Mentioning grey market buy to AD

[HotToddyTX]

Hello everyone

I am a new collector. I bought a root beer from DavidSW which I had sized at my AD. They liked to tell me that I should have waited but honestly I was impatient for my first Rolex and didn't feel like I had any shot to get any allocation.

Since then, I have really worked on growing my relationship and even purchased some jewelry for my wife from there. I was lucky enough to get the call on a beautiful daytona since.

I am now dying for a day date rose gold/olive. I feel like my chances to get one from my AD are slim to nil. My AD seems to tell me that I should stick with purchasing with them but when I can't get the watch I want how can I?

Do you think it is out of line to ask my AD what my real chances are at this watch and if there is no chance that I will buy from grey market and bring in there to get sized? Will it hurt my relationship at all with them?

Thanks for your input

Tim

[Tools]

AD's sell every watch they get in. Do you really think that threatening them with going someplace else is good strategy to remain in good standing?

[puma1552]

Don't beg/ask what your chances are. You are the one spending money, express interest and leave it at that. See what they say. DD isn't that hard to get from what it seems.

Don't beg/look desperate.

[jgottsman11]

ADs are dumb. Buy that watch on the gray market and stop spending exponential markups on jewelry you can get for a lot cheaper elsewhere

[MangoTree1]

Originally Posted by jgottsman11

ADs are dumb. Buy that watch on the gray market and stop spending exponential markups on jewelry you can get for a lot cheaper elsewhere

ADs are dumb???!!! With this not respectful attitude i understand that you have to go grey!

[worldofoyster]

Originally Posted by puma1552

Don't beg/ask what your chances are. You are the one spending money, express interest and leave it at that. See what they say. DD isn't that hard to get from what it seems.

Don't beg/look desperate.

second this.

[kkqd1337]

'growing my relationship'

tell your AD what you want. and keep your money to yourself until they give it to you.

[996marty]

Originally Posted by kkqd1337

'growing my relationship'

tell your AD what you want. and keep your money to yourself until they give it to you.

Seems fair

[Halifax Daytona UK]

Originally Posted by kkqd1337

'growing my relationship'

tell your AD what you want. and keep your money to yourself until they give it to you.

This 100%

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by kkqd1337

'growing my relationship'

tell your AD what you want. and keep your money to yourself until they give it to you.

This is the best advice.

[dba]

Originally Posted by kkqd1337

'growing my relationship'

One of the more stupid things I've heard. Buying a watch is simple commerce. I have money and the AD either has the item or not. If they don't, there's no need for a "relationship". The watch is out there and somebody has it for sale.

[amh]

I've bought via Grey and taken it in to the AD, hasn't hurt the relationship. However I also didn't attempt to apply pressure by revealing my plans. The Rolex market continues to soften and time is on your side.

[Halifax Daytona UK]

Originally Posted by amh

I've bought via Grey and taken it in to the AD, hasn't hurt the relationship. Because there isn’t such a thing .

Amended for you

[brandrea]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your first

Once upon a time you could buy PM Rolex at a substantial discount at the AD and on the secondary market. Now I’m not suggesting we are going back to those days, but if you can find one on the secondary market and you are comfortable with the price, I’d buy it

[Old Geezer]

Your AD must value your business to have sourced you a Daytona. Express interest with your AD about acquiring the RG/olive Day Date. If you get impatient and source it from a grey, you're giving up buying history at your AD and just annoying them when you bring it in for sizing.
IMO, sourcing watches through grey dealers and then taking them to your AD for sizing is bad form. If I were the AD, I tell you to pound sand unless you were spending hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in my store.

[Carguy87]

I think you should ask your AD what a realistic timeline is for the watch because you really want one. If it’s a couple months or less (before March basically) give them a chance first. If they can’t give you a semi-firm timeline then just buy it grey, take it somewhere else to get sized and don’t wear it in to the AD. If you get called for it you can always unload the one you bought grey, but if it doesn’t come in and gets discontinued then at least you have it before the prices go up.

Remember this is an AD that gave you a Daytona AFTER you took them a grey market watch for sizing. Clearly they want to earn your business so I’d (personally) be careful slapping them in the face by asking them to size a watch they didn’t sell you. That’s like asking your significant other to clean your mistress’ lipstick off your collar.

Can you? Sure! Good idea? Probably not. YMMV

[mobster600]

I would view whatever the AD tells you with a grain of salt. Im sure they tell everyone they are doing you a favor or gave you some special treatment. Unfortunately people are sometimes distruthful or trying to spread a narrative that is beyond the reality.

I would keep asking for that RG DD. Keep emailing, calling, texting whatever your method of contacting. And keep asking for it. If they get the hint that your really interested and serious, it will give you the credibility. Alot of people walk into AD's and say they want to buy a 40-50k watch, in reality very few people can afford these purchases.

Hope it work out!

[LPan]

Like others have said, once upon a time you could ask for discounts on PM pieces. In fact my brother bought the RG DD with olive dial from the AD in UK a few years back and got 7% of RRP when it was in the early £20ks. The market subsequently went crazy and these were trading in the 70s at one point before now dropping back down to 40s. Fast forward to today and in the UK they have closed the waiting list for this DD and you cant even put your name down now (well thats the case with my AD who are the largest AD network in the UK).

[hutch300]

Buy gray if you can't get it. You could buy the right tools and size it yourself easily.

[CarlOver]

Tell them what you want. Ask what is a realistic timeline. You can mention that you want it get it and ask if you should buy it on the secondary market. You should get a honest answer. Then make a decision that works for you.

[Goatrope]

I “registered my interest” for a few references with my local AD last August. I made monthly visits for a few months, making small talk, including how my chances were looking. She was always expectedly vague and noncommittal, but would end our visit by saying “don’t worry, you’ll get your watch”.

