Rolex is getting a little cheap, starting to bother me

[sub2004]

Hi Friends

I do believe that all above made valid points on the topic.

For my "2 cents" it could be an element of exclusivity that rolex tries to preserve for the serious buyers. i.e. those customers who spend big bucks on rolex without having an internal love that we do of the brand.

For example i remeber when Omega started getting into the "trinket" market whereby wall clocks, shirts, caps etc could be obtained without too much difficulty. IMHO it cheapened the brand.

The same thing happened to a few "big" car brands: BMW, Ferrari started doing licensed apparell like shirts, pens, caps etc and that cheapened the brand back in the day.

Such items are still available, but albeit in a reduced amount. I remeber a decade ago when lots of people who didnt own the product still had an official team or brand jacket. Psycholigically this may upset certain niche buyers that Rolex caters for.

I also agree with the supply/demand argument;

I'm a lawyer. I charge $x for a commercial agreement or a legal opinion. The advice or work has certain set parameters upon which i do the work and charge the time scale or set fee. Why on earth would i want to spend an extra 2-3 hours "tweaking" or "making it better" when it does the job just fine and 99% of clients are perfectly happy. Two main factors: If i just started to "hand out extras" with the work, the "key" clients would not come anymore as they pay for a certain exclusivity with the legal work and 2nd if i started adding extras i would have to charge for it.

But yes, it would be nice to get some acknowledgment...

Originally Posted by sub2004

Why on earth would i want to spend an extra 2-3 hours "tweaking" or "making it better" when it does the job just fine and 99% of clients are perfectly happy. Two main factors: If i just started to "hand out extras" with the work, the "key" clients would not come anymore as they pay for a certain exclusivity with the legal work and 2nd if i started adding extras i would have to charge for it.

But yes, it would be nice to get some acknowledgment...

Hey nice post. However, Mercedes Benz brought about AMG for niche clients who wanted that extra 'tweaking' and BMW has Alpina and M versions for that same reason.

I was recently at a Ferrari event and while there were 45 cars participating, there were literally hundreds of people wearing Ferrari adorned shirts, hats, etc.

It doesn't cheapen the brand, IMHO. I also think that when a company like Rolex pounds out 30,000 watches a day for about a one million a year, it's not really THAT exclusive. Not one bit.

Case in point... Panerai produces about 35,000 units a year, yet they produce all the trinkets and senior staff get involved with forum members at the grass roots level. The passion among paneristi is unrivaled with Rolex fans.

Ideally, I would think Rolex could have a special corporate unit that looks after the die-hards that would only build business and spread passion for the brand.

Only doing what you have to do to make a sale will only get you so far.

[mike]

Originally Posted by Atomic

Ideally, I would think Rolex could have a special corporate unit that looks after the die-hards that would only build business and spread passion for the brand.

EXACTLY!!

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Atomic

Case in point... Panerai produces about 35,000 units a year,

I keep reading about those 35,000 watches a year. Where is this published? I say this because I think there’s something wrong with this number. Why is it that I can buy a Panerai without effort (and even a great number second hand), even in a small country like mine? Are there waiting lists? Not that I’m aware of. 35,000 watches for the entire globe is so little these watches must be rarer than a Dutchman giving away money. And yet they are not. Now there are a couple of possibilities: a. the brand is unknown to the great public (not, fakes are abundant), b. the brand is not very popular (I wouldn’t know this) or the number is incorrect. Don’t you think that number of 35,000 watches is at least a bit illogical? When I wanted to buy a run of the mill 16610 in 2000 I was put on a waiting list for crying out loud. For a mass produced watch. And I can buy a Panny if I want to tomorrow. What gives? This is not an attempt to start a row, I’m just wondering.

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

I keep reading about those 35,000 watches a year. Where is this published? I say this because I think there’s something wrong with this number. Why is it that I can buy a Panerai without effort (and even a great number second hand), even in a small country like mine? Are there waiting lists? Not that I’m aware of. 35,000 watches for the entire globe is so little these watches must be rarer than a Dutchman giving away money. And yet they are not. Now there are a couple of possibilities: a. the brand is unknown to the great public (not, fakes are abundant), b. the brand is not very popular (I wouldn’t know this) or the number is incorrect. Don’t you think that number of 35,000 watches is at least a bit illogical? When I wanted to buy a run of the mill 16610 in 2000 I was put on a waiting list for crying out loud. For a mass produced watch. And I can buy a Panny if I want to tomorrow. What gives? This is not an attempt to start a row, I’m just wondering.

