My Recent AD Experience

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by vh2k

Great SA and AD. They sold to a Rolex lover and were able to move a Panerai in one strike. Well done.

This. Congratulations

[Eugenio]

Congrats on the piece. These types of tactics from the SA are disappointing though.

[Mags01]

Congratulations on scoring not one, but two beautiful pieces.

[bmock17]

Originally Posted by amh

Congrats! Good luck selling the Panerai.

I keep getting pushed to buy something else as well

Thanks. I think I might just keep the Panerai.

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

I remember the days when Panerai (some references) were trading well above MRSP and Rolex was tanking, swings and roundabouts.

Originally Posted by cerendigit

I’m happy you got your watch, but Why not go gray?

Is it really “saving money” if you have to buy another watch, that you are already thinking about selling back?


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I didn't say anything about "saving money". I bought 2 watches that I liked, both below MSRP when you factor in the tax credit I will get for each watch. On a normal day, would I have bought both watches at the same time? Probably not but having to do so certainly is not the end of the world. If I sell the Panerai, then great. If not, I will keep it and not lose 1 second of sleep.

Originally Posted by Andad

Nice DJ.

Nice Pam.

Enjoy wearing them.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Eugenio

Congrats on the piece. These types of tactics from the SA are disappointing though.

Like I said earlier, I just started getting into this a couple of years ago. From what I have read/seen, these tactics are getting more and more common, no?

Originally Posted by Mags01

Congratulations on scoring not one, but two beautiful pieces.

Thank you!

[yesnaya]

Wow not cool. I would have told her to f'off. Bundling for a DJ? Ya'll are out of your minds. WTF is going on these days!? You have to buy a honda civic when you want to buy a honda accord too?

[Halifax Daytona UK]

Originally Posted by bmock17

This post is a bit long, so bear with me.

My wife and I go down to Cabo San Lucas multiple times per year. For those of you that have been, there is 1 AD in town. Every time we go I convince myself this is going to be the trip where they are going to have something for me and each trip I go home empty handed. We were just there again last Wednesday through this Monday.

Thursday night we walk into the AD and of course the cases were empty. Nothing at all. We were talking to one of the sales people and we told her about the watch my wife was looking for. She took our information down and said she will let us know if anything comes in. I then walked over to the Panerai watches and tried on a couple of those that caught my eye. I didn’t purchase anything and we left.

The next day, Friday afternoon, I get a text from the sales person with a picture of a watch for my wife that they magically got in the 18 hours since we were there. I showed it to her and she didn’t like it, it was yellow gold and she prefers the rose gold. I politely declined but said if they get any of the pieces in that I was interested in to please let me know. I told her specifically, I would really like a 41mm date just with the Wimbledon dial and non-fluted bezel. A couple minutes later she sends me a picture from the Rolex website of the watch I was describing, to confirm that was it. I confirmed and 5 minutes later she called me.

She said they have one coming in, but it is already reserved for a client. She said in the very small possibility that this person doesn’t want it, would I be interested? I said of course I would. She then asked if I was going to buy the Panerai too. Knowing where this was going I told her I could possibly purchase both. She then told me she would let me know by Sunday.

On Saturday my wife and I were back in town and we went into another store that was AD for Zenith, Corum, and a few others. They had 2 of the new Zenith El Primero Chronomaster’s with the white dial. I really like this watch and they were going to give me 10% off the MSRP plus you get the tax credit. I was just about to pull the trigger and my wife said to hold off and see what happens with the Rolex. Being an instant gratification type of person, I wasn’t thrilled with that idea, but I agreed.

It’s now Sunday, the big day. We are going to get our Covid tests when the woman from the Rolex AD calls. She tells me the Wimbledon DJ is available, but I would need to buy the Panerai as well. I agreed and we went down to the store and purchased both.

I am thrilled that I was able to purchase this watch and MSRP, plus I will get the 8% tax credit back. I felt a little dirty about having to buy the Panerai as well, but we all know this is the game they play. My hope is that I will have an AD I can continue to go to for pieces I am interested in and not have to pay those gray market prices. I told the sales person that we will be back at the end of March and to let me know if they get anything in between now and then.

If you made it through my whole story, thanks! Now here is my obligatory wrist shot:

Would it not have been cheaper to go grey than buy a watch you didn’t want

[Danny83]

Congrats… Sounds like you talked to Marlene they are a very shady AD. Im glad you got that but you should not have to jump through hoops for a DJ.

[Bozack90]

Originally Posted by bmock17

Interesting. I’m not sure how to take that. I guess I need to aspire to be more if all I wanted was a “basic ass date just”. I’m happy with my peasant watch though.

I take that as datejusts used to be pretty easy to get, so much so you were guaranteed a discount on them, but with the way things are now everything is limited.

Congrats, both watches are super nice.

[Heu]

Congrats!

[shaunylw]

Sounds like it will work out quite nicely. Bummer you have to buy both, but you should take a small loss on the Panerai and still come out ahead with all things considered.

It’s a strange time needing to combine purchases to get a DJ, but what can ya do!

[bmock17]

Originally Posted by Danny83

Congrats… Sounds like you talked to Marlene they are a very shady AD. Im glad you got that but you should not have to jump through hoops for a DJ.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Bozack90

I take that as datejusts used to be pretty easy to get, so much so you were guaranteed a discount on them, but with the way things are now everything is limited.

Congrats, both watches are super nice.

Thank you

Originally Posted by Heu

Congrats!

Thanks

Originally Posted by shaunylw

Sounds like it will work out quite nicely. Bummer you have to buy both, but you should take a small loss on the Panerai and still come out ahead with all things considered.

It’s a strange time needing to combine purchases to get a DJ, but what can ya do!

Yep, I am happy with the way it turned out.

[VegasBaby]

Unfortunately, there are very few Panerais that you can get your money back on. They are great looking watches that lose anywhere from 25% to 50% as soon as you
walk out the door. As long as you’re going to take that kind of loss on a brand new watch might as well wear it and enjoy it for a while before you let it go

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by yesnaya

Wow not cool. I would have told her to f'off. Bundling for a DJ? Ya'll are out of your minds. WTF is going on these days!? You have to buy a honda civic when you want to buy a honda accord too?

Get used to it, it’ll only get worse.

[brandrea]

Congratulations OP.

I think you’ll find the Panerai wears much better than you think. Initially they may seem large, but that’s sort of the point

[ganiccus]

Originally Posted by Halifax Daytona UK

Would it not have been cheaper to go grey than buy a watch you didn’t want

Depends if he can unload that Panerai for a good price. Since it's a new release, the sooner he gets away with it the better the bundle will be for OP. What I don't condone is the bundling practice in the first place if he plans to buy more from this particular AD, because the salesman knows that he successfully opened the door once and feels empowered to repeat the same process again on this buyer.

[bmock17]

Originally Posted by VegasBaby

Unfortunately, there are very few Panerais that you can get your money back on. They are great looking watches that lose anywhere from 25% to 50% as soon as you
walk out the door. As long as you’re going to take that kind of loss on a brand new watch might as well wear it and enjoy it for a while before you let it go

That is what I am finding out. It’s honestly not that big of a deal though as I will probably end up keeping the Panerai.

Originally Posted by nyc10ken

You got a PAM just last year, what made you decide to get another one? Was it from a local AD? Are you going to keep both PAMs?

And why didn't you consider getting the DJ from the local AD you have a history with? Do you plan on building history with the Cabo AD than your local?

Sorry don't mean to rapid fire you, just it's typically better to go local and same AD if possible. Multiple ADs can work too if you can manage them both.

In all honesty that's the market these days with nothing available so you probably did fine. Maybe you are right and we need to bundle to get DJ36 or DD36s with the way this is going. Just a lot of us aren't used to it.

Thanks for all of your comments.

The Pam I bought last year was the 1313 in a 44mm size. I did buy that from a local AD. However, it was just too big for my wrist and I didn’t find it all that comfortable after wearing it for a short period of time, so I sold it. Fast forward to late 2021 and Panerai released some new models. The 1270 that I bought last week has an identical dial as the 1313 I bought last year, but in a 40mm size. It fits me much better.

