Help a Newbie With Acquisition

[Pay M3]

I'm looking for a little help acquiring either a BLNR or a BLRO. While I am a civilian my wife is in the military so we do not have the time to develop a relationship with an AD. We're currently in HI with only 2 AD's on this island. I've been trying to chase down either of these watches for the better part of two years and I'm not having any luck. Beyond dropping the money above MSRP and going grey, what recommendations do you guys have?

I've seen many here say that AD's keep these pieces in the safe but if this is the case; these sales rep's should be playing poker! I've tried to develop a relationship by engaging in small talk, called all over the U.S., had my wife check at an AD in every country she goes to and still no luck. I'm willing to travel to get the piece but unfortunately I'm too frugal and too young (35 with a lot of years left hopefully) to spend anything over 10% above MSRP.

Thank you everyone for at least taking the time to read this and I can only hope one person will come along with some solid advice. Pretty sure my family would be excited to see I no longer have to settle for catalogs by the bed anymore!

Perhaps I just chose the wrong time to decide to buy what I am looking for, prior to two years ago would I have really been able to simply walk into an AD and buy what I want just like going to an Apple store? By the way, one AD here told me to try and hold out until the summer as Rolex usually ramps up production around this time, is this accurate?

[PatronMTL]

Sadly patience is your only option in hopes that bubble bursts.... doesn’t hurt to visit new ADs and try to get yourself on a list if they have, but don’t hold your breath. It’s a terrible market for buyers at moment

[Pay M3]

Originally Posted by PatronMTL

Sadly patience is your only option in hopes that bubble bursts.... doesn’t hurt to visit new ADs and try to get yourself on a list if they have, but don’t hold your breath. It’s a terrible market for buyers at moment

The nicest dealer here with the largest inventory, Ben Bridge said they give the pieces I'm looking for to those with purchase history. My frugalness has been the death of me in this regard lol.

[ROLEXster]

Originally Posted by Pay M3

Ben Bridge said they give the pieces I'm looking for to those with purchase history.

This is just a nice way to say no to you.

If you purchased something from them, they'll say you need to buy more.
If you buy more, then they'll say you need to buy even more to be considered to be on a list etc...

Your best bet is to buy from grey.
Reality is sad. Hot watches goes to whales or greys.

[Yoda_Eating_Pizza]

Originally Posted by Pay M3

I'm looking for a little help acquiring either a BLNR or a BLRO. While I am a civilian my wife is in the military so we do not have the time to develop a relationship with an AD. We're currently in HI with only 2 AD's on this island. I've been trying to chase down either of these watches for the better part of two years and I'm not having any luck. Beyond dropping the money above MSRP and going grey, what recommendations do you guys have?

I've seen many here say that AD's keep these pieces in the safe but if this is the case; these sales rep's should be playing poker! I've tried to develop a relationship by engaging in small talk, called all over the U.S., had my wife check at an AD in every country she goes to and still no luck. I'm willing to travel to get the piece but unfortunately I'm too frugal and too young (35 with a lot of years left hopefully) to spend anything over 10% above MSRP.

Thank you everyone for at least taking the time to read this and I can only hope one person will come along with some solid advice. Pretty sure my family would be excited to see I no longer have to settle for catalogs by the bed anymore!

Perhaps I just chose the wrong time to decide to buy what I am looking for, prior to two years ago would I have really been able to simply walk into an AD and buy what I want just like going to an Apple store? By the way, one AD here told me to try and hold out until the summer as Rolex usually ramps up production around this time, is this accurate?

Small talk isn't building a relationship. As far as ADs are concerned, relationships are built on spending $$$. Everything else is just... talk. They are happy to talk, though. The BB at Ala Moana is, anyway.

Originally Posted by Pay M3

The nicest dealer here with the largest inventory, Ben Bridge said they give the pieces I'm looking for to those with purchase history. My frugalness has been the death of me in this regard lol.

Ben Bridge told me exactly the same thing. At least they're consistent.

