How Greys Obtain Watches..

[locutus49]

I believe this is the correct video, if not let me know. Herein Mr. Sharf discloses, if I understand him correctly, that someone in an AD (for any brand watch) fills out the warranty and all to indicate that Mr. X has bought the watch.

Now here is the legally sketchy area. He implies that Mr. X is fictional, he does not exist, but the paperwork is complete so when the AD slips a Grey the watch it is a watch sold by Mr. X to the Grey, which is why there is a name on the warranty.

So if a checker - and every watch group or company send checkers posing as buyers - asks for a SS Daytona (the one allocated), the AD can show the receipt completed by Mr. X, who ostensibly bought it.

Does this make sense to you guys? I'm sure people who work at ADs will deny it, and maybe they are not clued into this secretive process, but maybe someone will know. BTW, a lot of stuff in the video, this is only one item.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4usD4PevjI

[Hub6152]

Or maybe Mr X is actually a real person who legitimately buys the watch (because he has a special relationship with the AD) and then passes it directly out on to the grey dealer for a small profit. Done enough times that can add up to quite an amount!

[locutus49]

That was not how I understood it.

Originally Posted by Hub6152

Or maybe Mr X is actually a real person who legitimately buys the watch (because he has a special relationship with the AD) and then passes it directly out on to the grey dealer for a small profit. Done enough times that can add up to quite an amount!

[Hub6152]

Originally Posted by locutus49

That was not how I understood it.

Maybe I have inside knowledge!

[Hub6152]

And maybe there’s more than one way to skin a cat!

[locutus49]

True.

Originally Posted by Hub6152

And maybe there’s more than one way to skin a cat!

[Fat_ninja]

Originally Posted by Hub6152

And maybe there’s more than one way to skin a cat!

Delicious

[McinRolex]

I don't know if this applies to all ADs but when I purchased my DJ for my wife, they scanned my driver's license and put my name on the warranty card as per my DL.

[Rado63]

Not sure I heard you clearly. Can you tell me at what minute mark the discussion of the gray dealers takes place+

[dcash0615]

Originally Posted by Rado63

Not sure I heard you clearly. Can you tell me at what minute mark the discussion of the gray dealers takes place+

Around 15 minutes in

[Chewbacca]

Thanks for posting, John.

[othertbone]

Originally Posted by locutus49

I believe this is the correct video, if not let me know. Herein Mr. Sharf discloses, if I understand him correctly, that someone in an AD (for any brand watch) fills out the warranty and all to indicate that Mr. X has bought the watch.

Now here is the legally sketchy area. He implies that Mr. X is fictional, he does not exist, but the paperwork is complete so when the AD slips a Grey the watch it is a watch sold by Mr. X to the Grey, which is why there is a name on the warranty.

So if a checker - and every watch group or company send checkers posing as buyers - asks for a SS Daytona (the one allocated), the AD can show the receipt completed by Mr. X, who ostensibly bought it.

Does this make sense to you guys? I'm sure people who work at ADs will deny it, and maybe they are not clued into this secretive process, but maybe someone will know. BTW, a lot of stuff in the video, this is only one item.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4usD4PevjI

I saw Roman's vid this morning.

Yep AD's sell directly to the greys at prices above list. Yes they fake the warranty cards because the sale will be higher. This is how the greys get a majority of their watches. There aren't enough flippers to fund the grey industry. AD's are making a ton of money doing this, and thats why there seems like a shortage.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by othertbone

I saw Roman's vid this morning.

Yep AD's sell directly to the greys at prices above list. Yes they fake the warranty cards because the sale will be higher. This is how the greys get a majority of their watches. There aren't enough flippers to fund the grey industry. AD's are making a ton of money doing this, and thats why there seems like a shortage.

Don’t know if you missed the memo dude, but that’s incorrect. It’s the CHINESE!

[DLRIDES]

Originally Posted by othertbone

I saw Roman's vid this morning.

Yep AD's sell directly to the greys at prices above list. Yes they fake the warranty cards because the sale will be higher. This is how the greys get a majority of their watches. There aren't enough flippers to fund the grey industry. AD's are making a ton of money doing this, and thats why there seems like a shortage.

This

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by othertbone

I saw Roman's vid this morning.

Yep AD's sell directly to the greys at prices above list. Yes they fake the warranty cards because the sale will be higher. This is how the greys get a majority of their watches. There aren't enough flippers to fund the grey industry. AD's are making a ton of money doing this, and thats why there seems like a shortage.

Whilst it's undeniably true that some ADs do sell directly to resellers, I don't know what makes you think there aren't enough flippers in the world to fund the resale market.

Let's generously assume 1/3 of Rolex's approx. total annual production of 1M watches is a 'flippable' watch. We are only looking for 333,333 flippers worldwide. Doesn't sound unrealistic to me.

[Jakey]

I happen to have a colleague who is Mr Grey and at times he is inundated with calls from the AD. Its actually sickening to see the profit he makes by walking literally 100 meters from an AD to a 3rd party re-seller. He also purchases the slow sellers but at discounted prices which enables him to pass them off cheaper than retail. I think he has an agreement with the 3rd parties that they also take some of the slow moving stock.

The contact at the AD always has a firm handshake (read into that as you like). He is so popular in London that he receives calls from both the 3rd party re-sellers and the AD. From what I have seen 6 months ago, he receives the card which is unnamed, the 3rd party re-seller then adds the name once the watch is sold.

[WatchLurv]

Originally Posted by Jakey

I happen to have a colleague who is Mr Grey and at times he is inundated with calls from the AD. Its actually sickening to see the profit he makes by walking literally 100 meters from an AD to a 3rd party re-seller. He also purchases the slow sellers but at discounted prices which enables him to pass them off cheaper than retail. I think he has an agreement with the 3rd parties that they also take some of the slow moving stock.