What John said.... Also, in a recent interview in WatchTime magazine with the the Panny CEO, he was quoted as saying Panerai will continue to keep production of it's watches to 35,000, and with the addition of the ferrari line (branded 'Ferrari, engineered by Panerai) that production will creep to 40,000 units per year, but certainly no more.

Also, in Canada there are only three authorized dealers to service 35 million people. Among WIS, lots know about the brand. Among the great unwashed, it's Pan-er-what?

[C.J.]

I was on the phone with my AD this morning in reference to an entirely different subject, and told them about the thoughts and feelings in this thread. I got the usual excuses and she promised to have her manager call me back about this. To my surprise, he did. I just spoke with him, and guess what Rolex is offering,






























Are you ready?






























You guys will never believe this






















































NOTHING!.......................................... ...... NADDA,.................................... ZIP,.................................. ZILTCH,........................................... ......... ZERO.............................................. .........BUPKISS
He did, however, assure me that a price hike was looming and he expected it to go into effect some time in the fall. I asked if this was the same price hike he expected by this past spring. Turns out that it is the very same one. Well, at least they're consistent I also asked about the new SS GMT II and when to expect one in, he said he is hoping by the holidays but a more realistic expectation is Feb. 07

Wow Craig... my shock and absolute disbelief are incredibly underwhelming.

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by Atomic

Wow Craig... my shock and absolute disbelief are incredibly underwhelming.

Yes, I was rather astonished myself I was really expecting courtesy anniversary SS GMT, or a catalog, or a key-chain, or a friggen refrigerator magnet Something, anything All I got was another reason to try that BIG, EYE-Talyon brand again

[Atl]

Originally Posted by Atomic

Hey nice post. However, Mercedes Benz brought about AMG for niche clients who wanted that extra 'tweaking' and BMW has Alpina and M versions for that same reason.

I was recently at a Ferrari event and while there were 45 cars participating, there were literally hundreds of people wearing Ferrari adorned shirts, hats, etc.

It doesn't cheapen the brand, IMHO. I also think that when a company like Rolex pounds out 30,000 watches a day for about a one million a year, it's not really THAT exclusive. Not one bit.

Case in point... Panerai produces about 35,000 units a year, yet they produce all the trinkets and senior staff get involved with forum members at the grass roots level. The passion among paneristi is unrivaled with Rolex fans.

Ideally, I would think Rolex could have a special corporate unit that looks after the die-hards that would only build business and spread passion for the brand.

Only doing what you have to do to make a sale will only get you so far.

Brilliantly well put, and exactly what I was driving at, I do not want Rolex hats, cups, and T-shirts. Look, there are quite a few of us with more than one of their contemporary watches, if you do that with the finest from Maranello, have more than one, and the passion, the Company acknowledges this by "inviting" you to place an order for the new Enzo.
Example: Atomic is dreaming of purchasing a s/s Daytona, Rolex finds out from Atomic's AD that he is a passionate multi owner, so Rolex has one shipped just for him, no one else. Atomic pays for it of course. I am sure Rolex can/has records on consumer purchases and could find this out without even the AD. Ferrari does.
JJ is found to be the biggest, most passionate Rolex owner in all of Kiwi land, they drop him a note that the newly designed GMT-II in stainless is coming, and they would like to extend the invitation to him to be one of the first to own one.
I WANT MY ROLEX FACTORY TOUR DAMNIT!
I want to be invited to be able to purchase hard to find models as a thank you for being a loyal and passionate customer, for owning more than one, which I am sure if I WAS married, would get a lot of grief for.

Okay, it's time for me to take my Xanax, getting off my soap box.
Love you all, David

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Atl

JJ is found to be the biggest, most passionate Rolex owner in all of Kiwi land...David

You got that right, pal!!!