I have not had any luck with AD’s here in Chicago when it comes to Rolex’s. The Submariner and Air King I bought last year were both from gray dealers, so I don’t have any relationship at all with local AD’s, unfortunately. My hope is that in buying both of these watches from the Cabo AD, I will be able to form a relationship and have better luck getting additional pieces I am interested in. My wife and I go down there multiple times per year, so it’s not that big of a deal. I guess we shall see if that happens.

Lastly, the DJ I did buy is the 41mm size, not 36mm. I really wanted this watch and am happy with the way things turned out.

Originally Posted by brandrea

Congratulations OP.

I think you’ll find the Panerai wears much better than you think. Initially they may seem large, but that’s sort of the point

Thanks! This Panerai does fit me much better than the 44mm I had previously.

[travisb]

Congratulations! I’m not into bundling buy you got the watch you wanted.

[bmock17]

Originally Posted by ganiccus

Depends if he can unload that Panerai for a good price. Since it's a new release, the sooner he gets away with it the better the bundle will be for OP. What I don't condone is the bundling practice in the first place if he plans to buy more from this particular AD, because the salesman knows that he successfully opened the door once and feels empowered to repeat the same process again on this buyer.

While I don’t disagree with you, I can always say no. This Wimbledon DJ is the watch I really wanted. If it was a Rolex I wasn’t interested in and they were trying to get me to buy something else, I would have said no.

I am still going back and fourth on if I want to sell the Panerai. I really do like the watch and in my opinion, is a nice watch that fits my wrist perfectly in terms of size and I think the dial is stunning.

Originally Posted by travisb

Congratulations! I’m not into bundling buy you got the watch you wanted.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by nyc10ken

Did you try getting any DJ from the local AD you got the PAM 1313 from?

Anyway thanks for listening to the feedback, I am in a big city as well so I can respect that strategy of trying a smaller city AD and building history, especially as you travel there anyway often, I would try the same. But next time I want you coming back with something better than a "basic ass DJ"

Good luck

Haha, I know, right?

Unfortunately the AD where I bought the other Panerai from last year is not a Rolex AD. They sell pre-owned Rolex watches but their prices are just as high as every other seller.

[SS Oyster]

I would buy two watches if I wanted them, but no way get sold a bundle if I didn’t go in there wanting the other one.

Once an AD tried to hard sell me on a Carl Bucherer dive watch and a Panerai blue dial dive watch. I said, “I can appreciate the workmanship and idea of diversity in a watch portfolio, but I will only buy watches I want.”


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[alphadweller]

A bit of a sweet and sour story. I wouldn't have done it unless I really wanted that Panerai. Worst case scenario you take a hit selling the PAM.

[Sgooter]

Rolex's basic pitch line: So hard to buy, so easy to sell.

[Nico81]

This is Ultrajewels
They have watches
They are careful and choosy whom they sell to after
their Cancun location got caught in November 2020 selling to a grey 30
Pieces, and guy got stopped at BPc customs Miami and unleashed
a chain of events that les them to
go into Rolex And Patek dog house
Its an infamous case

Anyway
Pick an SA ( I recommend lady called Marlene she is
Very professional and the best)
Wait lists do not exist, like anywhere else
What exists is best profile and offer on bundle deal
You will
Never be able to
Buy a professional watch there without this
This is the truth
Good luck

[bmock17]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

I would buy two watches if I wanted them, but no way get sold a bundle if I didn’t go in there wanting the other one.

Once an AD tried to hard sell me on a Carl Bucherer dive watch and a Panerai blue dial dive watch. I said, “I can appreciate the workmanship and idea of diversity in a watch portfolio, but I will only buy watches I want.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went in there with the full expectation of them not having any Rolex pieces available, or at least on display. We spent 10 seconds looking at the empty cases and then went over by the Panerai’s because i specifically wanted to see the watch I ended up buying; the Pam01270. If I was single I wouldn’t even have tried to sell it. However, I made a deal with my wife that I would at least try.

Originally Posted by alphadweller

A bit of a sweet and sour story. I wouldn't have done it unless I really wanted that Panerai. Worst case scenario you take a hit selling the PAM.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Sgooter

Rolex's basic pitch line: So hard to buy, so easy to sell.