The contact at the AD always has a firm handshake (read into that as you like). He is so popular in London that he receives calls from both the 3rd party re-sellers and the AD. From what I have seen 6 months ago, he receives the card which is unnamed, the 3rd party re-seller then adds the name once the watch is sold.

Card has to be XXXX or named now. Back then it was a known practice that a 3rd party-reseller could just add a name on a blank card with a date on it.

[Fat_ninja]

Originally Posted by WatchLurv

Card has to be XXXX or named now. Back then it was a known practice that a 3rd party-reseller could just add a name on a blank card with a date on it.

I’d listen to ^

[jeffnnj]

Originally Posted by stu00a

I don't know if this applies to all ADs but when I purchased my DJ for my wife, they scanned my driver's license and put my name on the warranty card as per my DL.

Sorry but NFW I would allow that. Warranty card filled out is fine but they have no business copying your license.

[WatchLurv]

Originally Posted by Fat_ninja

I’d listen to ^

Post 2018 November, when Rolex sent the official letter out to ADs around the world (the content of it was posted on TRF and a lot of people on here screamed fake news - Lo and behold it held water, because those who screamed fake are still the ones walking in and talking to some insignificant SA and not the direct owner), they've applied everything they set out to do. Stickers off (sometimes they do leave some off, but on the secondary market it's considered "no sticker"), name on card or XXXX for anonymity, and some other BS rules.

Unofficially a Rolex rep will drop by to give brief updates and to check up on the shop. One funny story that has re-occured with many is that they were briefed to scout for grey dealers and if they suspect a guy/woman is one they can't sell it to that person Yet Rolex still relies on greys to pick up the trash they produce.

Not sure where this applies but in a few countries they take a photo copy of the warranty card after it's been filled out. Or was that part of their mandatory rules listed in Nov 2018...

[othertbone]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Whilst it's undeniably true that some ADs do sell directly to resellers, I don't know what makes you think there aren't enough flippers in the world to fund the resale market.

Let's generously assume 1/3 of Rolex's approx. total annual production of 1M watches is a 'flippable' watch. We are only looking for 333,333 flippers worldwide. Doesn't sound unrealistic to me.

Hahahaha u funny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[othertbone]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Don’t know if you missed the memo dude, but that’s incorrect. It’s the CHINESE!

Hahahahah good one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Blansky]

I'm not sure every AD is doing this or not, but the practice is probably fairly old considering that ADs were sort of forced into doing this by Rolex's policy of each AD in order to retain their dealership had to buy X number of watches per month/year and always some models that were dogs.

So through the years this trend/policy established itself with a relationship between the AD and the Greys to move models that weren't selling.

Then when the shortages started to happen in the last few years, the idea presented itself to "up the anti", and do it on a more regular and model-wide basis.

[locutus49]

I would agree. Greys get their supply from both private individuals AND AD's. What % of each probably varies by month and location.

Originally Posted by Blansky

I'm not sure every AD is doing this or not, but the practice is probably fairly old considering that ADs were sort of forced into doing this by Rolex's policy of each AD in order to retain their dealership had to buy X number of watches per month/year and always some models that were dogs.

So through the years this trend/policy established itself with a relationship between the AD and the Greys to move models that weren't selling.

Then when the shortages started to happen in the last few years, the idea presented itself to "up the anti", and do it on a more regular and model-wide basis.

[WatchLurv]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I'm not sure every AD is doing this or not, but the practice is probably fairly old considering that ADs were sort of forced into doing this by Rolex's policy of each AD in order to retain their dealership had to buy X number of watches per month/year and always some models that were dogs.

So through the years this trend/policy established itself with a relationship between the AD and the Greys to move models that weren't selling.

Then when the shortages started to happen in the last few years, the idea presented itself to "up the anti", and do it on a more regular and model-wide basis.

Bingo.

Not every AD does it; like saying every man out there is a cheat. Aurum doesn't allow for this as their hot watches are allocated for already straight from HQ.

When the shortages came, the percentages just minimized and the bundled packages were introduced.

[ITony]

Originally Posted by jeffnnj

Sorry but NFW I would allow that. Warranty card filled out is fine but they have no business copying your license.

Agreed about letting someone scan your ID. Your ID is a treasure trove of information for identity theft. Are you sure you can trust the person on the other side of the counter with your credit card number and ID?

[EndlessEight]

There are undoubtedly gray dealers with lucrative business relationships with ADs. (Explain stickers on SS Daytonas in DavidSW's shop please.)

Also, there are VIP clients being offered, out of the blue, desirable watches who have no desire to keep the watch but enjoy making an easy dollar. So they purchase and sell the watch immediately.

Also, there are some who legitimately pursued a given watch and needed to sell the watch for finances or fell out of love with it and decided to move on.

[time_and_cars]

Originally Posted by Hub6152

Or maybe Mr X is actually a real person who legitimately buys the watch (because he has a special relationship with the AD) and then passes it directly out on to the grey dealer for a small profit. Done enough times that can add up to quite an amount!

that is what really happens .....here in my country ... I know one guys just buy gold Rolex and AP, but because he is a really good buyer .. the AD always give him the newest watches DaytonaC, Pepsi, Batman..... and this guy as soon he receive the watches ..... a gray dealer has Rolex with stickers for sale

[Bizcut1]

None of this is particularly revelatory.

No one here is an AD. Nor a grey dealer. We're all just buyers...

Ben

[WatchLurv]

Originally Posted by Bizcut1

None of this is particularly revelatory.

No one here is an AD. Nor a grey dealer. We're all just buyers...

Ben

As you say so...