Would You Rather? Buy Panda Daytona from Grey or Wait for AD?

[DLCU2]

You spend $30k more and they finally put you on the list... Great!

The list stands at 250 people ahead of you... not so great...

[AF_Rob]

$100k for a maybe is stupid. Hell with that AD. I don't love any watch to pay double retail either.

I looked back on your posts, and you've been wanting this for a while. You haven't moved onto another piece. So, you obviously love this one. Is your time worth double retail? If I venture to read your mind, I think it is.

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by RollingInTheDeep

5. I would like to see three examples of where a retail buyer was able to purchase a Daytona from an AD with 0-3 watch purchase history.

Assuming you read my post #45? In case you didn’t,

“ My 116500 was the third watch from my current AD, previous spend was a BLNR and BLRO for about $17K total. It’s not always about the spend level but the “relationship” is real despite what some people constantly say.
Mine was $12400 at the time, I love the watch but not enough to spend $30K+ on one.”

ADs are NOT all the same and mine does not operate strictly on spend. Also it is a standalone Rolex only Boutique so no jewelry to buy. I’m sure I’m not the only one here who got a Daytona without $$$$$ of spend.

[RollingInTheDeep]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

Assuming you read my post #45? In case you didn’t,

“ My 116500 was the third watch from my current AD, previous spend was a BLNR and BLRO for about $17K total. It’s not always about the spend level but the “relationship” is real despite what some people constantly say.
Mine was $12400 at the time, I love the watch but not enough to spend $30K+ on one.”

ADs are NOT all the same and mine does not operate strictly on spend. Also it is a standalone Rolex only Boutique so no jewelry to buy. I’m sure I’m not the only one here who got a Daytona without $$$$$ of spend.

I did see it. First things first, KUDOS! Many would consider that scenario a dream come true. I also view this as the exception and not the rule.

If MSRP of $12,400 I posit you got in 2016. Despite there being completely different market conditions at that time, i.e., ADs were sitting on sport model stock so it wasn't uncommon to walk in and try a GMT II on, be offered one to buy, and take home a brand new one from the back. Let's not forget the time one could buy Subs off Joma Shop and OF Daytonas at Costco at a discount. I'd wager the odds of you pulling that off were in your favor then compared to now given market conditions. It's possible we get to a reset.

That said, we're at 1/3.

Let's not miss the fact that it's an easy decision where to go AD or secondary if one prefers the 11 over the 12.

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by RollingInTheDeep

I did see it. First things first, KUDOS! Many would consider that scenario a dream come true. I also view this as the exception and not the rule.

If MSRP of $12,400 I posit you got in 2016. Despite there being completely different market conditions at that time, i.e., ADs were sitting on sport model stock so it wasn't uncommon to walk in and try a GMT II on, be offered one to buy, and take home a brand new one from the back. Let's not forget the time one could buy Subs off Joma Shop and OF Daytonas at Costco at a discount. I'd wager the odds of you pulling that off were in your favor then compared to now given market conditions. It's possible we get to a reset.

That said, we're at 1/3.

Let's not miss the fact that it's an easy decision where to go AD or secondary if one prefers the 11 over the 12.

I asked for it in February of 2019, delivered mid-November. The MSRP now is $3K more.
Your comment about wanting 11 series reminds me of when the 116500 was announced. The 116520, of which I had two, was trading above MSRP already and it didn’t jump immediately but has crept up and stayed there. I think the ceramic will stay about the same at least for now.

[Spartacus]

DC/DMV is tough. My AD was great, until my sales guy left. I have a long history at the store, multiple brands, jewelry, etc. 2019 I hit the jackpot, scored my Daytona after YEARS of waiting. Now, mind you that since 2017, I told the AD I wanted a Hulk/LVC, it was after
six or so years, I bought a preowned Starbucks. There are so many customers, celebrities, wealthy folks that is is extremely difficult to get any attention or develop a relationship.

My advice is stop buying filler watches, set a date, you don’t hear by X date, go buy the watch CPO or grey.

