First visit to Rolex boutique (Champs Élysées) was… terrible [emoji20]

[Macnavara]

Originally Posted by Stewart_88

It is fair....... I love Paris and I snowboard in france every year but the people are arrogant and rude

I think this comment makes you arrogant and rude

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by Alpino

For that reason they never even try to speak french with french people in France (same for other foreign countries, Italy, Spain, ...)

That's a lot of languages ..

[Heady Topper]

Originally Posted by MaxPeck

That’s insane. My local Rolex boutique is the polar opposite. On my first visit there they were actively encouraging me to try on their exhibition models. Considering their location, maybe they’re just used to a bunch of tourists wasting their time? Either way, not cool.


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I’ve had mostly pleasant experiences as well, thankfully

[28mm]

Do we really need this thread to go on? It's not cool to put down a country in such simplistic naive rude ways.

This is an international forum and I don't want to hear USA bashing, why would I?

For that matter if I were a citizen of any country, I wouldn't want to hear this/

This is not what we are here for.

I suggest we close this one up.

[Paka]

French...

[RolexPD]

I love Paris and have been treated extremely well by Parisians in 90% of situations. I’ve spent a ton of time in NYC, and frankly find people there to be much more difficult to deal with. Paris is a big city, with its own problems (what city doesn’t have them), and it’s overrun with perhaps-unintentionally rude tourists. I can’t blame Parisians if they’re sometimes short with people. As someone from Hawaii I see a staggering amount of bad tourist behavior. But I’m generally proud of how we handle it.

And both NYC and Paris are magnitudes better than LA.

[Heady Topper]

As the OP, this has nothing to do with Paris, Parisians or french people. I’m disappointed to see such ignorant comments. My experience was with a rude Rolex SA. I love Paris and the french, it’s been great.

This thread was created to share my poor experience and to inquire about the purpose of exhibition models.

[Oxfordian]

Originally Posted by Heady Topper

Currently visiting Paris and visited the Rolex boutique on Champs Élysées today. My previous experiences have all been at AD’s and have been great. This, however…

We we’re barely greeted and then a lady asked if she could help. I told her I have the previous version of the Submariner and asked if they had the 12 series on display as I wanted to compare the clasp. I was told they had none, they did a month ago but not anymore. No problem there, thanked her and kept walking around the boutique. Steps away I see the yellow gold sub and ask another sales person if I could see it to compare the clasps. She went to ask the same lady and came back and told me they didn’t take that watch out. Ok…

Keep walking, and I see a SS date Sub on display (keep in mind I was just told they didn’t have one). At this point I’m thinking “ok, they just don’t care for my visit and don’t want to waste their time". Another sales associate is around and I ask to compare the clasp. No problem! She pulls it out and proceeds to show me but no touching kinda thing. That’s fine as I get to at least see the damn clasp. That’s when 1st sales lady proceeds to literally run across the store and give us shit for asking someone to see it. At that point, I decide to peace the f*ck out of there and told her calmly that the service was very ordinary and that my wife and I are loyal customers of the brand.

It really sucks to 1) be treated that way, 2) Not be able to see display models and 3) See the brand itself treat its tool watches like Fabergé eggs

Now I’m wondering, is that Rolex’s practice in their own boutique, to never take a display model out of the display case?

Thanks for reading

Why didn’t you look at the clasp on the 18 month old Submariner back in Canada? It’s hardly a new watch now.

Oh, and as far as I am aware Rolex don’t have any retail shops, all their boutiques, shops and franchises are run by 3rd Parties.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Heady Topper

As the OP, this has nothing to do with Paris, Parisians or french people. I’m disappointed to see such ignorant comments. My experience was with a rude Rolex SA. I love Paris and the french, it’s been great.

This thread was created to share my poor experience and to inquire about the purpose of exhibition models.

You took down a humble Rolex AD, the Champs Élysées, and croissants and baguettes - the nation of France for a thread, and you know it! I’m afraid to visit now!!

