After just 2 and a half weeks of waiting, I got a call from my Rolex Authorised dealer (AD) happily telling me that my chosen Rolex watch, the Yacht-Master II was in stock, and asking would I like to come and purchase it. I said yes. I’d only reached out to that dealer 2 and a half weeks before, with no previous purchase history, and they made a watch available for me.
I did not want to buy the Rolex from a reseller/grey market/flipper. I wanted to buy my Rolex from a Rolex Authorised Dealer for the Rolex price, which is generally much cheaper than the flipper/reseller price. Not to mention, transferring the Rolex warranty with resellers is dubious and difficult. I’ve seen it in some of the Rolex ADs, people trying to get their watch serviced or adjusted without a warranty card and it isn’t possible.
Isn’t there a long Rolex Waiting List?
Yes and No I think. I circumvented the Rolex waiting list. Rolex watches are popular, hence stock is an issue. Plus, there are a lot of resellers on the list.
I failed with the first few Rolex Authorised Dealers I spoke to. I think walking in and asking for a popular model, such as a Rolex Daytona or Submariner doesn’t work. Being do direct I think makes them think you want one specific model to resell.
Next time, I spoke to another dealer and told them I was not buying to resell. That didn’t work, because I think they thought I was buying to resell by saying that I wasn’t. Opps.
So how did I beat the Rolex Waiting List?
I was polite with the third Rolex Authorised Dealer that I spoke to. After an initial email stating I was interested in a Yacht-Master II, I got a call from their sales rep. I was polite. I was not pushy. I engaged in a nice conversation about the different Rolex models. I explained what I liked specifically about the Rolex Yacht-Master II. She said that she’d get back to me as soon as she had stock. I wasn’t sure what to think. I’d almost given up on being able to buy a Yacht-Master II. But then, just 2 and a half weeks later I got the call. The Rolex Yacht-Master II was in stock.
Upon meeting the sales representative she explained that the conversation we’d had about the watch, and that I wasn’t pushy kept me front of mind for when my desired model came in. And then it arrived, and I got the call.
You don’t need a purchase history
At least, with the Rolex Authorised Dealer I dealt with, I didn’t.
It isn’t purchase history that counts. It isn’t flashing a lot of money or dressing up. In other Rolex ADs I’ve seen some people having a meltdown about not getting a phone call that their chosen Rolex watch is in stock yet after 5 years. It wasn’t great behaviour.
The way I skipped the Rolex waiting list? By being polite with the sales staff at the Authorised Dealer. And it was a pleasant experience. In store, they were great. Welcoming, engaged in conversation. Happy to help. Who would have thought, that it was just the simple human trait of being kind and polite that got me to the top of the list, or to skip it all together.
