Crazy idea (?)

[TheVTCGuy]

What if all boutiques and other ADs had a “pre-owned” section, carrying a stock of, and selling used watches. Once a year my local AD has an event where you can get pre-owned Rolexes, they usually have a pretty good selection. What would having a pre-owned section do for ADs… And gray market dealers for that matter. Good idea? Bad idea?

I know it sounds crazy, but think about it, a car dealership sells new AND used cars, why not Rolex? Thoughts?

[scooba]

Mine already does .

[travisb]

Originally Posted by scooba

Mine already does .

Same here. And they charge the same as you see in the grey market.

[herts9]

Originally Posted by scooba

Mine already does .

As does mine.


I took a look, and saw a 40mm polar Exp II in the case with a cyclops that had a 1x magnifier, and quickly did an about-face to the new stuff.

[Hub6152]

Rolex does not own boutiques. They manufacture, distribute and sell through their AD networks. Rolex has no interest in the preowned market.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by scooba

Mine already does .

That is actually very interesting! Mine doesn’t… I don’t think I have ever seen one…. Other shops, but not an AD or boutique

Originally Posted by Hub6152

Rolex does not own boutiques. They manufacture, distribute and sell through their AD networks. Rolex has no interest in the preowned market.

Uhm, yes they do, there are two in my city. I know the manager of one. You may be absolutely correct about them not being interested in pre-owned.

[shaunylw]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

That is actually very interesting! Mine doesn’t… I don’t think I have ever seen one…. Other shops, but not an AD or boutique



Uhm, yes they do, there are two in my city. I know the manager of one. You may be absolutely correct about them not being interested in pre-owned.

Wish mine did, that would be awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hub6152]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

That is actually very interesting! Mine doesn’t… I don’t think I have ever seen one…. Other shops, but not an AD or boutique



Uhm, yes they do, there are two in my city. I know the manager of one. You may be absolutely correct about them not being interested in pre-owned.

Joint Rolex and Tudor AD’s are nothing new. Is this “boutique” actually owned and operated directly by Rolex or is it Tourneau behind it?

[Hub6152]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

That is actually very interesting! Mine doesn’t… I don’t think I have ever seen one…. Other shops, but not an AD or boutique



Uhm, yes they do, there are two in my city. I know the manager of one. You may be absolutely correct about them not being interested in pre-owned.

Perhaps fully read the article rather than post the headlines.

[ramenlover]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Uhm, yes they do, there are two in my city. I know the manager of one. You may be absolutely correct about them not being interested in pre-owned.

Rolex is a manufacturer/distributor and doesn’t have boutiques. The one you posted is run by Tourneau and Bucherer.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Hub6152

Perhaps fully read the article rather than post the headlines.

Originally Posted by ramenlover

Rolex is a manufacturer/distributor and doesn’t have boutiques. The one you posted is run by Tourneau and Bucherer.

Perhaps understand what I was saying before questioning if I can read an article. I said two in MY city, which happens NOT to be New York. I only posted that picture as an example of something that says Boutique on it. As for the two in MY city, I can ASSURE you, they have NOTHING to do with Tourneau.

As for San Diego, I personally know the manager of the one being built right now, she has been in Rolex sales for years and expressed how pleased she was being chosen by Rolex to manage this site; so I will ask tomorrow but I took that to mean Rolex owned it. The other one, I am not sure but will look it up as well. I only know they are alone in a mall, it says Rolex Boutique on the door, and they sell nothing but new Rolex watches. But please, post a thread so I can research whatever topic you describe instead of commenting on the question. I look forward to it and thanks so much for joining mine.

[Hub6152]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Perhaps understand what I was saying before questioning if I can read an article. I said two in MY city, which happens NOT to be New York. I only posted that picture as an example of something that says Boutique on it. As for the two in MY city, I can ASSURE you, they have NOTHING to do with Tourneau.

As for San Diego, I personally know the manager of the one being built right now, she has been in Rolex sales for years and expressed how pleased she was being chosen by Rolex to manage this site; so I will ask tomorrow but I took that to mean Rolex owned it. The other one, I am not sure but will look it up as well. I only know they are alone in a mall, it says Rolex Boutique on the door, and they sell nothing but new Rolex watches. But please, post a thread so I can research whatever topic you describe instead of commenting on the question. I look forward to it and thanks so much for joining mine.

If her salary is paid by Rolex then I’ll concede. Otherwise there are AD’s that only sell Rolex and Tudor exclusively but are still owned and operated by a third party such as Emperor or Chow Tai Fook in my country.

[ramenlover]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Perhaps understand what I was saying before questioning if I can read an article. I said two in MY city, which happens NOT to be New York. I only posted that picture as an example of something that says Boutique on it. As for the two in MY city, I can ASSURE you, they have NOTHING to do with Tourneau.

As for San Diego, I personally know the manager of the one being built right now, she has been in Rolex sales for years and expressed how pleased she was being chosen by Rolex to manage this site; so I will ask tomorrow but I took that to mean Rolex owned it. The other one, I am not sure but will look it up as well. I only know they are alone in a mall, it says Rolex Boutique on the door, and they sell nothing but new Rolex watches. But please, post a thread so I can research whatever topic you describe instead of commenting on the question. I look forward to it and thanks so much for joining mine.

