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The Hulk Grail Debacle

2K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  ithardin 
#1 ·
So I really want a Hulk. It is truly one of my grails. I’ve seen one, held one, tried it on at my local AD. Wanted to purchase it and was told it was being held for another customer. I asked if he’d paid for it already. The answer was no. A couple months later I inquired again about the same Hulk, and was told that the customer still hadn’t picked it up or paid for it. I was told to rest assured that I was the next one on the list.

In the meantime, I have already owned and sold a Black Sub C, a few Datejusts and an Explorer 39mm. I enjoyed them somewhat but then sold them to make sure that I could jump on the opportunity of obtaining the Hulk if it presented itself. After experiencing the Hulk in hand, it never left my thoughts even when owning the other Rolexes.

It has now been a full calendar year and still no word from the AD. I called over there the other day and of course was told that to get a Hulk now would be impossible and that my best bet would be to pay the $15k on the secondary market... which I’m not doing. The sales rep asked me if I was interested in any other pieces and so I said “yeah, my other grail is a rose gold President with green Roman dial.” His reply was, “well if you buy one of those, then I’ll be able to get you a Hulk.”

WTH? How is it that I had Hulk in hand back when they were 10k on the secondary market but couldn’t get the sale, and now when they are 15k, I have to spend 32k in order to get it at MSRP 9k?

Lastly, I just want to say, that I don’t want a Hulk to flip. I want the full Rolex experience with one of my grail watches that I will keep forever.

I don’t even know what to feel about this situation. I feel like I was teased and promised and now have waited so long just to have other contingencies added to the pursuit of my grail.

I have a feeling that the Hulk will be discontinued this year at Basel and then the prices will continue to rise.

Any thoughts on if the Hulk will continue in production? Or as to what I should do with regards to the AD?
 
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#4 ·
I, personally, am sure that the Hulk will be discontinued next year at Basel; the Subs are overdue for their movement upgrade.

What to do with regards to the AD? there is nothing you can do except buying the DD in order to get the Hulk,which seems a fair deal to me. Otherwise, you have to pay the $15K to get your grail. But bear in mind that this watch will pass the $30K bar when discontinued. Good luck with your decision making.
 
#5 ·
Sounds like a plan BUT, when the original blue GMT was discontinued it doubled from retail but now sits unsold on the grey market. It's the same with the SD4K, now discontinued and hyped but selling for only small premiums over the last list. Nothing is moving now as prices have finally reached a level that people who would ordinarily not buy a Rolex tap out, thankfully. Same will happen with the green Sub, it's not rare and only appeals to a few.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Any thoughts on if the Hulk will continue in production? Or as to what I should do with regards to the AD?
No idea about production, but a quick call to my congressman followed by official correspondence on FTC letterhead sorted out my AD real quick. A Hulk "magically" became "available" within 24 hours once the full "weight" of the US "government" was in my corner.

I should add though this was less about equal access than it was acknowledging the concerns of a political patron. Indeed, my annual donations exceed the cost of a platinum Day-Date but I'm playing the long game and thus used a PM to test whether my interests were being protected. Truth be told, I didn't even want a Sub much less a green one as the stainless Nautilus better expresses who I am to my employees and the public at large.
 
#15 ·
I think it's fair to say that I don't call myself a Rolex fanboy, despite owning a couple (and having owned a few others). But I'm going to raise my hand to the unspoken question, "Is anyone here getting tired of the steady drumbeat of criticism and conspiracy theories directed only at Rolex?"

Sure...like many folks, I'm disappointed at the state of the luxury watch industry, how prices are up across the board and have soared into the stratosphere for certain brand's models. I think being disappointed is reasonable. What I don't think is reasonable is thread after thread of vitriol hurled at Rolex for not "fixing" something that really cannot be fixed, that being human nature. You would think Rolex has the cure for cancer and is intentionally slow-rolling it out, given the number of screeds I've seen here and elsewhere. Everyone and their brother has a story to tell about what their AD told them or how shabbily their AD treated them, and how they have an unreproachable source that tells them that Rolex is intentionally holding back supply in some Dr. Evil-like attempt to take over the world.

Man....enough already.


OP, you asked for advice? Here it is: pay the asking price grey or work the deal verbally offered through your AD.

There is no going back to "normal;" this IS the new normal, unless Rolex decides to throw caution to the wind - something we all know they are known for, right? - and decide to complete revamp their production model to capitalize on the higher demand for their lower end pieces, even though these are not as profitable as their precious metal models. The demand is not going to fall off, not with China here to stay as a global consumer, and Rolex is not going to start making 5 million units a year any time soon (if ever). If you want to stand on principle, that is your right, but it only means that people who see paying a premium as the cost of doing business will pass you in line as you stand still.

Regards,
Alysandir
 
#21 ·
What @Alysandir said...

Also, for the OP, if you already sold a SubC, EXPI, and some DJs, in order to be flexible should a Hulk arrive, then you have the funds for one from a grey. I would just get it and be done. Certainly you benefitted some from these Rolex market conditions in the sale of your SubC and EXPI, even if sold used near their MSRP — house money.
 
#23 ·
Any thoughts on if the Hulk will continue in production? Or as to what I should do with regards to the AD?
I do think the model's days are numbered and if you are adamant about not paying $15K now for it then I don't know what else to suggest except find a new AD.

A *tongue-in-cheek* suggestion would be to find another Hulk wanter in your area and go halfsies on a grey market one. You could even draw up a contract about how to split time between having it (every other week or something) and even get insurance in case one decides to abscond with it. Also include a "when one of us dies the other gets the watch" clause. Get creative and make it happen!
 
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