We would then exchange pleasantries via email in between visits.

During my last visit, she offered me a previously owned (20 year old) SS GMT for about $20K. Nope. Declined. Crazy pricing, and I told her as much.

I went to DavidSW shortly thereafter and just bought a watch off my list. I emailed the AD to say she could scratch that reference off my list and make it available for someone else, but I’m still interested in the others (DJ, BLNR)

No reply. Nada. I’ve not been back to this AD since, but maybe will stop in next week. I’m feeling like I’ve been ghosted. My wife says I’m “Off the list” now.

So I guess telling the AD about your grey purchase doesn’t help, even if only for transparency.

I’m going back in anyway, because it’s coming up on the anniversary of my registered interest. You’d think a DJ would have popped out by now, so I guess I’m in the doghouse.

Anyway, I know where I can pick one up today, just a couple hours away, if I feel the need.

[GB-man]

Told mine a long time ago that I don’t have any interest in waiting, begging etc for man jewelry. I can afford to buy what I want today with dignity in tact.

I understand some like to play that game but I’m retired.

[Time Machine]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Told mine a long time ago that I don’t have any interest in waiting, begging etc for man jewelry. I can afford to buy what I want today with dignity in tact.

I understand some like to play that game but I’m retired.

Thats what I'm saying.

I'll see those AD's on the flip side like we did in 2009 and 2010 when they were working at the car wash.

I'm not begging anyone, anytime, for anything..

[KatGirl]

Don’t attempt to put pressure on the AD. Just stay on the list, until you can’t wait any longer. Buy grey, get some basic watch tools, watch a few YouTube resizing videos, and voila! Problem solved. (you will need to heat up the links, as Rolex uses loctite on the bracelet screws.) I’ve been sizing all my own watch bracelets for years.

Kat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dawgprint]

DD are trading below retail- why wait?

[HotToddyTX]

Thanks for all the great replies. I became a Rolex enthusiast at the height of the craze so unfortunately, never knew of the market before AD had the upper-hand. Looking forward to a return to normalcy on that.

In regards to DD trading below retail, where can you find a 40mm rose gold/olive in that range? I see grey market $50k-52k+ for new. AD would come in cheaper even with tax.

Not trying to squeeze pennies, especially when considering dropping that much on a watch. I guess ultimately I did feel like I was doing the right thing building relationship with the AD. It felt like a big accomplishment when I got that call on the Daytona with oysterflex and gave me some proof of concept...although I clearly see most of y'all don't agree with that!

Thanks again for the all input. I asked my AD for realistic timeline for olive/rose gold if any...if I don't get the warm and fuzzy maybe I'll pull the trigger elsewhere.

[jimcameron]

If the AD doesn't want to size your grey watch, take it to another jeweler, it's not brain surgery. Next time you buy from Davidsw, tell them your wrist size, and have them size it.

[Guppydriver]

Originally Posted by jimcameron

If the AD doesn't want to size your grey watch, take it to another jeweler, it's not brain surgery. Next time you buy from Davidsw, tell them your wrist size, and have them size it.

His AD did size it. They also allocated him a Daytona.

I see nothing wrong with asking what an expected time frame to get a watch might be so that you can make an informed decision. They understand that being able to enjoy a watch now may be worth the premium if the wait is substantial.

I'm in the same boat with the Polar. The secondary price has dropped to about a $1200-1500 premium over retail plus tax. If that premium allows me to enjoy the watch 2 years sooner, it amounts to about $50 a month over 2 years to enjoy a watch I love. Worth it to me. If an AD can realistically deliver in 6-9 months, than not worth it to me. Might as well ask, I don't see it as "threatening" the AD or what some of you have insinuated.

[Nads786]

These stories of ADs making promises that don't deliver is frustrating. There is a big opportunity cost of waiting - the ability to enjoy your watch NOW vs. waiting for 9+ months.

It's a challenging decision to make, because with each month that passes, you feel like you have more sunk cost.

For those that have directly asked "when do you think I can expect the watch?", what was the response from the AD?

My AD keeps insisting that "you'll have it shortly" which is really vague and the only thing he can commit too.

[puma1552]

Originally Posted by Nads786

These stories of ADs making promises that don't deliver is frustrating. There is a big opportunity cost of waiting - the ability to enjoy your watch NOW vs. waiting for 9+ months.

It's a challenging decision to make, because with each month that passes, you feel like you have more sunk cost.

For those that have directly asked "when do you think I can expect the watch?", what was the response from the AD?

My AD keeps insisting that "you'll have it shortly" which is really vague and the only thing he can commit too.

The problem lies with Rolex having moved to an allocation only model for everything. Most the AD can do is request Rolex provide a specific piece, but Rolex can and apparently does deny depending on the request. It's kind of dumb you can't straight up order a watch anymore and know the order will get filled eventually.

True, ADs get a full list of allocations for the year by model, so a shop may know they are getting XX Day Dates or whatever, but they won't know the configurations/dials/etc. So if you come in asking for a specific piece, they may know from their annual allocation and internal sales associate allocation procedure if and roughly when they can realistically supply a Day Date, but they will not be able to guarantee a specific configuration.

So I'd say if you are looking for a Pepsi or something very specific/sandboxed in terms of options, they probably do have better visibility on when/if they can provide, but if you want something that's highly configurable like a Datejust, there's just no way to know.

That said, to answer your question, I did an "intent to purchase" option on just a 36mm Datejust. AD said they get about 1 DJ a week currently, but that's across all sizes and configurations. He figured I was still looking at 6-12 months for my specific configuration to come in. I don't know if I'm the only one awaiting that specific configuration or if there are 1-3 people in front of me, I probably should've asked.