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[ocwatching]

Chris...quick question...

I had one permanent link on my hollow linked 14060M k serial revmoved by RSC Beverly Hills. They did not kill the link and actually returned it to me in decent shape.

Can I have some watchmaker install it or is the link useless and I need to buy a new one?

Thanks for taking the time out to answer these questions...

[Numismatist]

Hey Chris, thanks for the thread.

Do you have any thoughts on the Tudor Heritage Advisor? Is it a slow seller? Have there been any comments on the sound of the alarm?

[mbuckley]

Very interesting read---thanks, Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by NorthernPike

Hi Chris, Its been my experience that most watchmakers' preference is to set a watch at +2. A slight margin of caution on the plus side is what they like.

Ahh, thankyou Interesting piece of information

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by MoBe

Thanks for your reply Chris but I would like to know if your shop is still selling the new Submariner at the rate you specified in an earlier reply namely more than one a month for an annual rate of approx 15 per annum?

15 is a little high, probably closer to 10-12. If we could get hold of 15 a year from Rolex, we probably could! It's a very strong seller

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by ratty

Hi Chris

Does your shop sell Breitling and if so what do you think of the Aerospace titanium?

Thanks

Hi Graham,

We don't sell Breitling, unfortunately. We toyed with the idea, then we saw how much they wanted us to invest Nice brand on the whole, though.

As for the Aerospace, it's a cool watch, I'll give it that, but it is a bit expensive for a quartz. To be honest, if I wanted a multi-function quartz watch, I'd take a Tissot T-Touch instead - the touch screen is intuitive, and to my knowledge, there aren't any other watches with such a function out there. You can pick up a top of the range Titanium T-Touch Expert for £685 - great value!

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Tempusfugitus

Chris I have a question on something which always struck me as odd - apologies if it has already been answered. Why do some ADs (not specifically Rolex here) hide the price of watches in the window? Often there is a tag on the watch and it is turned so that the side showing the price is not visible. I think this is something that puts off a lot of prospective customers who haven't pre-researched price and makes them suspect the prices are going to be artificially high when they finally pluck up the courage to step inside.

Fantastic thread by the way. What a resource!

Hmm, I haven't come across this myself before, even in the really high-end boutiques. Perhaps its to increase the mystique of the watches, but I would agree with you in thinking it's counter-productive. We always put the price up in the window, but even that seems to confuse people sometimes - I had a lady come in expecting change from £40 for a new Planet Ocean (retail £3800)

And thankyou for your kind words, I'm glad you've been enjoying it!

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Rookhawk

Hi Chris,

I had another thread up asking about "Schwag" (a.k.a. Marketing knick-nacks) that Rolex gives ADs. Do you as a dealer get any interesting promotional items that you *may* give to good customers when they buy watches? Do you pay hard currency for those Rolex winders or do they give you a few for ever X number of watches you receive from distribution?

Any neat stuff you think a customer might ask about at the time of sale just in case they are floating around the back room?

Hey,

Generally speaking, we get very little in the way of "schwag" (I like this word ): the only time we do is at Rolex promotional events, and that's usually just a few items for those attending. I was lucky enough to be able to go along to the Open this year at Royal St. Georges, and we got a goody bag with some Rolex magazines, course radio, a shirt, a sports fleece and a cap. The quality of the clothing is lovely, and I use it regularly when I myself play golf. We also get pocket diaries around Christmas time, but these tend to get distributed to the staff as a little extra present.

We don't, as of yet, get the pens and leatherware that American ADs seem to get. However, I believe Rolex will be making them more available to us (at a price) to offer as an alternative to (or even a replacement for) discount. Apparently Chinese customers in particular love little extras like this. I think a branded leather wallet or keyring would go down nicely for customers - it adds to the experience of Rolex ownership. Right now, the best we can give away is a bottle of something bubbly, so it would be a useful sales tool to have at our disposal

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by ocwatching

Chris...quick question...

I had one permanent link on my hollow linked 14060M k serial revmoved by RSC Beverly Hills. They did not kill the link and actually returned it to me in decent shape.

Can I have some watchmaker install it or is the link useless and I need to buy a new one?

Thanks for taking the time out to answer these questions...

Hi Phil,

I really don't know on this one. It might be possible, but it does take some real force to pull it apart, it might not be possible to apply the same force getting it back together again securely. I've certainly not heard of anyone being able to reverse the process. It might just be easier to buy a new removable link

Hope this helps,

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Numismatist

Hey Chris, thanks for the thread.

Do you have any thoughts on the Tudor Heritage Advisor? Is it a slow seller? Have there been any comments on the sound of the alarm?

Hi Chris,

Tudor isn't available in the UK as of now (mainland Europe only, I believe), so I haven't had any direct experience with it. I think it's a pretty cool idea, you don't tend to see too many affordable mechanical alarm watches, and I'd love to get the chance to have a go with it.

Sorry I can't be much help here!