Very true

Originally Posted by Nico81

This is Ultrajewels
They have watches
They are careful and choosy whom they sell to after
their Cancun location got caught in November 2020 selling to a grey 30
Pieces, and guy got stopped at BPc customs Miami and unleashed
a chain of events that les them to
go into Rolex And Patek dog house
Its an infamous case

Anyway
Pick an SA ( I recommend lady called Marlene she is
Very professional and the best)
Wait lists do not exist, like anywhere else
What exists is best profile and offer on bundle deal
You will
Never be able to
Buy a professional watch there without this
This is the truth
Good luck

Interesting, I didn’t hear about that. Marlene is who I dealt with

[Jari from Finland]

I really like reading backgrounds of the purchases. Now your wife got the congenial DJ and you got the Panerai. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with the Panerai purchase because you were already about pulling the trigger on Zenith El Primero.

[bmock17]

Originally Posted by Jari from Finland

I really like reading backgrounds of the purchases. Now your wife got the congenial DJ and you got the Panerai. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with the Panerai purchase because you were already about pulling the trigger on Zenith El Primero.

The 41mm DJ is for me, they didn’t have the watch my wife wanted. So I actually got 2. I still kind of wish I would have picked up the zenith too.


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[arindamclt]

Originally Posted by bmock17

This is getting amusing. Every other thread I read on this forum is people complaining about having to spend tens of thousands of dollars in order to get on a “list” that doesn’t exist for a watch that costs a fraction of the total amount they have spent. I bought 2 watches that I wanted, and I am the only one who has ever gotten “bundled”?


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Congrats, OP! But I notice that the OP's tone has drastically changed from "I feel dirty and I will sell the Pam at 10% below msrp" at the beginning of the post, to "I bought 2 watches that I wanted" towards the end. This is typically what happens to us humans - we want to be happy with and justify our choices. Not saying the OP did anything out of the way - lots of people are bundling - but once people lock into a choice or an action, they become their own defenders.

Thank god I bought up the foundation pieces of my collection before this madness started. I do not have to get bundled and carry around toilet paper rolls for the ADs - in the south we say to them "Bless your Hearts".

[Jay2101]

Are Wimbledon dials so hot now that you have to bundle?

Tapatalk を使用して私の CPH1943 から送信

[HideMyWalletPlease]

So obviously up until recently a datejust even with “Wimbledon Dial” was a pretty basic watch that you could buy at MSRP or order, possibly get a discount etc. I never dreamed that I would read about people bundling another watch to buy a Wimbledon datejust. Well, we are living in strange times. A couple of years ago a basic 911 was pretty easy to by too. Now the Porsche dealer is acting like you’re trying to buy a GT3 RS when you buy any 911 even a basic one.

Anyway, no use in badgering the OP on financial decisions. If he can afford to take a vacation to Cabo and buy multiple watches, he’s obviously not that bad with money. It’s just a sad and different world right now for buying watches.

[Moka-Tiger]

I know the OP got 2 watches, so he didn't pay a "premium" for nothing. But in my eyes, he did not get the Wimbledon at MSRP either. I guess prices can't be discussed here. My question is if the OP saved a lot, save some, or saved nothing, or paid even more by buying the Panerai too, versus what it would have cost him to simply go and buy the Wimbledon only at gray?

[Jojomojo]

Originally Posted by Nico81

This is Ultrajewels
They have watches
They are careful and choosy whom they sell to after
their Cancun location got caught in November 2020 selling to a grey 30
Pieces, and guy got stopped at BPc customs Miami and unleashed
a chain of events that les them to
go into Rolex And Patek dog house
Its an infamous case

Anyway
Pick an SA ( I recommend lady called Marlene she is
Very professional and the best)
Wait lists do not exist, like anywhere else
What exists is best profile and offer on bundle deal
You will
Never be able to
Buy a professional watch there without this
This is the truth
Good luck

I’m very sure the AD is innocent.
Who would’ve thought selling 30 pieces to a guy who turned out to be a flipper.