[Uggi]

Sorry mate but I have to speak truly - you have very little chance of success.
As you're only 35 and presumably not buying to flip, just stick the grey excess of £7k on a 0% credit card and pay it off over 5 years.
You'll not notice the payments and you'll stop wasting valuable time searching for something you simply won't find.

[np208]

Originally Posted by Uggi

Sorry mate but I have to speak truly - you have very little chance of success.
As you're only 35 and presumably not buying to flip, just stick the grey excess of £7k on a 0% credit card and pay it off over 5 years.
You'll not notice the payments and you'll stop wasting valuable time searching for something you simply won't find.

This has to be the worst advice I’ve seen.

[RJRJRJ]

Unfortunately you not only want very hot models, but you're in HI where options are even more limited. BLRO will be more or less impossible. BLNR was recently discontinued and replaced with the jubilee version that isn't even being delivered yet, so that will be very tough as well.

I wish I had some better advice for you, but times are crazy right now. If you're desperate, gray market is probably your only shot. That or check out some of the other models in store and maybe you'll like one of them.

In regards to your "frugalness", sleep well knowing that a watch purchase in the past probably wouldn't mean much anyway. That is their nice way of saying that they only give them to their best customers.

[whattimeyougot]

Have another think on how much above msrp you are comfortable going and see if you can swing the current grey market prices. Beyond that I think you’ll be waiting several years yet until the Rolex SS market cools down.

Does a Submariner interest you? You could buy that now and then when the time comes for the GMT sell the Sub and use those proceeds for some of the GMT. This could help scratch the Rolex itch and your money should be safe in a Sub.


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[Fleetlord]

Without establishing any kind of relationship with the AD, the best chance is a random find at an airport.

[Pay M3]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

Without establishing any kind of relationship with the AD, the best chance is a random find at an airport.

I’ve actually been wondering if this is that way to go.

[gccmd]

Unfortunately your chance of success at any AD for MSRP is very low. Unless you pay a substantial premium and purchase from a grey dealer you are probably not going to get either of those watches for years.

[pristyburg]

I feel your pain Pay M3, it has been like that for the last 15 months. Been to the Wynn's Vegas AD 3x with no luck and they are one of the largest AD stores. I finally pulled the trigger on buying a watch through one of the classified ads on TRF. I bought a BNIB Yachtmaster from Dave at Distinctive Time. I was kind of leery at first to wire a large sum especially to Canada. Just got the watch the other day with high anxiety and it was as described on the ad to the tea. Easy communication with Dave through email and phone calls. Highly recommended.

Good luck!

[Pay M3]

The other part of this is we are fairly frugal lol! Since my wife knows there is even a franction of a chance at finding this at retail there’s no way she’ll approve me going over MSRP. It’s a real conundrum I’m in.

On a side note I’d actually love to have the green sub due to the colors being pretty reminiscent of the Army. I did 8, my son just joined and my wife is still serving. I have wanted it for a while but everyone was telling me they were discontinued, however from a post I was looking at earlier it sounds like this actually is not the case. Multiple dealers told me they were discontinued, can anyone confirm either way?

[Monte Cristo]

If it’s on the Rolex website it’s still available.

[Pay M3]

Originally Posted by Monte Cristo

If it’s on the Rolex website it’s still available.

Okay, I wonder why some AD’s are telling me otherwise, maybe new or not familiar with the brand.

Way off topic but I like your dig and avatar, I recently have become obsessed with WW2 documentaries and his voice and words of encouragement during that time had to have been incredible to hear as everything was happening. True example of bravery.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Pay M3

Okay, I wonder why some AD’s are telling me otherwise, maybe new or not familiar with the brand.

Way off topic but I like your dig and avatar, I recently have become obsessed with WW2 documentaries and his voice and words of encouragement during that time had to have been incredible to hear as everything was happening. True example of bravery.

He was a great wartime leader, maybe the greatest of all, but was very poor in peacetime, even for his day he was behind the times and still living in the Victorian era and all wrapped up in aristocratic privilege and Empire.

Sounds like the ADs you talk to are like the bad Churchill and full of BS.