[Stewart_88]

Originally Posted by Macnavara

I think this comment makes you arrogant and rude

I'd say I'm more honest than rude, I apologise if I offended anyone as I worded it wrong.

I love France, Paris, the food and even the French people..... I just find most shop staff rude. It's like they all hate their jobs.

Again I'm sorry but I stand by what I'm saying, I wouldn't visit France every year if I didn't like the place or people.

[Wee-Willie]

I love French Fries, even had them at a McDonalds in Paris...all was good!!

[7enderbender]

Originally Posted by Heady Topper

I don’t think that’s fair. The lady was also not french.

I think what’s disheartening is that these are direct Rolex employees. My wife and I have been good customers of the brand and to be treated this way was discouraging.

I’m also an Omega customer and have never been treated this way (quite the opposite, actually) whenever I visit their official boutiques (including in France).

I’m certainly not swearing the brand off or anything, but it really wasn’t pleasant at all!

I’m fairly certain that those are not Rolex employees and merely independent stores that paid to put up the signage etc.

Somebody correct me, but Omega actually operates their own boutiques (though have plenty of contractors also). My experience with assorted stores has been more than mixed shall we say. Two of the Omega Boutiques stood out in a very positive way (Munich and Zermatt). Unfortunately, none exist up here in the New England area. So I bought last Omega online, because why bother with the mediocre places that out up a sign and are otherwise not invested or interested.
For Rolex I wouldn’t know where to go around here either.

[Societas]

As a Frenchman, I've had a good laugh at all the clichés about Paris. I've been living in Paris for 15 years, with interest in Rolex for past 2-3 years.

There is not really an excuse for being rude, but just think that Champs Elysées is the most touristy place of one of the most touristy city in the world, and being a huge flagship store alley. So of course a Rolex boutique would see endless flow of people wanting to see a Rolex, touch a Rolex.

Kudos to OP for getting the strength to even enter and hoping to achieve something as a tourist (I suppose)

[Fritzli]

I m sure in Zurich this guy would have happend the same! Dont blame a country, dont blame a city, dont blame the employees! In another thread (Funny story) you all laugh about a guy who thought he can go into a store and "just" buy a Rolex he saw in the window - thats rude from you in my eyes!

[CaliBear]

Why would you have to speak French to increase your chances at being treated like a human being at a Rolex in Paris? Rolex isn't even a French product. Do they have different versions of the watches in France? I know you have to order a "Royale with Cheese" at McDonalds rather than a Quarter Pounder, but what does the dial of a french Submariner say? "Sous-marinier"? Does the French dial of the Daytona say "Grand Prix" instead?

[Fritzli]

Originally Posted by CaliBear

Why would you have to speak French to increase your chances at being treated like a human being at a Rolex in Paris? Rolex isn't even a French product. Do they have different versions of the watches in France? I know you have to order a "Royale with Cheese" at McDonalds rather than a Quarter Pounder, but what does the dial of a french Submariner say? "Sous-marinier"? Does the French dial of the Daytona say "Grand Prix" instead?

Buy local...!!!! MERCI!

[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by CaliBear

Why would you have to speak French to increase your chances at being treated like a human being at a Rolex in Paris? Rolex isn't even a French product. Do they have different versions of the watches in France? I know you have to order a "Royale with Cheese" at McDonalds rather than a Quarter Pounder, but what does the dial of a french Submariner say? "Sous-marinier"? Does the French dial of the Daytona say "Grand Prix" instead?

Wouldn’t it be “Royale Avec Fromage”?


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[CaliBear]

Originally Posted by GGGMT

Wouldn’t it be “Royale Avec Fromage”?


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Not according to Vincent Vega. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cgRd2WJXpo

[WilsdorfNDavis]

Originally Posted by CaliBear

Not according to Vincent Vega. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cgRd2WJXpo

I don't know. I didn't go into Burger King.

[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by CaliBear

Not according to Vincent Vega. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cgRd2WJXpo

Ahhh I stand majorly corrected! How could I forget!?


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