Why should I expect anything different?

[TheVTCGuy]

Rant here. So, there has been a lot of discussion about Gray market versus ADs. Let me state, unequivicably, WHICHEVER method you choose to buy your watches, more power to you IF, you choose not to buy from an AD, then the trusted sellers here on TRF are absolutely top-notch. I highly recommend Tony (JustRolexes) and David (DavidSW) but there are several others that are honorable business people, with nothing but exceptional customer service and products. I highly encourage you to use one of our great TRF sellers if you don't want to purchase from and AD. This rant has nothing to do with either one of those sources, but, I will call it a third; The brick and mortar Gray dealer.

I was at my local mall today, to get my haircut and make myself even MORE handsome then I already am (I know, hard to believe it's even possible ). My AD, (Ben Bridge) is very close to the barber, so of course I stopped in there but probably two stores away, is a watch shop called: Fast Fix It's one of those places that change watch batteries, sells seikos, I think some other brands, and offer "Rolex Servicing" In the windo they had some pre-owned Rolex so I went in and took a look.

There was a 216570 like mine, used, for $8,195. Pretty darn close to retail from an AD, two stores down.... But what really caught my eye was a Coke GMT. It had a fairly faded bezel, lug holes, and from the looks of it was a "Fat Lady" from... 86? Ish? First, I am not at ALL an expert and never claimed to be, but that was my impression. I asked the lady behind the counter if I could see: "The GMT" She fumbled for some keys, walked over to the display, and asked: "Which one was it again?" I repeated: "The GMT... The Coke" And after an awkward moment we both acknowledged that she had absolutely NO idea what I was referring to, so I pointed. She got it out, walked it over to the case and looked at the tag (it was listed at $4,999). It had lug holes, but I am not enough of an expert to say if it was for sure a Fat lady. She said: "This watch is from 99" I was a bit shocked and said: "Are you sure? It looks more like a fat lady, maybe from around 86?" For once in my life, I might add, I was actually being very nice and not antagonistic. She replied: "Well the Manager knows a lot about Rolex, his knowledge is top notch and HE says it's from 99!" Let me state for the record her tone was less then courteous and I was not trying to get in to a Rolex knowledge contest. A, mine was not that good and B, it was obvious hers was non-existent. I walked out.

Wow... What a contrast. Forget the prices (which I feel were WAY inflated, but I supposed they list it high and take the closest they can get) but what about the customer service. Walk two stores down and you have a knowledgable, professional team of people at the AD that are ready and willing to help you, like I said; WHAT A CONTRAST. If this lady had said: "I'm sorry, I don't know a lot about this product line but I can take your number to get your questions answered.." Or similar, it would have given me a lot more respect for the place, but now.... I guess my question is, WHY would anyone buy a pre-owned Rolex from them? The prices are terrible, the knowledge non-existent, and the customer service aplorable. If you don't want to puchase from an AD then by all means, use a TS from here on TRF, but places like THAT!?!?!?!?

OK, rant over.....

[Speed]

As a gentleman once said..."There's a sucker born every minute."

[kilyung]

Be grateful you're not one of the uninformed masses.

[sensui]

There was another thread about this shop. I've walked by and didn't muster the courage to go in hah. But sure, they can sell for as high as they'd like.... If someone buys for that pricing then probably wouldn't care about the bottom dollar in the first place. Brave of you to actually walk in hah.

[BNA/LION]

Originally Posted by kilyung

be grateful you're not one of the uninformed masses.

x2

[japenney]

I read a thread on here recently were someone got treated similarly at an AD in New York. So, not all AD's are created equal when it comes to knowledge and politeness. Im glad mine is one of the good ones :).

[TheRolexKingofLV]

"There's an ass for every seat."

[clb521]

I was in a jewelery store on Monday where they were selling a TT blue sub that was at least 15 years old for $10,050. It was older than mine which is about 10 years old. Their watch had no papers or box either. I told thdm they were crazy since a brand new one was only 2k more. They said any less and they would be giving it away.

Yeah sucker born every minute. Either that or they just dont want to sell it so they mark it so high no one in their right mind would ever buy it.

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[arinsd]

OP.

I've been in that fast fix to have a battery changed on my Swiss Army chrono. I know exactly what you're referring to because I asked to see a Rolex in the case by the window and the sales person didn't even know what a Sub was.. I had to point at it.

The prices are crazy. For whatever reason I've found that small shops think if someone is looking for a rolex they have tons of cash and no common sense. Then again not every Rolex shopper is lucky enough to be a TRF member!

[Adam K.]

"Fat Lady"...lol. Absent of insight into Rolex nerd slang in GMT references...she might've taken that personally,
broski! ;) "No Discount for you!!"

[Rebel]

[yannis]

There are people at ADs that have no idea about the history of Rolex or even recently discontinued models let alone a random ( i hope not fat lol) lady in a random all in one shop seeing a Rolex once in a blue moon.
Paul 4999 is not a bad price for a Fat Lady provided the watch was in good condition. Their prices have gone up lately buddy.

[AK797]

Well from her point of view she might have thought you were claiming it's an older model to get a better price. When the sales person doesn't know their facts they can often get defensive, and so for her she thought probably better to lose a customer than get hustled and sacked.

[GerardoG]

You have a very valid point, and I totally agree, but let me share something I was told once by a very good friend and Rolex aficionado (he is an expert, but says he is only aficionado): 'G, you have to realize that YOU are the freak! Your knowledge on Rolex, while not an expert, is extremely superior than most sellers, AD or not'

....just adding some laughs to a great comment! There are some un informed sales staff and there....well, you wrote about that dealer...

