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#JOTW Worth the wait: my new Rolex Submariner!

Tonks

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I am so excited to introduce you to my new Rolex Submariner! She is a 116610LN, fresh from our local AD yesterday. (And yes, she still needs a name!) This watch is so special to me because it celebrates a couple of very special achievements that were a long time in the making: my recovery from severe depression, and subsequently earning my second degree black belt.

During that long time, I admired my husband’s Sub. I loved that it was so ridiculously practical. Everything about it was made to be used. The face was huge and easy to read in all light. Lume made it easy to read even in total darkness. The timing bezel was hugely practical, even if not actually diving (we’re certified but I don’t remember the last time we went!). I time things in everyday life constantly! I loved that its ceramic was a gorgeous shiny material but also incredibly durable. I loved the micro adjustments possible via the glide lock on the bracelet, because I swell a lot.

When I realized I wanted a Sub, I naively suggested to my husband that we could share his. (Shut up, I can hear you all laughing). Yeah, that went exactly nowhere. I even offered to buy him another watch so that we could alternate. No dice, he said. It is the perfect timepiece and by God, he will wear it every day. K

So I decided I needed a Sub of my own. When I bought my husband his Sub, I simply went down to our local AD (authorized dealer) and picked one out of the case. Things have changed. Oh good grief, have they changed. When you walk into an AD now and look at the Rolex case, it contains women’s models and some men’s Datejusts. Maybe a Milgauss or a Yachtmaster or a two tone Sub. Never any stainless steel sports watches. There’s a global shortage due to insanely high demand. Rolex is making the same amount they always have been, but the market has grown so much, especially overseas, that it means there are very few timepieces per potential customer over here. There are huge wait lists for all the sports models. I put my name down at both our local ADs and prepared to wait. I was told at one of them it would be a good year and a half to two years.

I scoured the watch forums and learned that this is basically the way it is now. The advice is to develop a relationship with the AD—to make sure they know you and like you and understand that you really want to wear the watch. So I did. I visited the store whenever I was in the area and texted with my salesperson regularly.

It has been a little over two months. I got the call yesterday that they had a Sub for me. I was so excited.

Here it is. It is a nontraditional watch for a female, but since it is celebrating a nontraditonally female achievement I find that appropriate. I’m also pretty tall and it seems to fit well on my frame.
 

bludiva

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Congrats on the watch, your recovery, and the black belt. Bad@$$ all around!
 

AV_

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It looks plenty girlie to me. Perfect garnish for serious good news. Health & Happyness!
 

cflutist

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Congratulations on such a signature watch
 

Kaycee2018

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Nice! It looks great on your wrist. My husband has the green sub (hulk) and adores it. Congrats on your achievements!
 

Ally T

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Love!! :love:
 

LinSF

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Congratulations on the achievements! What a wonderful way to celebrate!
 

Lykame

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Glorious!

Clearly you made a good impression on your AD. That is a really gorgeous model too, black, mmm, yummy! It will go with everything and dress down and up!

Congratulations on your achievements! Something to smile about every time you use it. You should think about taking it diving especially if you have the qualifications for that!
 

Tonks

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It looks plenty girlie to me. Perfect garnish for serious good news. Health & Happyness!
Thank you!!!

Congratulations on such a signature watch
Hadn’t even thought of that, but I do like the idea of a signature look. And thank you!

Nice! It looks great on your wrist. My husband has the green sub (hulk) and adores it. Congrats on your achievements!

Oh, the Hulk! I loooove the Hulk. I asked about it and the AD just said never gonna happen. Sigh. I saw one the other day. Gorgeous.

Also, thank you!

Glorious!

Clearly you made a good impression on your AD. That is a really gorgeous model too, black, mmm, yummy! It will go with everything and dress down and up!

Congratulations on your achievements! Something to smile about every time you use it. You should think about taking it diving especially if you have the qualifications for that!

Thanks! I was thinking that the black would go with everything, especially since I tend to wear a ton of black. I’ve gotten to like simpler—solid colors, more casual.

And yes we should go diving! But good grief I’d have to take a refresher course first!
 

Dancing Fire

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It has been a little over two months. I got the call yesterday that they had a Sub for me. I was so excited.
WoW!! a big Congrats! only a 2 month wait?? :clap: You are very lucky b/c most AD will not sell a S/S Sub at MSRP. They can sell S/S sports models through the back door for a premium thus the reason why we will not see any S/S Daytonas, Subs, GMT Masters in AD's case around the world. I love your S/S Sub with date, but I'm not willing to pay the aftermarket premium.
 
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LLJsmom

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Omg. I LOVE your watch. Argh!!! Wish list is growing!!!!!

Seriously it looks ridiculously good on you.

I want one!!!! What size is yours?
 

OoohShiny

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Congrats on the new arrival!

I hate to admit it because I don't particularly like Rolex as a company, but the Sub is, somehow, the perfect watch for basically every occasion... :lol:

Dress it up, dress it down - it always looks good!


There’s a global shortage due to insanely high demand. Rolex is making the same amount they always have been, but the market has grown so much, especially overseas, that it means there are very few timepieces per potential customer over here. There are huge wait lists for all the sports models. I put my name down at both our local ADs and prepared to wait. I was told at one of them it would be a good year and a half to two years.
I think what you are describing is a company limiting supply to allow increased pricing and higher profit margin ;-)
 

AV_

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Dancing Fire

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@Dancing Fire 'Aftermarket premium' - 'never hear of those!
This had been going on for the past 2.5 yrs on all S/S Rolex and Patek Philippe sports watches. You will not find any for sale at the ADs. These watches are sold through the back door for a premium way over the MSRP.
 

