Is Rolex buying Bucherer good?

I wonder what other brands are going to do? Will they sell in a retailer owned by a competitor? Will Rolex turn Bucherer and Tourneau into a Rolex and Tudor only locations?

Will it affect wait lists?

Will the ability to buy a Rolex be afforded to only those in the 1% of the 1%?

Will all AD's worldwide be closed eventually?

As I did not even know of this retailer before today, will it affect me in any way?

I can see the other brands pulling out as soon as they can. Why would Swatch, LVMN, Richmond, etc., let Rolex profit on their sales?

Though, maybe Rolex intended to end the AD association with all of them anyway, to try to grab more of a share of the waitlist market.

These are all good questions? I think this could have repercussion all through the industry.

I think this will be interesting to see what happens over time.

It's a good thing as far as I am concerned but then again that's mostly because it couldn't be much worse than it is right now. That said, it does indicate that Rolex values a good retail network and isn't going the way of AP, which is a worse offender than Rolex, where you have almost no stores and those stores have no inventory.

I mean, you don't buy the world's biggest watch shop operator unless you intend to sell watches in those shops. And the biggest complaint about Rolex is that they aren't selling enough watches.

I mainly wonder if Rolex is go to go strictly to these outlets/retailer and will it make it harder to get other brands? Will the other brands stay in these retailers? If Rolex does go strictly to these outlets/retailers that would make them harder to get by virtue of finding one of the shops. These shops from what I understand are only in larger markets.

I guess Rolex will start pushing their hot watches more towards Bucherer but they were already a huge retailer of Rolex so I don't think there is all that much room. Many models don't sell themselves anymore and so hoarding them at Bucherer stores makes little sense, Rolex will send out two-tone Datejusts to anyone who can sell them. A watch sold at Wempe is better than a watch not sold at all. Of course in places where Rolex is sold at Bucherer and a store right next door, that other store may get the axe. Like Munich has several Wempe and Bucherer locations in walking distance from each other... 😉 why sell a watch at Wempe if the Bucherer store I less than 5 mins away by foot. But if there is no Bucherer nearby I can't seem them cutting off the ADs.

As far as other brands are concerned, I don't think much will change. They may or may not have less stock but with anything other than Patek Philippe you can special order watches from the manufacturer so if someone wants a watch it would certainly be in Bucherer's and by extension Rolex's best interest to order and sell that watch.

This type of discussion is why I started this poll. It will be interesting to see what happens over time that is for sure.

As a collector that had written off Rolex as a brand due purely to experiences at ADs, I think this offers a real chance at changing my opinions on the brand. This development gives me reason to think that there’s a real possibility of integrity in retail distribution of Rolex watches. I would not consider bothering to ‘register interest’ with the ADs I’ve been to in the past. Their attitudes were blatantly condescending, and I felt no chance to buy a watch. With Rolex controlling the retail distribution, I might reconsider the brand (though only at Rolex owned ADs). I think this could help curb the ‘back door’ problem that has been obvious, and bring integrity to Rolex retail distribution.

I hope this is one of the outcomes. I also wonder if it will make getting other brands more difficult? Will Rolex allow the outlets to sell other brands outside Rolex and Tudor?

The relationship between Rolex and competitors under the same awning is likely going to be strained right from the start, imho. I expect any honeymoon period to be short, and other brands will seek to exit the AD agreement with Bucherer in time.

That is my gut feeling also.

That said, and in all likelihood the end game, I think this will hit the grey market big time. Why would any serious new customer try an AD EXCEPT Bucherer? Why, having been treated badly in the past bother to walk into those places again when they could go directly to Rolex and feel reasonably assured that ‘the list’ is now legitimate. Rolex can then develop a sense of trust that the current AD group never will with so many watch buyer, myself included. Fewer legitimate customers will force the current ADs into an increasingly difficult situation, and likely take away from the back door issues.

I hope you are correct.