I paid a premium for my Starbucks, it was a bit but, much better than spending more $$$ and waiting and spending and waiting, in this endless ambiguous loop.

Somewhere out there, there is another guy in your exact same shoes, trying to build the exact same relationship….but he may just spend more…

[travisb]

No way I'm spending all kinds of money with just a hope that I'll get what I'm really after.
Even if 100k purchase history were to get it done, you'd still have to spend another 30k plus the price of the Daytona after that. So essentially you'd be paying over 45k for the Daytona you're after. Doesn't make sense to me.

[RollingInTheDeep]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

I asked for it in February of 2019, delivered mid-November. The MSRP now is $3K more.
Your comment about wanting 11 series reminds me of when the 116500 was announced. The 116520, of which I had two, was trading above MSRP already and it didn’t jump immediately but has crept up and stayed there. I think the ceramic will stay about the same at least for now.

Crazy to think it was only $12,400 in 2019. Agreed on pricing. Still, you made out REALLY, really well. My point is that most folks aren't going to be as lucky. A great example is the quote immediately below, and those that want the Daytona should realize that buying BNIB on the secondary is likely more than jus the only way, but more economical.

Originally Posted by Spartacus

DC/DMV is tough. My AD was great, until my sales guy left. I have a long history at the store, multiple brands, jewelry, etc. 2019 I hit the jackpot, scored my Daytona after YEARS of waiting. Now, mind you that since 2017, I told the AD I wanted a Hulk/LVC, it was after
six or so years, I bought a preowned Starbucks. There are so many customers, celebrities, wealthy folks that is is extremely difficult to get any attention or develop a relationship.

My advice is stop buying filler watches, set a date, you don’t hear by X date, go buy the watch CPO or grey.

I paid a premium for my Starbucks, it was a bit but, much better than spending more $$$ and waiting and spending and waiting, in this endless ambiguous loop.

Somewhere out there, there is another guy in your exact same shoes, trying to build the exact same relationship….but he may just spend more…

I reference this nightmare situation in another thread somewhere on the forum. Similar thing happened to someone in the Patek forum - AD lost their license. You can imagine how painful that is being told "one more, one more Calatrava and the Acquanaut is yours," and then POOF.

Originally Posted by travisb

No way I'm spending all kinds of money with just a hope that I'll get what I'm really after.
Even if 100k purchase history were to get it done, you'd still have to spend another 30k plus the price of the Daytona after that. So essentially you'd be paying over 45k for the Daytona you're after. Doesn't make sense to me.

People are anchored on the concept of dishonoring Rolex by going secondary, or lacking the experience, which is really a salesperson with less knowledge of Rolex sitting in jealous silence as they take stickers off a watch as you sit their sipping your sparkling water. Ok, the duffle bag is pretty cool I'll admit. I can also get how folks may me paranoid buying secondary - I get that as well. I too was of the "never grey [secondary]" mindset until I had licensed ADs fill me in on how things really work.

[Jasb]

If money isn’t the issue, buy one now and enjoy!

[GB-man]

Grey for sure. It’s a luxury not to have to deal with an AD.

[Kingcobb]

Originally Posted by RollingInTheDeep

Crazy to think it was only $12,400 in 2019. Agreed on pricing. Still, you made out REALLY, really well. My point is that most folks aren't going to be as lucky. A great example is the quote immediately below, and those that want the Daytona should realize that buying BNIB on the secondary is likely more than jus the only way, but more economical.



I reference this nightmare situation in another thread somewhere on the forum. Similar thing happened to someone in the Patek forum - AD lost their license. You can imagine how painful that is being told "one more, one more Calatrava and the Acquanaut is yours," and then POOF.



People are anchored on the concept of dishonoring Rolex by going secondary, or lacking the experience, which is really a salesperson with less knowledge of Rolex sitting in jealous silence as they take stickers off a watch as you sit their sipping your sparkling water. Ok, the duffle bag is pretty cool I'll admit. I can also get how folks may me paranoid buying secondary - I get that as well. I too was of the "never grey [secondary]" mindset until I had licensed ADs fill me in on how things really work.

I might worry more about "dishonoring rolex" if the insane grey market/artificial shortage wasn't of their own making.

[ons2101]

Just tell your AD you will buy a Day Date and SS Daytona together as a package …

Ha!


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[Mystro]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Grey for sure. It’s a luxury not to have to deal with an AD.

^^^^X10000 Let’s put a Rolex purchase in proper context.

[Calatrava r]

It is too much over retail on the used markets at the moment to be considered for purchase IMO. 38K is a hard pass for me.

[Kingcobb]

You can find it for less then that. Plus, going AD he will practically spend that much on watches he may not actually want anyway before he even gets around to possibly having the opportunity to buy what he wants..maybe.

It's cheaper for him just to go grey....

[Mystro]

Trusted seller with current realistic/accurate market pricing as of 3/04/24.

[GrailTime]

Sorry, but some of the trusted sellers on this site - DavidSW for example - are selling at ridiculous prices. I went to his store in Orlando a couple of weeks ago. They must think that customers dont know how to use a computer or a smartphone.

I would go to ebay with a highly rated seller. Im seeing them starting from $31k for 2022 brand new, $28k pre owned. Same story on Chrono24.

If they are close to you, you may even be able to reach out and arrange a cash purchase and save their fees and what they have to declare, plus your sales tax. On a 31k watch, they would pay $1.5k in ebay fees - use that to your advantage.

[GrailTime]

Originally Posted by Kingcobb

You can find it for less then that. Plus, going AD he will practically spend that much on watches he may not actually want anyway before he even gets around to possibly having the opportunity to buy what he wants..maybe.

It's cheaper for him just to go grey....

I think it depends on what they want him to buy next.

If they are pushing him towards PM models next, that he may not want, and have poor resale value, then i would say just go and get the Panda on the grey. He may be able to do that for $12k over retail (after tax).

If he can get any steel sports he likes, then buy them and sell them to his mates (or me) until he gets to that spend threshold. Once he gets to that $100k threshold they have set him, then the ball is in their court.

[GrailTime]

Originally Posted by DLCU2

You spend $30k more and they finally put you on the list... Great!

The list stands at 250 people ahead of you... not so great...

Which im sure they wont tell him.

[0nly5iv3Digits]

I don't have a horse in this race, honestly. The Daytona used to "do it" for me... at least in pictures.

It has been the biggest "let-down" of my watch-collecting journey (and I've owned pretty well all there is to own in the sports-range from Rolex).

As they say, "don't meet your heroes".

[BNA/LION]

Grey all day... AD can tell you to open your wallet and take all your money out but can't Guarantee you will get one in a reasonable amount of time. Buy Now from Grey and Enjoy Now!

[RollingInTheDeep]

Originally Posted by Kingcobb

I might worry more about "dishonoring rolex" if the insane grey market/artificial shortage wasn't of their own making.

I'm just giving an example of the "always AD" logic. I'd say most likely are just nervous.

Originally Posted by Kingcobb

You can find it for less then that. Plus, going AD he will practically spend that much on watches he may not actually want anyway before he even gets around to possibly having the opportunity to buy what he wants..maybe.

It's cheaper for him just to go grey....

Agreed - get close enough under the hood to understand the mechanics of what it takes to get your hands on a Daytona (or any uber demand Rolex) and it's easy to go secondary.

[noshake]

I was told maybe 5 year wait for a Panda. But now the AD is closing soon, so meh. I refuse to pay over MSRP. I'll spend the cash on vacations or home improvements.

[RollingInTheDeep]

Originally Posted by noshake

I was told maybe 5 year wait for a Panda. But now the AD is closing soon, so meh. I refuse to pay over MSRP. I'll spend the cash on vacations or home improvements.

Unfortunately not uncommon. I've heard of horror stories where people are like 7-10 watches in. That said, being told a five year wait is essentially the same as "you're not spending enough." Also happens when they rotate out a high-profile salesperson or manager then the "list" gets "reset."