The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[Phileas Fogg]

When I look through Hodinkee’s “shop” section and see the brands they sell, I can’t help wonder who is doing whom the favor.

 

[-Skyfall-]

Went into an AD today just to look around. Nothing was really in the case that interested me. The owner walked up and we spoke for like 2 minutes and he said he'd be right back. And he brought out this bad boy I picked up!

Pics

I thought there was a zero percent chance I just walk into an AD and walk out with a Rolex SS sports model...but goes to show you never know.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Went into an AD today just to look around. Nothing was really in the case that interested me. The owner walked up and we spoke for like 2 minutes and he said he'd be right back. And he brought out this bad boy I picked up!

Pics

I thought there was a zero percent chance I just walk into an AD and walk out with a Rolex SS sports model...but goes to show you never know.

did you have a prior relationship with them?

 

[-Skyfall-]

did you have a prior relationship with them?

No. haha I had to leave and go wire the money to them. And when I went back the owner was gone, but two managers were there helping me check out. And they were mind blown he sold it to me like that. One said he's had people waiting on it for two years.

He for sure gained a customer for life though.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

No. haha I had to leave and go wire the money to them. And when I went back the owner was gone, but two managers were there helping me check out. And they were mind blown he sold it to me like that. One said he's had people waiting on it for two years.

He for sure gained a customer for life though.

that’s crazy! Lucky you.
I wonder if he just didn’t like those sales associates and was trying to f**k them.

 

[-Skyfall-]

that’s crazy! Lucky you.
I wonder if he just didn’t like those sales associates and was trying to f**k them.

There was a nice young lady I was speaking to showing me a couple DJ41s when I first walked in before he walked up. Hopefully she got commission for the sale. I think she did because her name was on the invoice.

 

[taxgenius]

No. haha I had to leave and go wire the money to them. And when I went back the owner was gone, but two managers were there helping me check out. And they were mind blown he sold it to me like that. One said he's had people waiting on it for two years.

He for sure gained a customer for life though.

Very odd that you were able to jump ahead without a prior relationship.

 

[Texasmade]

Maybe he got spooked by the Chicago AD selling to greys and figured why not sell it to a walk-in to show normal people can still get SS sports models.

 

[Neville Southall]

I don’t remember who said that the new Speedy should have had a deployant clasp with a micro-adjustment system similar to that used on the Seamaster. This picture of an IG account (not mine) illustrates my rebuttal to that point of inquiry:

 

[dauster]

Not in the least bit interested

only if released as a travel clock

 

[classicalthunde]

And they were mind blown he sold it to me like that. One said he's had people waiting on it for two years.

He for sure gained a customer for life though.

While I don’t personally agree, I can certainly understand forgoing a waitlist process to take care of top clients for business reasons. But just bypassing a years-long waitlist for no reason to someone who just stumbled in off the street seems like madness.

He may have gained a customer for life, but lost several more in the process.

I don’t ask or expect that everything be “fair” in life or watch sales, but I do ask that sales people tell it to me straight...to be honest I don’t know if I would be loyal to a store that would treat its other customers that way. It’s like the same set up as a mistress-turned-wife being upset at their husbands repeated infidelity down the line

 

[-Skyfall-]

While I don’t personally agree, I can certainly understand forgoing a waitlist process to take care of top clients for business reasons. But just bypassing a years-long waitlist for no reason to someone who just stumbled in off the street seems like madness.

He may have gained a customer for life, but lost several more in the process.

I don’t ask or expect that everything be “fair” in life or watch sales, but I do ask that sales people tell it to me straight...to be honest I don’t know if I would be loyal to a store that would treat its other customers that way. It’s like the same set up as a mistress-turned-wife being upset at their husbands repeated infidelity down the line

I understand your point. But I want to clear something up they told me. They said when I asked about wait lists that they aren’t allowed to have a list. Which of course I assumed could be bs. But the sales associate I talked to first told me she’d give me her card, and to call once a week to see if anything has came in.

so I don’t want to give the impression that I skipped a line. Because they were very adamant that they aren’t allowed to have a list. The one associate that said he had someone waiting for 18 months or whatever probably just had someone asking for that long. But if there’s actually not a list then no harm no foul imo and it’s just luck of the draw.


But at the end of the day I’m just super grateful, stuff like that never happens to me. So he made my year. He also kept saying he only brought it out because of how friendly I was being too. The stars must’ve aligned perfectly.

 

[classicalthunde]

I understand your point. But I want to clear something up they told me. They said when I asked about wait lists that they aren’t allowed to have a list. Which of course I assumed could be bs. But the sales associate I talked to first told me she’d give me her card, and to call once a week to see if anything has came in.

so I don’t want to give the impression that I skipped a line. Because they were very adamant that they aren’t allowed to have a list. The one associate that said he had someone waiting for 18 months or whatever probably just had someone asking for that long. But if there’s actually not a list then no harm no foul imo and it’s just luck of the draw.


But at the end of the day I’m just super grateful, stuff like that never happens to me. So he made my year. He also kept saying he only brought it out because of how friendly I was being too. The stars must’ve aligned perfectly.

oh, I don’t blame you for jumping on it if it was a watch you’ve been wanting! I probably would have done the same thing if I was in your shoes, it’s tough to turn that type of thing down

my beef is with a store that has people waiting for a specific watch and then doesn’t follow up with them when the watch they’ve been theoretically inquiring about for 18 months has finally come in.

No issues with you jumping on the opportunity, I’d just caution pledging life long loyalty to a store that does someone else dirty like that...

 

[Phileas Fogg]

The whole waitlist thing sounds sort of strange to me anyway. Does one get on it just by asking? Is one invited to get on it? There’s no strict legal requirement or condition placed on how the list is organized. You could be #100 but if you suddenly show yourself an enthusiastic customer and drop a ton of dough on hard to move stuff, I’m guessing you move up to #1.

They probably put your name on some list, but in reality, they already know to whom they’re going to sell it.

It’s like when the position for an ambassador or attorney general comes up. By law, you’re allowed to submit an application and the government has to accept it, but come on.

 

[classicalthunde]

The whole waitlist thing sounds sort of strange to me anyway. Does one get on it just by asking? Is one invited to get on it? There’s no strict legal requirement or condition placed on how the list is organized. You could be #100 but if you suddenly show yourself an enthusiastic customer and drop a ton of dough on hard to move stuff, I’m guessing you move up to #1.

They probably put your name on some list, but in reality, they already know to whom they’re going to sell it.

It’s like when the position for an ambassador or attorney general comes up. By law, you’re allowed to submit an application and the government has to accept it, but come on.

Right, but at least there’s a rationale/business case to those scenarios and bumping them to the top of the waitlist. I just don’t see the logic in forgoing those who have inquired and are waiting in favor of someone who has no experience/relationship/sales history

It’d be like if a President overlooked his fundraisers, campaign staff, and political allies and just give an ambassadorship to someone he ran into at a rally once who said they were interested in Europe

when I went to a large AD recently to inquire about a no-date sub, they didn’t mention a list but did take my contact info down and said they would get in touch when they could procure one for me. I won’t blame them if they take care of their big dog clients or deep pocket enthusiasts first, but I would be pissed if they offered it right on the spot to someone who came in off the street, who may have not even been looking for that specific model, before reaching out to me.