[m j b]

The funny thing is, none of us are selling watches in a retail store. We all make way more money doing whatever it is that we do. The poor guy or gal in one of those stores in probably lucky to clear 20K in a year. At an AD, a good salesperson probably makes less than 50K, I'm guessing?

My point? What's my point? I'll tell you my point... we've got to start lowering our expectations a bit. I confess that I still get angry when the clerk at the fast food place screws up my order, but hey, they make minimum wage and I'm really just happy if I don't get food poisoning.

Before you jump on me, I'm not saying that we should lower our personal standards. If you have a job, regardless of the job or how well it pays, we should all do our best and learn the product and if in retail, how to sell it. But to expect some person in some mall battery replacement kiosk to know what a GMT coke bottle Rolex is, is probably beyond a reasonable expectation. What you say is "that watch with the red and blue thingie around the outside." No, wait, red & blue, that's Pepsi, right? Oy, I'm so confused...

[mtgjr]

$4999 is the lowest price I've seen for a GMT in good condition in a while.

[locutus49]

Do you go to UTC or Fashion Valley? We go to both, and I bought a Rolex from BB at UTC, from Josephine the manager.

[Bulliondesk]

OP she works behind a counter at a retail store. What do you expect? She's a sheep. She isn't a relative arbitrage trader at Bridgewater Associates with degrees from Harvard and Wharton. I used to get upset at people just like the OP when I was younger and naive. I grew up and realized 99.99999999% of the people in this world are complete morons.

[azguy]

why do we keep thinking that anyone within earshot of a watch is a WIS, some people just need a job and are trying to just exist. BTW, that's not a bad price for a "fat lady" if it is indeed that.

[Spartacus]

Originally Posted by mtgjr

$4999 is the lowest price I've seen for a GMT in good condition in a while.

$4999 from a seller who knows too little or
$7999 from a seller who knows too much

[superdog]

id say you handled that like a gentleman. good for you.

[Cru Jones]

price could be okay and AFAIK '99 models still had lugholes...in fact, isn't 99-01 the period of SELs + lugholes?

but, if it really was the thicker case, then, never mind....

[997.2]

Originally Posted by m j b

The funny thing is, none of us are selling watches in a retail store. We all make way more money doing whatever it is that we do. The poor guy or gal in one of those stores in probably lucky to clear 20K in a year. At an AD, a good salesperson probably makes less than 50K, I'm guessing?



My point? What's my point? I'll tell you my point... we've got to start lowering our expectations a bit. I confess that I still get angry when the clerk at the fast food place screws up my order, but hey, they make minimum wage and I'm really just happy if I don't get food poisoning.



Before you jump on me, I'm not saying that we should lower our personal standards. If you have a job, regardless of the job or how well it pays, we should all do our best and learn the product and if in retail, how to sell it. But to expect some person in some mall battery replacement kiosk to know what a GMT coke bottle Rolex is, is probably beyond a reasonable expectation. What you say is "that watch with the red and blue thingie around the outside." No, wait, red & blue, that's Pepsi, right? Oy, I'm so confused...

Completely agree. Not sure what you were expecting Paul, but I'd expect a store as you described to be exactly how you described it. NOT like an Ad. because they're not one.


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[mannyv11]

Not really sure what is going on with all the recent complaints against AD shops and non-AD shops. Like others have said for many people it is just a job and they are trying to get by. I could care less if the person across the counter knows more than me, as long as they are willing to take the watch out of the case and let me try it on and are pleasant can't say I ask for much more.

I also don't really feel like debating with someone about the manufacturing date of a watch, I'm assuming her boss knew the serial number of the watch and made an educated guess using the date charts and serial numbers to determine it was from 99.

[Rolex addict]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

You have a very valid point, and I totally agree, but let me share something I was told once by a very good friend and Rolex aficionado (he is an expert, but says he is only aficionado): 'G, you have to realize that YOU are the freak! Your knowledge on Rolex, while not an expert, is extremely superior than most sellers, AD or not'

....just adding some laughs to a great comment! There are some un informed sales staff and there....well, you wrote about that dealer...

I've been called a freak before, but it wasn't because of my knowledge of watches.

[Boaters]

I don't think I would even want a battery changed there. It is funny about those kind of shops most totally suck but once in a while you do hit pay dirt. I had a bracelet clasp weld that broke (Not a Rolex) and a guy renting some space at a jewelry store fixed it as I waited and charged me 10 bucks and you couldn't tell it was ever even broken. The next time I went back he was gone man that guy was talented.

[Abdullah71601]

FWIW, I have a colleague that owns a coke GMT II and did not know it was called a coke. Not everybody is dialed in on Rolex trivia, much less the nimiety of seemingly meaningless minutia one needs to know to have expertise in vintage.

Give the nice watch battery lady a break. She was being as helpful as she could, right up to the point you started speaking Rolex gibberish to her. I would have punched you in the nose if you called me a fat lady.

[anothernewphone]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

FWIW, I have a colleague that owns a coke GMT II and did not know it was called a coke.

Good for him! Calling them "Coke" and "Pepsi" isn't a requirement for ownership. He likes the watch, so he wears it. More power to him.

To OP, what did you expect when you walked into a shop like that? I've been treated worse in high-end ADs!

[BomB#Frog]

The only thing that may be frustrating about that situation would be if you were truly interested in the watch and wanted a fair price. If you were just window shopping who cares what they ask. I love watches but seldom brows ADs because I just don't want to talk to them.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by BomB#Frog

The only thing that may be frustrating about that situation would be if you were truly interested in the watch and wanted a fair price. If you were just window shopping who cares what they ask. I love watches but seldom brows ADs because I just don't want to talk to them.

I agree with this.