[Fat_ninja]

Green sub is not discontinued. Just hard to get

[huncho]

Originally Posted by Pay M3

I'm looking for a little help acquiring either a BLNR or a BLRO. While I am a civilian my wife is in the military so we do not have the time to develop a relationship with an AD. We're currently in HI with only 2 AD's on this island. I've been trying to chase down either of these watches for the better part of two years and I'm not having any luck. Beyond dropping the money above MSRP and going grey, what recommendations do you guys have?

I've seen many here say that AD's keep these pieces in the safe but if this is the case; these sales rep's should be playing poker! I've tried to develop a relationship by engaging in small talk, called all over the U.S., had my wife check at an AD in every country she goes to and still no luck. I'm willing to travel to get the piece but unfortunately I'm too frugal and too young (35 with a lot of years left hopefully) to spend anything over 10% above MSRP.

Thank you everyone for at least taking the time to read this and I can only hope one person will come along with some solid advice. Pretty sure my family would be excited to see I no longer have to settle for catalogs by the bed anymore!

Perhaps I just chose the wrong time to decide to buy what I am looking for, prior to two years ago would I have really been able to simply walk into an AD and buy what I want just like going to an Apple store? By the way, one AD here told me to try and hold out until the summer as Rolex usually ramps up production around this time, is this accurate?

i remember your thread about putting a 100% deposit on a blnr with the expectation of receiving it in 6 months. what happened to that?

[Pay M3]

Originally Posted by huncho

i remember your thread about putting a 100% deposit on a blnr with the expectation of receiving it in 6 months. what happened to that?

As you can imagine they did not come through and canceled my order after Basel.

[huncho]

Originally Posted by Pay M3

As you can imagine they did not come through and canceled my order after Basel.

really unfortunate, deserves its own thread so people don't do business with them

[HarryLime]

You're basically asking an AD to gift you $10,000. It's not going to happen.

[tng11]

Unfortunately, there is no easy path. If you want the watch that badly, go grey or buy something else.

As others have said, asking an AD to sell you a hot watch like a BLRO or Daytona is like asking them to hand you $10,000 for free. You're going to have to pay your dues somehow, and that often means spending lots of money. To what degree, depends on the AD and the local market. My AD for instance doesn't do their lists by who spends the most, but a mix of purchase history, your future potential, how you've expressed interest in the watch (e.g. do they think you actually want to wear the watch or flip), and just how much they like you as a person.

[CoveWatch]

BLRO will be difficult to get as a first and only purchase and the new BLNR even more difficult since its new.

You mentioned you're frugal multiple times, yet you're trying to purchase an unnecessary $10k watch.. hmm I don't know... I get the principle of not wanting to pay over a suggest retail price but at some point you have to decide if you really do want it bad enough or partly because buying at retail means its worth more. Your only two options here are to go grey, or wait until this supposed bubble starts letting air out. Good Luck!

[RBradleigh]

Originally Posted by Pay M3

I'm looking for a little help acquiring either a BLNR or a BLRO. While I am a civilian my wife is in the military so we do not have the time to develop a relationship with an AD. We're currently in HI with only 2 AD's on this island. I've been trying to chase down either of these watches for the better part of two years and I'm not having any luck. Beyond dropping the money above MSRP and going grey, what recommendations do you guys have?

I've seen many here say that AD's keep these pieces in the safe but if this is the case; these sales rep's should be playing poker! I've tried to develop a relationship by engaging in small talk, called all over the U.S., had my wife check at an AD in every country she goes to and still no luck. I'm willing to travel to get the piece but unfortunately I'm too frugal and too young (35 with a lot of years left hopefully) to spend anything over 10% above MSRP.

Thank you everyone for at least taking the time to read this and I can only hope one person will come along with some solid advice. Pretty sure my family would be excited to see I no longer have to settle for catalogs by the bed anymore!

Perhaps I just chose the wrong time to decide to buy what I am looking for, prior to two years ago would I have really been able to simply walk into an AD and buy what I want just like going to an Apple store? By the way, one AD here told me to try and hold out until the summer as Rolex usually ramps up production around this time, is this accurate?

