DOAWD - Talks with an Ex-Rolex Authorised Dealer: AD vs. Grey Market

Authorised dealer vs grey market dealer?
Jay Tran chats with Victor Yan, a former Rolex authorised dealer who made the jump to the grey market. Dive into this episode, where Victor debunks market myths and shares insider tips.
Victor started his watch journey in 2019 with a Rolex dealership in Sydney and switched to the grey market by 2021. He shares his experiences, revealing the highs and lows of dealing with sought-after Rolex watches. You'll get the inside scoop on how to build relationships with dealers and navigate the tricky landscape of expression of interest lists to score the watch you’ve been eyeing.
Expect to hear some entertaining and memorable stories from Victor’s career, including humorous and touching client interactions. Whether you’re a watch enthusiast looking to expand your collection or a dealer wanting some insider knowledge, this episode is packed with valuable insights and fun anecdotes.
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• Instagram: @thewatchguyjay ( / thewatchguyjay )

[@solidstream13]

The true Rolex experience “we have nothing to sell you” 😂

[@joonkt3483]

Agree

[@londonman8688]

victor seemed very careful not to tell the truth about ADs because that is where he is sourcing his new watches from

[@Workingmanlifestyle]

Great to see one of my favourite watch dealers Jay on KZbin 🎉

[@WatchGuyJay]

Haha thanks ❤

[@eggs-benny]

Great conversation, really cool to hear things from the Australian perspective. Looking forward to more content like this!

[@WatchGuyJay]

More to come !

[@WatchGuyJay]

More to come !

[@henryan7507]

Loved every minute of this, great work Jay 🤙

[@londonman8688]

this feels like a 2021 chat and out of date

[@AMEX_]

Use to chat to Victor at his AD. Super knowledgeable and friendly to chat to. I’d occasionally just walk in and just talk about watches without even asking to buy anything. I just wanted someone to talk about the hobby with someone, during my lunch times. Legend bloke, was pretty disappointed when he mentioned he was leaving. My chances purchasing from his AD went to Zero. Vic if you’re reading this, best of luck. I still have your number on my phone.

[@victoryan2405]

It's not easy to find an SA that's actually passionate about watches and willing to just talk watches with you with no pressure to buy anything. Feel free to reach out one these days!

[@Club98000]

So he wasn’t the Authorised Dealer, he was a AD Rolex salesman. Big difference.

[@FuckYoutubeCensorshipCunts]

Misleading title

[@barkmark]

Really interesting podcast. Learnt a lot 😂

[@RachelPitcher-k5k]

I just got into watch collecting. I've loved watches since I was young but I never had anyone teach me or bring deeper into the world. amzwatch brought closer to a community and hobby I always wanted to get into more and that is incredibly meaningful to me !

[@APDLuu]

Great conversation!

[@angelsheart85]

Valuable episode. Thank you very much. We all learn more from people who are passionate about watches and thus started in the filed, than from people who are in horology professionally from day 1. So thank you guys.

[@Patriot4Life1776]

The strategy that Rolex has rolled out will continue to work if people continue to pay inflated prices in the secondary watch market and through the CPO program. If people stopped buying watches using these two channels, prices would capitulate within 30 days and the ADs would call their list begging people to buy watches. Wake up people! Stop supporting brands that try to fleece you!!!

[@dannysimenauer5745]

Great point! I no longer will enter a Rolex AD if there cases only have Exhibition Only inventory.

[@angelsheart85]

As an SA in a multibrand watch store.... I dont know...but how do you guys, official dealers, manage to have so many rolex inquiries and are you just talking about people inquiring and exiting the store or are those buyers? Because I do have those coming to check out rolex, enjoying it on the wrist for a few moments, but not planing to buy at all. In 5 months I managed to sell 2, all in one week, and the months before or after nada at all. From my perspective an official dealer getting the stock of 120 rolexes a month is already too much, if they are not moving at all at the desired speed.

[@watchexplorer426]

If you are looking for a customer who wants to buy. I and sure others would gladly come shop. Just drop the AD name. We will gladly buy all you can sell.

[@tungstencalais3201]

@@watchexplorer426 Probably a whole bunch of precious metal watches that trade below retail that no one wants to touch.

[@Odat]

The WORST place to try and get a Rolex is an only Rolex store. You have a much better chance at a family owned AD or a medium sized AD. He is wrong about this point.

[@NeoWahNah]

😂 This long af vid only confirms one thing! TSWMID and grey market dealers are trying deperately to keep facade alive!

[@timemasterhms]

Exactly. Seeing every watch dealer and grey market dealer making a social media presence to try and find new customers is pathetic now. They realized the boom is over and are scrambling to keep the flipping world alive by using social media to appear more personable.

[@JamesonBrown-en2tx]

15:13 this is the reason you watch enthusiasts can't get your Rolex allocation. Flippers like this guy.

[@JamesonBrown-en2tx]

20:11, 21:12, then also 15:13 😂😂😂😂😂😂. A bit of a hypocrite there, Mr. Grey Flipper?

[@geno816]

My AD won't accept payment (for rolex only) with credit card. Has to be cash or debit. Any other watch in store can be paid with credit. Was kinda sketchy to me. But maybe normal.

[@WatchGuyJay]

Interesting I haven’t heard of this before

[@Blk_pantherfit]

Same thing here in Dallas

[@penne9346]

AD? Sounds like a gray market dealer. My AD won't accept cash.