It’s a known fact that Rolex points of sale throughout the world are run by ADs. Just because it says “boutique” on it doesn’t mean Rolex owns it; there are many such stand-alone boutiques operated by Bucherer and Tourneau. If the ones you mentioned are owned by Rolex, this would mark a huge shift in strategy by Rolex and would be big news.

[Casotakar]

I’d buy in on the concept if Rolex did the full service/refurbished the watch themselves with a fresh 5 year warranty attached. 100% sign me up.

[Moondoggy]

Already happening, Tourneau NYC has them, totally weird, like hey you can buy this Daytona for 30k or one at the back for 15k.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

Already happening, Tourneau NYC has them, totally weird, like hey you can buy this Daytona for 30k or one at the back for 15k.

That would be weird… I am a bit surprised many TRFers know ADs that already do this, I guess I am living in a deprived city

[kieselguhr]

In an ideal world, it would work great with preowned and shelf stock being kept as separate businesses.

We don’t live in an ideal world.

[2loaded]

Tourneau does this...

[RJRJRJ]

Many already do sell pre-owned, and they are usually far away from the Rolex section, and they sell for market price.

As far as Rolex owned boutiques, there is only one called Chrono-Time in Geneva. The rest are privately owned.

[Master_Grogu]

You mean Bucherer CPO?

[JonaG]

I can’t really see any major upside in this. In fact, it would probably be more painful to pay market price for a piece that could be had for retail at the same AD. I already fully trust the dealers I bought some of my pieces from so the authenticity of it coming from an AD wouldn’t mean much to me.

[OG1982]

Bad idea. The ADs effectively become the grey dealers by selling themselves stock to sell at a market up market price. Why would they sell you at 10k Sub when they could sell it to themselves and then charge you 18k?

It's completley different for cars, they sell well below retail price once used.

[JSolution]

Mine does.

[Xerxes77]

Many AD have

[Harry-57]

My AD sells used watches including Rolex. People want to trade in, convert goods to money, etc. Nothing odd about it. Occasionally they advertise pre owned Rolex but for the most part they have customers already waiting for specific used models. I've seen people buying used Rolex at my AD and enjoying the full AD experience. I've chatted to one of them, who was buying a used DJ and wanted a used Sub for her partner.

I have no idea how this affects the grey market, it at all.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

My AD sells used watches including Rolex. People want to trade in, convert goods to money, etc. Nothing odd about it. Occasionally they advertise pre owned Rolex but for the most part they have customers already waiting for specific used models. I've seen people buying used Rolex at my AD and enjoying the full AD experience. I've chatted to one of them, who was buying a used DJ and wanted a used Sub for her partner.

I have no idea how this affects the grey market, it at all.

See, I think this is actually great. My AD (Ben Bridge Jewelers) does not, only one event per year. IMHO, I think if every AD did this, it would stabilize the market a little. I really couldn’t understand why an AD would NOT want to, doesn’t it just add an extra source of income? Ironically, I think it would also help the independent gray dealer, gives them another source for both purchasing and selling… Right(?). I admit I don’t know very much about marketing or business, but am I wrong in thinking this would be a good thing all around?

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

See, I think this is actually great.

I know of at least one, very nice DJ wearing lady (and can confidently speculate there are scores more people in my nearest town ) who, like me, is in full agreement with you.

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

I really couldn’t understand why an AD would NOT want to, doesn’t it just add an extra source of income?

Yes. My AD sells plenty of used stuff. Rolex watches are probably a small slice of their used and trade-in turnover by quantity, but possibly not by income. I suppose it's all about return on investment, just as it is selling new stuff. There may have been a time when shop space was a limiting factor but online services have overcome this to some extent.

My AD is in the trade. They know what goes on and I expect they slide all sorts of stuff around accordingly. That's their business - in both senses.

As to what effect it might have on the grey market, I can see what drives it but past that, I've given up trying to understand it. Too many people, too many alternative realities. It might boil down to simple things but I wouldn't be surprised if the finest mathematical minds in the world are attempting an analysis of it and coming up with nothing.

[CharlesN]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

I know it sounds crazy, but think about it, a car dealership sells new AND used cars, why not Rolex? Thoughts?

Two of the 3 AD's that I use do sell pre-owned watches.
One Does not as it is a pure Rolex boutique.

The other two sell pre-owned but it is very rare (I have never seen one) for them to sell a pre-Owned Rolex.

It is possible that they are not permitted as they would probably sell at the vastly inflated grey prices, and Rolex UK would seriously not approve of that.

[Hub6152]

The main reason Watchbox came about was because FP Journe didn’t think it appropriate that preowned watches were being sold alongside new ones. So Watchbox was born. Whilst FPJ is a niche brand the same applies to any brand. Why take away sales of new pieces by selling a used one. It won’t settle the market at all because as has been stated Rolex isn’t interested in the secondary market.

[Driver8]

Two of my three local(ish) Rolex ADs already have a pre-owned section. Quite small in both cases, but they do sell pre-owned stuff.