AV_

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This [aftermarket premiums] had been going on for the past 2.5 yrs on all S/S Rolex and Patek Philippe sports watches. You will not find any for sale at the ADs. These watches are sold through the back door for a premium way over the MSRP.

A nice gesture toward the aftermarket
 

Kaycee2018

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Oh, the Hulk! I loooove the Hulk. I asked about it and the AD just said never gonna happen. Sigh. I saw one the other day. Gorgeous.

Also, thank you!

Yeah...he was on the waiting list here in the US for a while (maybe a year?) when we happened to find it in Vienna a couple years ago, so no mark-up...I think we actually paid under US MSRP after the VAT Refund. Now he wants a Pepsi. *sigh* He indulges me with my jewelry and purse purchases, so I guess that means we will be Rolex shopping again when we are in EU in a few months LOL. I've tried it on but is just doesn't work on me, but it really looks great on you. Congrats again and wear it in good health!
 

Tonks

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WoW!! a big Congrats! only a 2 month wait?? :clap: You are very lucky b/c most AD will not sell a S/S Sub at MSRP. They can sell S/S sports models through the back door for a premium thus the reason why we will not see any S/S Daytonas, Subs, GMT Masters in AD's case around the world. I love your S/S Sub with date, but I'm not willing to pay the aftermarket premium.

I seriously think I got lucky. And also...my sales guy offered me the recently discontinued GMT a few weeks ago. I turned it down, because I really wanted a Sub. (Don’t get me wrong, it was a beautiful watch, but not what I was after). Later when he called me to tell me my Sub was in, I asked how if happened so fast. He told me two things helped. One, my husband bought jewelry there for Mother’s Day. And two, my turning down the GMT proved to the AD that I wasn’t in it to flip the watch on the secondary market—that I actually wanted it to wear. My sales guy referred to it later as a “test. One that you passed with flying colors.”

Conclusion: buying stainless Rolex in 2019 is weird.
 

lambskin

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It is so cool to get something you have wanted! Congrats!
 

Tonks

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This had been going on for the past 2.5 yrs on all S/S Rolex and Patek Philippe sports watches. You will not find any for sale at the ADs. These watches are sold through the back door for a premium way over the MSRP.

And some of those premiums are absolutely insane. The GMT Pepsi bezel? Laughable. DavidSW (reputable gray dealer) has one right now, not new, $8,325 over MSRP. He also has a new Sub (unworn, protective plastics in place). He’s asking $3,325 over MSRP.

However, if you cannot get the pieces at an AD, perhaps the markup is not unreasonable. I also get why people clamor to get things at through the AD. If the secondary market is true market price than the AD price is a significant discount.
 

OoohShiny

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And some of those premiums are absolutely insane. The GMT Pepsi bezel? Laughable. DavidSW (reputable gray dealer) has one right now, not new, $8,325 over MSRP. He also has a new Sub (unworn, protective plastics in place). He’s asking $3,325 over MSRP.

However, if you cannot get the pieces at an AD, perhaps the markup is not unreasonable. I also get why people clamor to get things at through the AD. If the secondary market is true market price than the AD price is a significant discount.
The supply and pricing strategy of Rolex is (IMHO) designed to restrict supply, allow them to increase prices by 10% a year for no good reason, and maintain a deliberately manipulated 'rarity' that helps support secondhand sales prices.

Arguably they are very good at what they do, as Rolex are probably the world's most well-known and sought after brand, but it irritates me, especially when (AIUI) their parent company is registered as a charity and they therefore don't pay any tax, and under Swiss law, don't have to reveal how much (if any...) money they actually gave to charity...


All that said, though, I do really want several of their watches... :???: :lol:
 
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SandyinAnaheim

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@Tonks Congratulations on the achievements and the acquisition of a beautiful timepiece!! I hope the pleasure it gives you helps you avoid depression in the future. Looks great on you!
 

Dancing Fire

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And some of those premiums are absolutely insane. The GMT Pepsi bezel? Laughable. DavidSW (reputable gray dealer) has one right now, not new, $8,325 over MSRP. He also has a new Sub (unworn, protective plastics in place). He’s asking $3,325 over MSRP.
When the Pepsi first came out he sold a new one for like $23K :eek-2:
2.5 yrs ago you could of bought as many S/S date Sub (new) as you wanted in the $7600-$7800 range.
 

luv2sparkle

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How cool! What a great way to mark your accompaniments, Tonk! It looks great on you!
 

Tonks

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When the Pepsi first came out he sold a new one for like $23K :eek-2:
2.5 yrs ago you could of bought as many S/S date Sub (new) as you wanted in the $7600-$7800 range.

23k?!?! :eek2:
 

Gussie

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I love it! You rock, Tonks!!! It looks great!
 

Stone Hunter

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Congrats! It looks great on you.
 

missy

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@Tonks wow that watch is GORGEOUS on you. Made for you. What a beautiful piece and one you will cherish and wear and enjoy for decades and decades. LOVE.:kiss2::kiss2::kiss2:
 
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