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by mbuckley

Very interesting read---thanks, Chris

No problem, Michael, glad you're enjoying it

[BLM2]

Chris,

What's your impression on the SkyDweller released at Basel?
Thanks,
Lee
PS: I'm across the pond in the former colony.

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by BLM2

Chris,

What's your impression on the SkyDweller released at Basel?
Thanks,
Lee
PS: I'm across the pond in the former colony.

Hi Lee,

I think it's a very bold step for Rolex, and one that I welcome. I've been banging on for a long time that Rolex needed to do something amazing, and their new cal. 9001 is exactly that - if anyone at Rolex is reading, nice job . A big reminder of what Rolex's watchmakers are capable of, they're taking themselves out of their comfort zone, and executed a seriously complicated movement with the robustness and ease of use that you expect from a Rolex. Technically, it is one of Rolex's finest achievements

Visually, the looks are going to take some getting used to. When I first saw it, I was pretty shocked - it's unlike anything I've seen before. However, the design is definitely growing on me - it's neat, easy to read, and it has some real presence. I think it works best in the Rose gold, although the White gold is growing on me as well - not sure about the Yellow though. This is going to be the watch (the first of a series of complication watches?) that takes on Patek, AP, VC and the like, and I think the combination of a very easy setup (annual calendars can be tricky to configure), the waterproofing of the Oyster case, and a movement that emphasises ruggedness could well be attractive. I wouldn't want to take a Patek complication piece in the pool with me, that's for sure!

Overall, I think it's a great watch, and is probably the most intriguing (not to mention the most unexpected) watch that Rolex have launched in quite some time

All the best,

Chris

[floater156]

Chris, how many Rolex's does the AD you work at sell per year? The AD I purchsed from said that they sell an average of 1 Rolex per day. That seemed high to me. Thanks

[TSW]

Originally Posted by floater156

Chris, how many Rolex's do you sell at your AD. The AD I purchsed from said that they sell an average of 1 Rolex per day. That seemed high to me. Thanks

High You would be surprised.

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by floater156

Chris, how many Rolex's do you sell at your AD. The AD I purchsed from said that they sell an average of 1 Rolex per day. That seemed high to me. Thanks

That's very high, although it does depend on the size of the dealership and what kind of city we're in. In a good year, we sell about 100

[floater156]

Originally Posted by TSW

High You would be surprised.

I come from a very middle class family/community. The thought of buying a $10k watch never really crossed my mind until recently.

[roadie1]

Hello Chris! Regarding the Daytona pushers, I understand that one can't operate the chrono under water. But, can one leave the pushers unscrewed full time and not worry about water, dust, ect? When unscrewed, the watch is much more user friendly than having to unscrew the pushers for every timing event. Thanks!

[Milgausser]

Hello Chris
Great thread thanks for this
Sorry if already asked, but how often does rolex typically raise prices each year? Is it the same percentage across lines, or different increases for different lines? Any murmurs of an upcoming price increase?
Much appreciated!

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by roadie1

Hello Chris! Regarding the Daytona pushers, I understand that one can't operate the chrono under water. But, can one leave the pushers unscrewed full time and not worry about water, dust, ect? When unscrewed, the watch is much more user friendly than having to unscrew the pushers for every timing event. Thanks!

You could leave them unscrewed, yes. The watch should be dustproof the whole time, regardless of when you use the pushers. The pushers are sealed regardless of whether they are screwed down or not, it's only when they are pushed that the seal can be compromised. With water, it's a bit different, as there's added pressure (assuming you're under water), hence why Rolex recommend that you never use the chronograph function whilst underwater - the screwdown pushers are like an extra safety feature to physically stop you from breaking the seal. I have a Speedmaster Pro which has no screwdown pushers, and that's been cleared to go on the Moon Your watch will be fine

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Milgausser

Hello Chris
Great thread thanks for this
Sorry if already asked, but how often does rolex typically raise prices each year? Is it the same percentage across lines, or different increases for different lines? Any murmurs of an upcoming price increase?
Much appreciated!

It depends entirely on currency fluctuations and material prices - the UK and the US got hit particularly badly because of a combination of the strong Swiss Franc against the Pound and Dollar, as well as record gold prices. Therefore some years you can have three price rises, and other years none at all. Currency seems to be stabilising, and gold prices may well be on their way back down so I would hope that prices stay steady for a bit longer. There are always rumours, and I know my boss reckons one may be on its way, but I'm a bit more optimistic

[A.Sharp]

Random Serial? how do you feel? Sure, its ok now becuase it suggests 'NEW' for us. And sure it will make the watch hold more resale value later on. Not to mention it probably helps with watches that sit in the display case for a year or two. But what about in 5 years? how will you know what your buying?

[A.Sharp]

ps. What do you do when a watch sits in the display for two years? also are the watches on consignment from rolex?

