip is inserted into your wrist. It’s called Flipper Identifier.

Sorry I could not resist some humor. But who knows in the future…:

[thenewrick]

There’s a few things going on. One is people swapping bezels and parts on eBay or wherever and that can create issues with service and preowned program. People also flip watches and remove links to sell them as another sale for maximum profit. Watch dealers do this too. So Rolex is trying to just keep all the data on all the watches now.

Turns out my green iPhone case is the same green as my ADs phone.

I think they’re trying to discourage ADs from allowing customers to swap bracelets and bezels and dials which some ADs were doing. Mine has always been really strict on this. I believe a lot of ADs have been getting shut down for this type of stuff. He told me about how the secret shopper process works and what it’s like giving tours and presentations to Rolex corporate leadership. It’s all very interesting. Rolex is serious about their brand image to a nearly fanatical level. Because my AD is super legit and doesn’t play any games they have survived and taken over the territory of other ADs that have been shut down. They’re now expanding their store to more of a boutique style.

One interesting quirk is when you enter the door to the Rolex store you cannot make more than 1 turn before being at the Rolex boutique counter. Because Rolex wants to be the first thing you see when you enter the door. So they’re rebuilding the front of their store so you open directly into the Rolex boutique.

They’re also adding a glass wall with their watchmakers behind it so you can watch them servicing Rolex.

The updates cost millions but it ensures their survival. It’s a tough game out there for ADs even though they sell every watch they get. So I have no hard feelings towards ADs. They gotta do everything perfectly to survive in a competitive space.

They said they might even get another Swiss brand but don’t know which yet. I told them Patek and Cartier are winners and brands I’d be interested in. They said they’re looking for unisex appeal. So no uboat or urwerk.

Also last time I went they had about 15 exhibition models and several in the safe they were willing to let me try out including DD and Smurf and PM Daytonas. Was enjoyable to try them all out. Found out I didn’t like the Smurf at all. The DD was fantastic though and gave me FOMO.

Rolex won’t let them carry Tudor because there’s another Tudor vendor too close to them.

Corporate games.

I think one of the more interesting things with ADs is how they are rewarded off catalogue pieces occasionally and unexpectedly. They will know they are getting 14 Rolex biweekly but sometimes a 15th box shows up and they won’t know what’s inside until they open it. And it’ll be a tigers eye Daytona or something like that. Then they sell it to a vip customer as a reward. It’s a rare occurrence though.

I’m happy my AD doesn’t play games and is very open about the whole process and how it all works. I’m a lower middle class worker in a rural-ish area. It’s 2.5 hours drive to the closest AD. And they treat me well even though I’m a small timer and never buy anything but Rolex. They have good policies in place to try and sell mostly local but they said they do have customers all over. Some will fly across country within 24 hours to pick up watches then fly back home. Clearly those types of people are on the list at many ADs which I think is lame. I think ADs should all be required to be connected to a central database and only allow customers to be shoppers at like a max of 2 ADs at a time to encourage local relationships and fairness for people who don’t have private jets.

I’m going to push my luck next time I buy a watch and ask for a small tour of their watchmaking section and see if they will let me look at their allocation list. The master list of all watches they can order from in a calendar year. They’ve been open telling me they are allowed 8 stainless Daytona 8 two tone, 10 green submariner and so on. The Milgauss was the rarest steel professional model they had seen. They’ve never seen a falcons eye YM, a titanium YM, a Deepsea challenge, or rainbow Daytona.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

There’s a few things going on. One is people swapping bezels and parts on eBay or wherever and that can create issues with service and preowned program. People also flip watches and remove links to sell them as another sale for maximum profit. Watch dealers do this too. So Rolex is trying to just keep all the data on all the watches now.

Turns out my green iPhone case is the same green as my ADs phone.

I think they’re trying to discourage ADs from allowing customers to swap bracelets and bezels and dials which some ADs were doing. Mine has always been really strict on this. I believe a lot of ADs have been getting shut down for this type of stuff. He told me about how the secret shopper process works and what it’s like giving tours and presentations to Rolex corporate leadership. It’s all very interesting. Rolex is serious about their brand image to a nearly fanatical level. Because my AD is super legit and doesn’t play any games they have survived and taken over the territory of other ADs that have been shut down. They’re now expanding their store to more of a boutique style.

One interesting quirk is when you enter the door to the Rolex store you cannot make more than 1 turn before being at the Rolex boutique counter. Because Rolex wants to be the first thing you see when you enter the door. So they’re rebuilding the front of their store so you open directly into the Rolex boutique.

They’re also adding a glass wall with their watchmakers behind it so you can watch them servicing Rolex.

The updates cost millions but it ensures their survival. It’s a tough game out there for ADs even though they sell every watch they get. So I have no hard feelings towards ADs. They gotta do everything perfectly to survive in a competitive space.

They said they might even get another Swiss brand but don’t know which yet. I told them Patek and Cartier are winners and brands I’d be interested in. They said they’re looking for unisex appeal. So no uboat or urwerk.

