Hi everyone, I could not find a watch section but I was wondering if anyone had some tips for finding a Rolex watch. Looking for a Daytona Rolex which can't be found at retail. Is Rolex one of those luxury brands where you have to build a profile in order to get a high demand watch?
Purchasing Rolex
- Thread starter charchar888
- Start date
Here are some suggestions for scoring your Rolex Daytona
-Go to the pre-loved market
-Go to the gray market
-Find a Rolex AD in a smaller market i.e., not at a high rent address in a major metropolitan area.
Establishing a relationship with an AD doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the timepiece of your dreams unless you spend well into six figures on watches, and buy other items such as jewellery. A newbie to Rolex or a walk-in customer looking only for a specific, in-demand model doesn’t earn much respect from dealers I’m afraid.
Good luck in your search!
-Go to the pre-loved market
-Go to the gray market
-Find a Rolex AD in a smaller market i.e., not at a high rent address in a major metropolitan area.
Establishing a relationship with an AD doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the timepiece of your dreams unless you spend well into six figures on watches, and buy other items such as jewellery. A newbie to Rolex or a walk-in customer looking only for a specific, in-demand model doesn’t earn much respect from dealers I’m afraid.
Good luck in your search!
I am not looking to spend six figures just to get a Daytona. Otherwise I could have just purchased it from a second hand market. However, your point of calling into a smaller AD not California or New York sounds like it’s slim chances over the phone also. So I guess there’s no way to buy it at retail prices without having an existing relationship.
Where are you based? I’m in the US and went to a Rolex boutique last weekend (by appointment) and saw a few Daytonas. And I don’t have a purchase history there. But I guess it depends which kind. So best advice call several boutiques, ask around, and have it shipped or go in person.
I feel your pain .. I tried for months last year calling around to the authorised dealers in my area (there are many). Wanted to purchase for my husband for a very special occasion. No luck. One place took my info to be placed on a “wait list”, not sure if there really is a list or not.. I will say the yellow gold was available in several shops, but I was looking for the standard steel.
I heard the same about establishing oneself because they do fear you’ll just flip that watch. I may have to see if I can find someone who can connect me like advised above.
good luck!!!
I heard the same about establishing oneself because they do fear you’ll just flip that watch. I may have to see if I can find someone who can connect me like advised above.
good luck!!!
Hi from where I live (Australia) Yes for popular items such as Submariner, GMT Master and Daytona, they are more difficult to get and purchase history/relationship with your AD is important. It will be better if you have purchase history with your local AD, as the these popular models are very sought after and the supply is very limited. Even the AD does not know when they will receive these items.
According to my SA, the AD will prioritise giving these highly sought items to existing clients rather than new walk in clients asking specifically for these models because the last thing they want is people buying the watch and sell them in gray market with massive price hike. Do you have any friends or family who have existing relationship with local AD/SA? May be you can ask them to help you to put expression of interest or letting their SA that they are interested to acquire Daytona. It will be easier since they already have a profile within the AD. My SA told me and hubby to keep our purchase (and family) under one profile so that we have better purchase history and higher chance to acquire more popular items. I think it will be easier for you to get a two-tone Daytona instead of one tone (ie stainless only). The one tone stainless is more difficult to get especially for sports models.
my husband and I recently scored the Daytona’s at AD. We had no purchase history. My advice is to be nice and let them know you’re not a flipper
Congrats! Were they in the case to see or did the bring it out from the back?
Your husband’s got the SS?
I’m thinking of buying a Rolex, a datejust. What is the buying process like? Some of the searches I’ve done online suggest that you need a purchase history at an authorized dealer before you can get on a waitlist that’s a year long (??). Is this the typical experience?
Never heard of a wait list for a datejust, your local authorized retailers should be able to source one fairly easily. The steel Daytona and steel submariner are the two models that usually have wait lists.