Well when I was on vacation to Hawaii in October I stopped in both the Ben Bridge and Rolex boutique. And I'm sure like you found out as well, they are bereft of anything SS Sports. In fact the BB saw the Explorer on my wrist and told me they haven't had one in stock in 4 months. So with that I say good luck getting a BLNR or BLRO there. I'd like to be wrong but you are competing against many tourists looking to drop serious coin and are after 2 very hot watches.

[JonaG]

I hear you and share your pain. I too was waiting for a BLNR since Aug 2018 but that looks scuppered now. Whilst not suggesting you give up, applying some flexibility might give you some joy as it did me. I have now purchased 3 5-digit references and love all of them. The Exp II cost less than $5k. I still want a new reference so may put my energy into sourcing a Sub. You’ve missed the boat on the BLNR for the foreseeable future and the BLRO hunt at msrp will be long and potentially frustrating (hence your thread). Choose something more obtainable with less of a mark up in grey or go pre-owned and be happy.

Originally Posted by Pay M3

I'm looking for a little help acquiring either a BLNR or a BLRO. While I am a civilian my wife is in the military so we do not have the time to develop a relationship with an AD. We're currently in HI with only 2 AD's on this island. I've been trying to chase down either of these watches for the better part of two years and I'm not having any luck. Beyond dropping the money above MSRP and going grey, what recommendations do you guys have?

I've seen many here say that AD's keep these pieces in the safe but if this is the case; these sales rep's should be playing poker! I've tried to develop a relationship by engaging in small talk, called all over the U.S., had my wife check at an AD in every country she goes to and still no luck. I'm willing to travel to get the piece but unfortunately I'm too frugal and too young (35 with a lot of years left hopefully) to spend anything over 10% above MSRP.

Thank you everyone for at least taking the time to read this and I can only hope one person will come along with some solid advice. Pretty sure my family would be excited to see I no longer have to settle for catalogs by the bed anymore!

Perhaps I just chose the wrong time to decide to buy what I am looking for, prior to two years ago would I have really been able to simply walk into an AD and buy what I want just like going to an Apple store? By the way, one AD here told me to try and hold out until the summer as Rolex usually ramps up production around this time, is this accurate?

[Pay M3]

Originally Posted by JonaG

I hear you and share your pain. I too was waiting for a BLNR since Aug 2018 but that looks scuppered now. Whilst not suggesting you give up, applying some flexibility might give you some joy as it did me. I have now purchased 3 5-digit references and love all of them. The Exp II cost less than $5k. I still want a new reference so may put my energy into sourcing a Sub. You’ve missed the boat on the BLNR for the foreseeable future and the BLRO hunt at msrp will be long and potentially frustrating (hence your thread). Choose something more obtainable with less of a mark up in grey or go pre-owned and be happy.

Yeah, I keep going in the shops and looking at what they do have in stock for Rolex and Tudor, waiting for something to grab me. Has not happened yet but doesn't mean it won't.

[RolexJoe]

It can’t hurt to keep going in and showing interest, in a non-pushy, non-obnoxious way. You might get lucky and find a salesperson who decides to do you a solid.

I spent a long time hoping and wishing for a Submariner, basically laughed at a few times at various AD’s. After chatting with the same salesperson a few times he surprised me with one. I have the feeling he was being genuine in saying that they rarely get them. Keep trying.

[teck21]

You might want to try the Tudor Black Bays, might be a pleasant surprise.


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[BillA]

OP
If it going to be near impossible to get from an AD in Hawaii, and you do not want to spend an enormous amount of money over list to get the watch, perhaps you can change your wish list to more models. What I mean is that the Explorer 1 and Expl 2, AK, are more available at AD's. However, I think the window of opportunity at AD's for those models might be closing because the other SS Professional models are scarce and it might be moving to those models also. So what about expanding your list? I have owned many of the models, I currently only own the 214270 and just love it. Good luck.

ps. I would not be averse to letting the salespeople know your wife is in the military. I would have no problem playing that card.