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by A.Sharp

Random Serial? how do you feel? Sure, its ok now becuase it suggests 'NEW' for us. And sure it will make the watch hold more resale value later on. Not to mention it probably helps with watches that sit in the display case for a year or two. But what about in 5 years? how will you know what your buying?

I think the random serial system is a good thing. The old style case stamps are a pretty unreliable way to date the production of a watch with the exception of the strongest selling steel sports models. You can see it all the time on here, there's a fundamental misunderstanding of the whole system - an M serial does not, for example, signify a watch that was made in 2007, it signifies roughly when the case was stamped. Cases aren't immediately turned into watches after they've been stamped, and could well have been sitting on the shelf waiting for quite a period of time before being made into the finished product.

As far as Rolex is concerned, one of their watches is brand new until the moment a customer pays for it, and the warranty card is signed. With modern synthetic oils, a watch doesn't go off whilst sitting in the window - they tend to get moved around a fair bit as well, so it's not as if they'd be sitting there without running for extended periods of times. Certainly it might make things a bit more difficult for the second hand market if the warranty card goes missing, but the whole box and paperwork mantra has been drilled into people so much now, how many people actually sell without the original paperwork?

In any case, I'll be glad to see serial number hysteria die down a bit: I certainly won't miss the whole "will a V-serial or a M-serial be more valuable" nonsense. The dating system was a good idea for rough estimates, the problem is that people take it as gospel now instead

Hope this answers your question,

Chris

[padi56]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

I think the random serial system is a good thing. The old style case stamps are a pretty unreliable way to date the production of a watch with the exception of the strongest selling steel sports models. You can see it all the time on here, there's a fundamental misunderstanding of the whole system - an M serial does not, for example, signify a watch that was made in 2007, it signifies roughly when the case was stamped. Cases aren't immediately turned into watches after they've been stamped, and could well have been sitting on the shelf waiting for quite a period of time before being made into the finished product.

As far as Rolex is concerned, one of their watches is brand new until the moment a customer pays for it, and the warranty card is signed. With modern synthetic oils, a watch doesn't go off whilst sitting in the window - they tend to get moved around a fair bit as well, so it's not as if they'd be sitting there without running for extended periods of times. Certainly it might make things a bit more difficult for the second hand market if the warranty card goes missing, but the whole box and paperwork mantra has been drilled into people so much now, how many people actually sell without the original paperwork?

In any case, I'll be glad to see serial number hysteria die down a bit: I certainly won't miss the whole "will a V-serial or a M-serial be more valuable" nonsense. The dating system was a good idea for rough estimates, the problem is that people take it as gospel now instead

Hope this answers your question,

Chris

Amen to that one Chris the Internet today has made the importance of a case stamp more important than the watch and movement inside. With some now buying and paying more money for a case stamp, thinking that particular case stamp makes it a more valuable Rolex watch.

[Timber Loftis]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

As far as Rolex is concerned, one of their watches is brand new until the moment a customer pays for it, and the warranty card is signed. With modern synthetic oils, a watch doesn't go off whilst sitting in the window - they tend to get moved around a fair bit as well, so it's not as if they'd be sitting there without running for extended periods of times.

I'm sorry but I can't buy this reasoning. I especially don't understand your second sentence here, where you say that the modern oils the watch doesn't "age" while sitting, yet it's still good that they get moved around and don't sit without running for extended periods.

So... your logic dictates that the watch doesn't age whilst not running, nor while running, so long as it's in a dealer's possession. Yet, when I buy it, it magically starts aging and needs to be serviced in 5 year intervals.

I don't follow.

[hard8]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

I'm sorry but I can't buy this reasoning. I especially don't understand your second sentence here, where you say that the modern oils the watch doesn't "age" while sitting, yet it's still good that they get moved around and don't sit without running for extended periods.

So... your logic dictates that the watch doesn't age whilst not running, nor while running, so long as it's in a dealer's possession. Yet, when I buy it, it magically starts aging and needs to be serviced in 5 year intervals.

I don't follow.

[horseco]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

I'm sorry but I can't buy this reasoning. I especially don't understand your second sentence here, where you say that the modern oils the watch doesn't "age" while sitting, yet it's still good that they get moved around and don't sit without running for extended periods.

So... your logic dictates that the watch doesn't age whilst not running, nor while running, so long as it's in a dealer's possession. Yet, when I buy it, it magically starts aging and needs to be serviced in 5 year intervals.

I don't follow.

I also must agree with this, while the serial # is not an exact indicator of what day or even year a watch was made, it provides a very helpful timeline (within a few years) of when it was made... I really don't want to buy NOS & pay full current prices...

[hard8]

the serial numbers are 2 year guidelines anyway, not 1.

[expy2]

I think what is being said is simple: the watch is not being worn, nor is it running as it would normally once purchased and enjoyed. Instead, it is sitting in a display case with minimal but enough accumulated movement to run the watch for an hour or so maybe once a week. Not enough to cause any realistic wear, but enough to keep things ticking over ready to fire up for the future owner.