[@davidhoyt-hoyt]

In business, 90 day terms are expected. The whip hand is held by the larger corp. But even there, they’ll be stuck with 90 day terms. Generally, the seller expects to get 90 day rolling loans to cover the lag. It is part of the cost of business. If you don’t include the financing costs, you go out of business. The retail customer generally don’t expect that. In some places, it’s even illegal. As the seller, you’re likely being paid by card. So you have to wait for then ready yourself. In your business, the lag will be expected by any corpo people. They might be arrogant enough to pressure you. Still, they do that themselves to all of their suppliers. Your (ad) lag should be accepted. On the gray side, not so much.

[@michaellui74]

Love your videos, 👍👍👍new subscriber. Is this true 40 percent of AD dealers sell back door to gray market to make a profit especially like gmt or Daytona cause their in high demand?? Thank you .watching you from San Francisco

[@dann5554]

Some interesting topics.. Personally would never buy from a "watch dealer" that popped up during covid. These are the same scumbags that ruined sneakers looking for quick dollar

[@bigj324]

What I'm hearing is I'll be waiting for a really long time or have no chance of getting my first Rolex.

[@WatchGuyJay]

Unfortunately the current state of the watch market 🥲

[@joonkt3483]

​@@WatchGuyJayit's not the "current state". It has always been. Pieces are typically offered to flipper buddies for share of profit than to a true collector where no profit is made.

[@joonkt3483]

I've waited really long as well. Over 6 yrs for a SD43. All they want to is sell you pieces with semi or full precious metal pieces before even talking about the actual desired piece. That's the game they play to stay afloat. Nonetheless, I've already lost interest in the SD43. Will not bother to buy it even if they call me.

[@londonman8688]

the managers in the ADs have the relationships not the sales staff.

[@diefenbachfravert]

I absolutely love watches, the high end watch brands are out of my budget but the MAMACOO has literally an almost duplicate of every single watch on the market . Always a great but no matter your budget.

[@CHASI146]

the story is very simple. Just pay for the watch at AD more than the grey market pay and you will get the watch!

[@johannaugustine3508]

lol, ADs feel too entitled, when all they really deal with are flippers.

[@bakso1]

Sounds like there’s no rhyme or reason as to how the ADs work. You’re pretty much at the whim of the SA/AD.

[@WatchGuyJay]

Correct

[@paulbrowning5376]

17:40 Wow, and we thought the education in America was bad! 😂

[@cookingwithwatches]

Great conversation, but come on guys please be honest. You know exactly who those flippers are. You mentioned in 20:40 that your clients are mostly white color professionals, doctors, lawyers etc. You know exactly that most of those clients are flippers. Money makes money. I know for a fact that people of high income are the main flippers.

[@WatchGuyJay]

In my experience the flippers come from all and every profession, not just white collar professionals. One thing is for sure, those who can build a great connection with their AD are usually the ones that get all the watches.

[@cookingwithwatches]

@@WatchGuyJay True, but only few can buy desirable watches like GMT Pepsi and Daytonas. Those few are white collar professionals like Doctors, Lawyers etc. You know exactly what I’m talking about.

[@londonman8688]

how did rolex salesman earn a living if they had no watches to sell ?

[@drkesrf]

While i do agree relationships in business matter, this has gone too far. Its become smug and obnoxious

[@RyanCedeno-d3i]

Great video, very accurate analysis. In my 4.5 years in the game as a watch collector and enthusiast, I collected a lot from amzwatch I was thinking I was able to get a blue SD but I'm not vip enough, but I'm not giving up. Hehe. Great video.

[@agill2103]

Buy the AD a coffee, get the watch and flip it right away

[@cocoyc495]

So you are still screwed if you want your first milestone watch. You would have had to have 5 previous milestone watches to get a Rolex these days. 😂

[@carlosoruna7174]

AD sells to grey market dealer «sjhares in the profit of first resale..Simple..

[@streetmoney21]

Rolex produces 1.2 million watches a year, but how much of that inventory ends up on the shelf at a grey market dealer?

[@WatchGuyJay]

Good question, I’ll make a video about this 😂

[@DonaldForleo]

As a broke boy and actual enthusiast who wants watch’s prices to crater, MaMaCoo is a good choice.

[@mobilemcsmarty1466]

with an experience like that I won't buy Rolex on general principle. on my wrist I'd rather not announce "look everyone how I love being a dum-shit and worked over!" in the mail the next buy is a Grand Seiko diver spring drive. my late loving Grandfather was a jeweler (among other colorful occupations since surviving the Great War). there was always an Omega on his wrist. I can have any Seiko or Omega at any time, and do. so f Rolex 😎

[@kennettle]

I wore a Rolex for years but usually don't wear any watch now. Not likely I will go into a Rolex store and suck up to these guys. Most Rolexes I see today are fakes. My digital casio gets a lot of attention.

[@MrKliew]

What’s up with his ear? 🧐

[@AdreamX]

As if everybody needs a rolex.

[@wooozy9281]

This guy 💯 is related to Kim Jung

[@trusty099]

There two chinese boys are wearing pretty nice fakes.

[@Mark-ph5nh]

please speak English!!!

[@LindaBui-s3o]

#amzwatch Bolsa réplica 1:1 con imagen reflejada, resistente y resistente al desgaste. Me gusta mucho.

[@ellysemakula]

#MaMaCoo 's watch really surprises me！

[@MaryDoherty-q6b]

MaMaCoo is best watch factory!!!