Also last time I went they had about 15 exhibition models and several in the safe they were willing to let me try out including DD and Smurf and PM Daytonas. Was enjoyable to try them all out. Found out I didn’t like the Smurf at all. The DD was fantastic though and gave me FOMO.

Rolex won’t let them carry Tudor because there’s another Tudor vendor too close to them.

Corporate games.

I think one of the more interesting things with ADs is how they are rewarded off catalogue pieces occasionally and unexpectedly. They will know they are getting 14 Rolex biweekly but sometimes a 15th box shows up and they won’t know what’s inside until they open it. And it’ll be a tigers eye Daytona or something like that. Then they sell it to a vip customer as a reward. It’s a rare occurrence though.

I’m happy my AD doesn’t play games and is very open about the whole process and how it all works. I’m a lower middle class worker in a rural-ish area. It’s 2.5 hours drive to the closest AD. And they treat me well even though I’m a small timer and never buy anything but Rolex. They have good policies in place to try and sell mostly local but they said they do have customers all over. Some will fly across country within 24 hours to pick up watches then fly back home. Clearly those types of people are on the list at many ADs which I think is lame. I think ADs should all be required to be connected to a central database and only allow customers to be shoppers at like a max of 2 ADs at a time to encourage local relationships and fairness for people who don’t have private jets.

I’m going to push my luck next time I buy a watch and ask for a small tour of their watchmaking section and see if they will let me look at their allocation list. The master list of all watches they can order from in a calendar year. They’ve been open telling me they are allowed 8 stainless Daytona 8 two tone, 10 green submariner and so on. The Milgauss was the rarest steel professional model they had seen. They’ve never seen a falcons eye YM, a titanium YM, a Deepsea challenge, or rainbow Daytona.

Sounds like a cool AD. My AD is also about to undergo major renovations. They are part of a chain of family owned stores, which are all Rolex ADs, so not sure if all are renovating, or not. I know Rolex demands that its ADs have a dedicated Rolex area in the store that meets certain standards. My SA told me that the chairs in the newly designed area will be Rolex green. I have a feeling that all ADs recently were given updated requirements for their Rolex counters, that they must meet, in order to maintain AD status. My SA said that the new area will seem more separate from the rest of the store. No Tudors at my AD, but at least one of their other stores is a Tudor AD.

Kat


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[thenewrick]

Oh also the exhibition models are real watches and are sold. The new policy is you need to have a minimum number of watches on display and for a certain amount of time before selling and you have to rotate them ideally with new references. So those exhibition models you see are likely going to be sold after 90 days.

Rolex wants there to be watches in the case at all times which can be tough for customers to accept that they can’t be sold yet. But when they’re cycled consistently there’s still always going to be some being sold and some being shown off. They had turquoise OP, Sprite GMT, Daytonas, daydates, James Cameron, and several other professional series on display. So they try to show off the cool stuff that people are interested in and let them try it on. I appreciate that. I generally know when I try a watch on if I like it or not. They usually look good in pictures and description.

I learned I didn’t like the Smurf at all. Just felt heavy for no good reason. I know some people like that.

JC was just too thick. But dial was amazing. Loved the no cyclops.

Skydwellers are smaller than I expected. Everything was smaller than I expected and fit well.

DD40 fit like a dream and looked great on me. Gave me major FOMO. Love the single hidden clasp and bracelet the most.

Airking fit well and looked great. Easiest Rolex to read the time on for me.

Didn’t try on sprite it does nothing for me. Looks kinda toyish and awkward.

Old Daytonas looked great on my friend but they just don’t do it for me. Still a pass until they go back to high beat rate and add 1/10th second chrono.

Oysterflex is interesting. Jury is still out.

36mm classic series was too small for me. Thought I could pull it off but just looks small. I wanted to like a 36mm DD but it just looked too small and couldn’t read the time basically. Felt more like a bracelet with a little thing on top. Looked great on my friend with 6.8 inch wrist.

Datejusts are now available to order at my AD. Any configuration you just pay for and they can order and get it. AD encouraged two tone for quickest availability. Rolex must be pushing two tone for higher margins.

White gold is super stealth. Side by side with steel there’s a very small difference in color but generally unnoticeable. Platinum looks even more like steel. Both ultra stealth but while I like them in theory, I don’t enjoy the weight or cost.

New James Cameron bracelet and other updates are great. Very cool watch. The bezel feels even better than the sub.

[puma1552]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

Datejusts are now available to order at my AD. Any configuration you just pay for and they can order and get it. AD encouraged two tone for quickest availability. Rolex must be pushing two tone for higher margins.

You sure about this? I'm under the impression from multiple ADs that even Datejusts (along with everything else) is completely allocation only. They can request a certain configuration, but it's up to Rolex to fulfill/supply it or deny the request.

[thenewrick]

Yes it seems like if you prepay and order they can get it. Even Wimbledon dial. The more common configurations would come in sooner. Oyster with smooth bezel take longer to get than two tone jubilee fluted.

Ask your local AD if you’re interested and see what’s up. My AD policy changed on several things this year. Used to be you’d prepay for daydates. No longer. Because of rapid price increases stores we’re losing money. And customers didn’t like having $50k tied up not doing anything.

But each AD seems to do things differently.

Personally I like the oyster smooth Wimbledon but I’m not in the market for a DJ.

[puma1552]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

Yes it seems like if you prepay and order they can get it. Even Wimbledon dial. The more common configurations would come in sooner. Oyster with smooth bezel take longer to get than two tone jubilee fluted.

Ask your local AD if you’re interested and see what’s up. My AD policy changed on several things this year. Used to be you’d prepay for daydates. No longer. Because of rapid price increases stores we’re losing money. And customers didn’t like having $50k tied up not doing anything.

But each AD seems to do things differently.

Personally I like the oyster smooth Wimbledon but I’m not in the market for a DJ.

I actually did do this less than a month ago, AD called it an "intent to purchase" option which put me in a much smaller pool of buyers than the normal interest list. Required 50% deposit but AD still made it clear a 36mm DJ is an allocation only piece and it could still take 6-12 months given they are currently receiving about one Rolex per week across all sizes/configurations. Two other ADs also confirmed they can request pieces but cannot explicitly order.

[Divingdeep87]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

Yes it seems like if you prepay and order they can get it. Even Wimbledon dial. The more common configurations would come in sooner. Oyster with smooth bezel take longer to get than two tone jubilee fluted.

Ask your local AD if you’re interested and see what’s up. My AD policy changed on several things this year. Used to be you’d prepay for daydates. No longer. Because of rapid price increases stores we’re losing money. And customers didn’t like having $50k tied up not doing anything.

But each AD seems to do things differently.

Personally I like the oyster smooth Wimbledon but I’m not in the market for a DJ.

Everything you said/been told is the same at my AD and that’s in Europe. And the thing about datejust is true. I can always get a datejust no mather what model.

[Tim Plains]

If you put the card up to your phone it should open your web browser and go to Rolex.com.

[SFBAY]

Originally Posted by puma1552

Part of why I like well made, purely mechanical things is specifically so I DON'T have to deal with some damn app and some damn notifications.

I know you said it's an AD app, let's hope it stays that way.

Ha! Love it!

[thenewrick]

Originally Posted by puma1552

I actually did do this less than a month ago, AD called it an "intent to purchase" option which put me in a much smaller pool of buyers than the normal interest list. Required 50% deposit but AD still made it clear a 36mm DJ is an allocation only piece and it could still take 6-12 months given they are currently receiving about one Rolex per week across all sizes/configurations. Two other ADs also confirmed they can request pieces but cannot explicitly order.

Wow that's a very small allocation for your AD. No wonder you have trouble. I think normal sized AD's get between 400-2000 watches a year.

[Chewbacca]

Congratulations on your purchase.

[puma1552]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

Wow that's a very small allocation for your AD. No wonder you have trouble. I think normal sized AD's get between 400-2000 watches a year.

Well, it's been less than a month since I first stopped in so I wouldn't classify it as having trouble at this point.

I'd say if they get ~50 Datejusts a year, they could easily be getting 400+ total watches annually. They'd only need to get 7 other watches per week to hit that threshold.

[Mick006]

What is a 70th anniversary submariner?? Has Rolex confirmed this or are people just crowning it bc the bezel color is slightly different?

What anniversary was it when the bluesy went from flat blue to sun ray?

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by Mick006

What is a 70th anniversary submariner?? Has Rolex confirmed this or are people just crowning it bc the bezel color is slightly different?

What anniversary was it when the bluesy went from flat blue to sun ray?

There is no 70th anniversary Submariner. It’s a bezel color update. This guy is for some reason really invested in thinking his watch is the 70th anniversary edition.

It’s not a new edition if they don’t change the reference number…


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[Norbert]

And then he wants us to call it a Kermit, while its just a Starbucks.

[ttomczak]

Originally Posted by bluestreak

There is no 70th anniversary Submariner. It’s a bezel color update. This guy is for some reason really invested in thinking his watch is the 70th anniversary edition.

It’s not a new edition if they don’t change the reference number…


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I was really confused about this.

[thenewrick]

For the 70th anniversary of the submariner they changed the bezel color to match the 50th anniversary Kermit. The prior green bezel sub reused hulk bezels which were a darker shade of green like the Starbucks logo. But the new lime green isn’t the same shade as the Starbucks logo so it doesn’t really apply. It’s really just a new Kermit at least in Rolex’s eyes. People can nickname their watches whatever they want. But that was Rolex’s intent. It wasn’t just a mistake in the color batch and coincidentally both the 70th anniversary of the sub and coincidentally the same color as the 50th anniversary. Rolex knows what they are doing. These aren’t mistakes or coincidences.

[J!m]

Doesn't the 50th 16610 have the same reference number? the "LV" suffix indicating bezel insert color, as it does for every other watch...

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by J!m

Doesn't the 50th 16610 have the same reference number? the "LV" suffix indicating bezel insert color, as it does for every other watch...

The 50th Anniversary sub’s reference number is 16610LV as opposed to the 16610 (LN).
Plus the bezel color isn’t the only thing that’s different on that watch vs the 16610 (maxi dial).

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