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

[mebiuspower]

 

[NonServiam]

How depressing having to simp to your AD. I want my dealer to send me postcards, begging me to buy their overpriced and useless trinkets. Enjoying the depreciation of this piece and others, and what it hopefully means for future buying experiences

 

[Scuppers]

How depressing having to simp to your AD. I want my dealer to send me postcards, begging me to buy their overpriced and useless trinkets. Enjoying the depreciation of this piece and others, and what it hopefully means for future buying experiences
View attachment 1909871

Which was the norm 5 years ago, as you’d know.

 

[NonServiam]

Which was the norm 5 years ago, as you’d know.

Indeed! All three times I bought a Daytona from my AD, 2006, 2016 and 2021, I timed it with a relative hype though.

 

[NakedYoga]

If that was a Panerai I’d buy immediately.

It's a Heuer.

Great Gus, congrats!

The SA at the biggest Rolex AD in Cinci where I’ve shopped told me he allocated a Batman GMT to a guy bc he sent monthly Batman themed greeting cards (and things like Batman Lego’s etc).
So, it works to simply dote/date your sales associate!

I bet he allocated the piece so the guy would leave him alone.

 

[mak1277]

I’m glad I got my Rolex when I did. My experience included walking into the store, trying it on and giving them my credit card. Entire thing took less than ten minutes of my life. I guess if you want something bad enough it might be worth the whole deal of prostrating yourself before some salesperson, but I have never wanted anything that much. Personally, I’d pay above retail before I’d grovel.

 

[montecristo#2]

View attachment 1909813

Great watch, awesome photo.

 

[montecristo#2]

How depressing having to simp to your AD. I want my dealer to send me postcards, begging me to buy their overpriced and useless trinkets. Enjoying the depreciation of this piece and others, and what it hopefully means for future buying experiences
View attachment 1909871

A Daytona I actually like. 👍

 

[smittycl]

I’m glad I got my Rolex when I did. My experience included walking into the store, trying it on and giving them my credit card. Entire thing took less than ten minutes of my life. I guess if you want something bad enough it might be worth the whole deal of prostrating yourself before some salesperson, but I have never wanted anything that much. Personally, I’d pay above retail before I’d grovel.

I walked in and bought mine back in 2000 as well. They were hard to find where I lived but I managed to get one on a business trip.

 

[Clouseau]

I walked in and bought mine back in 2000 as well. They were hard to find where I lived but I managed to get one on a business trip.

Did you buy yours secondhand ?
Much easier than new (today).

 

[9thsymph]

Yeah, guys...going into the AD a few times and having pleasant conversations with your SA about watches and maybe even exchanging some texts/emails - just to be allocated watches that are scarcely available - is fvcking crazy! Much better to pay a steep premium on the grey market and retain one's anti-social dignity!

Seriously, Gus gets himself a nice watch after some common sense socializing and you guys find a way to spit in his soup? Boomer fest...

 

[mak1277]

Yeah, guys...going into the AD a few times and having pleasant conversations with your SA about watches and maybe even exchanging some texts/emails - just to be allocated watches that are scarcely available - is fvcking crazy! Much better to pay a steep premium on the grey market and retain one's anti-social dignity!

Seriously, Gus gets himself a nice watch after some common sense socializing and you guys find a way to spit in his soup? Boomer fest...

I think it’s great he got his watch. I said I totally understand it if you want something that bad. And yeah, I admit readily to be a misanthrope.

And I’m nearly young enough to be a millennial…but not quite.

 

[symphvaria]

And I’m nearly young enough to be a millennial…but not quite.

OK 30 year old boomer.

 

[9thsymph]

I think it’s great he got his watch. I said I totally understand it if you want something that bad. And yeah, I admit readily to be a misanthrope.

And I’m nearly young enough to be a millennial…but not quite.

I was mainly referring to the sentiment that there is some sort of valor in the manner in which one purchases their [gold] Rolex, that entails a cowering SA who quakes and pleads in the presence of the worthy! Haha...what a load of sh*t!

 

[patrick_b]

Personally, I’d pay above retail before I’d grovel.

I won't grovel but I refuse to pay a premium so that means I go without. I was able to get the watch I wanted in just over two weeks from the Rolex Boutique but it wasn't a hype watch. I'm genuinely curious what happens when I ask for a Daytona, the only other Rolex I'd like to buy.

2023 Ref. 124270:

I walked in and bought mine back in 2000 as well. They were hard to find where I lived but I managed to get one on a business trip.

I've shared this before but when seeking the new (2007-8) ceramic SS GMT, I found the hunt quite fun. I visited AD's all over the country for a good six months before I found one. I looked at so many different watches that year. No availability in cities like Miami, Chicago, SF, LA, DC, San Diego, Boston. Got stuck in a smaller market one night and the mall based AD had one in the case that had been sitting for a while. He even started at 10% discount.

That kind of hunt was enjoyable as I knew there would be a payoff at some point. Nowadays, the idea of begging a salesperson for a luxury good is more than a bit off-putting. I still travel often but knowing that the chances of finding something in stock is virtually zero keeps me from even trying.

2008 Ref. 116710: