Has the Rolex bubble finally burst? Perhaps it has

[Mezzanine]

Harry Flashman said:

I prefer my AD not to refer to me at all, nor to make direct eye contact, when negotiating a timepiece. It's a deeply unequal relationship, so why should they even try?

Makes giving them a hand job for a Pepsi easier, anyway.

That's what "wrist time" means, right?

No wonder you have so many watches Harry

[sandman77]

Mezzanine said:

Harry Flashman said:

I prefer my AD not to refer to me at all, nor to make direct eye contact, when negotiating a timepiece. It's a deeply unequal relationship, so why should they even try?

Makes giving them a hand job for a Pepsi easier, anyway.

That's what "wrist time" means, right?

No wonder you have so many watches Harry

And they are all very well wound.

[mikey_b]

paulguitar said:

popeyewhite said:

kevinon said:

Is it just me that has an aversion to being called 'Sir' by salespeople.

It's better than 'mate', or some other kind of forced familiarity. Seems a bit antiquated, my surname would do, but it's deemed the most polite form of address.

You prefer Kev?

I hate being called 'sir' and don't enjoy being addressed by my surname either. A simple 'Paul' is fine.


Or 'your excellency'.

I’m not a fan of ‘sir’ either. TBH, when talking one to one with someone, there’s really no need for names at all. A simple greeting initially for which Sir is fine, but after that there’s no need to keep using a name at all. It’s even more annoying when someone’s on the phone and repeatedly uses ‘Mr surname’ in every sentence.

[Mezzanine]

sandman77 said:

Mezzanine said:

Harry Flashman said:

I prefer my AD not to refer to me at all, nor to make direct eye contact, when negotiating a timepiece. It's a deeply unequal relationship, so why should they even try?

Makes giving them a hand job for a Pepsi easier, anyway.

That's what "wrist time" means, right?

No wonder you have so many watches Harry

And they are all very well wound.

[Jamescrs]

mikey_b said:

I’m not a fan of ‘sir’ either. TBH, when talking one to one with someone, there’s really no need for names at all. A simple greeting initially for which Sir is fine, but after that there’s no need to keep using a name at all. It’s even more annoying when someone’s on the phone and repeatedly uses ‘Mr surname’ in every sentence.

Agree with this I hate “Sir” and when someone says Mr (surname) I feel like they should be addressing my father.

[Blown2CV]

people that hate being called sir have an authority complex or are like angry champagne lefties. Or both.

[paulguitar]

Blown2CV said:

people that hate being called sir have an authority complex or are like angry champagne lefties. Or both.

Crikey

[Louis Balfour]

Blown2CV said:

people that hate being called sir have an authority complex or are like angry champagne lefties. Or both.

Someone with an authority complex would want to be called Sir.

I don't like it, and I am not a champagne lefty.

I think it is used by some people as compensation for other failings "I can be useless / incompetent / arsey but as long as I call you Sir I have a free pass". If they call me Louis the playing field is level and they cannot hide behind faux deference.

I am immediately suspicious of anyone who uses their title - Mr Jones, Mrs Smith etc. It is prolific in the public sector and used by the lowly to afford themselves some level of authority. I also don't like doctors referring to themselves as Dr. though most of them do.

The only situation where I think it is quite sweet is when my tailor does it. It's just a tradition thing.

Every time I say, "it's Louis"

"Certainly Sir".

[Barchettaman]

Jamescrs said:

Agree with this I hate “Sir” and when someone says Mr (surname) I feel like they should be addressing my father.

I call everybody sir when I am back in the UK; having spoken languages for years where there is a formal address for people you don’t know (tu/vous, tu/lei, du/Sie) I find it odd and awkward to say ‘mate’ to someone I have just met.

I cannot understand why anyone (male) would dislike or take offence to being addressed as sir by a stranger.

[Blown2CV]

Louis Balfour said:

Blown2CV said:

people that hate being called sir have an authority complex or are like angry champagne lefties. Or both.

Someone with an authority complex would want to be called Sir.

you're missing out the huge majority of the population who don't care. It is very weird to care either way about being called sir.

[Jefferson Steelflex]

I was in Tenerife last week, the AD at Plaza del Duque had available for sale a Sub Date, Yachtmaster and a load of different DateJust and OPs.

Sub-Date was the standard 126610LN (?), the Yachtmaster was a fabulous looking thing in White Gold with rubber strap. Don't know if these are rare models these days, but I walked in dressed like I was holiday (because I was) and I was able to buy both if I wanted. I only went in there to kill 10 mins and didn't think I'd get served given how I was dressed, but they had a few watches in the window with prices and I thought I'd be nosey and ask what was genuinely available.

[paulguitar]

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I was in Tenerife last week, the AD at Plaza del Duque had available for sale a Sub Date, Yachtmaster and a load of different DateJust and OPs.

Sub-Date was the standard 126610LN (?), the Yachtmaster was a fabulous looking thing in White Gold with rubber strap. Don't know if these are rare models these days, but I walked in dressed like I was holiday (because I was) and I was able to buy both if I wanted. I only went in there to kill 10 mins and didn't think I'd get served given how I was dressed, but they had a few watches in the window with prices and I thought I'd be nosey and ask what was genuinely available.

I don't think there is a dress code.

[Jefferson Steelflex]

paulguitar said:

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I was in Tenerife last week, the AD at Plaza del Duque had available for sale a Sub Date, Yachtmaster and a load of different DateJust and OPs.

Sub-Date was the standard 126610LN (?), the Yachtmaster was a fabulous looking thing in White Gold with rubber strap. Don't know if these are rare models these days, but I walked in dressed like I was holiday (because I was) and I was able to buy both if I wanted. I only went in there to kill 10 mins and didn't think I'd get served given how I was dressed, but they had a few watches in the window with prices and I thought I'd be nosey and ask what was genuinely available.

I don't think there is a dress code.

You haven't seen my legs

[paulguitar]

Jefferson Steelflex said:

paulguitar said:

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I was in Tenerife last week, the AD at Plaza del Duque had available for sale a Sub Date, Yachtmaster and a load of different DateJust and OPs.

Sub-Date was the standard 126610LN (?), the Yachtmaster was a fabulous looking thing in White Gold with rubber strap. Don't know if these are rare models these days, but I walked in dressed like I was holiday (because I was) and I was able to buy both if I wanted. I only went in there to kill 10 mins and didn't think I'd get served given how I was dressed, but they had a few watches in the window with prices and I thought I'd be nosey and ask what was genuinely available.

I don't think there is a dress code.

You haven't seen my legs

[iphonedyou]

Barchettaman said:

I cannot understand why anyone (male) would dislike or take offence to being addressed as sir by a stranger.

PHer exceptionalism. Nothing more.

[kevinon]

Louis Balfour said:

Someone with an authority complex would want to be called Sir.

I don't like it, and I am not a champagne lefty.

I think it is used by some people as compensation for other failings "I can be useless / incompetent / arsey but as long as I call you Sir I have a free pass". If they call me Louis the playing field is level and they cannot hide behind faux deference.

I am immediately suspicious of anyone who uses their title - Mr Jones, Mrs Smith etc. It is prolific in the public sector and used by the lowly to afford themselves some level of authority. I also don't like doctors referring to themselves as Dr. though most of them do.

The only situation where I think it is quite sweet is when my tailor does it. It's just a tradition thing.

Every time I say, "it's Louis"

"Certainly Sir".

That's like a Jeeves and Wooster sketch with Fry and Laurie! Funny.

Regarding the chat about 'Sir' - it's the unctuous version - 'Oooh excellent choice Sir' that brings me out in hives.

As a customer at Coutts Bank in my youth, (20's , 30's) I had older men call me Sir. A bit odd. But they were wearing tailcoats, so not the oddest thing at 440 Strand.

Asa pauper now, I think I'd be most comfortable with the 'level playing field' approach mentioned above. If I was a high-flying powerfully built connoisseur, I think I'd prefer an informal, polite interaction.

[Buster73]

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I was in Tenerife last week, the AD at Plaza del Duque had available for sale a Sub Date, Yachtmaster and a load of different DateJust and OPs.

Sub-Date was the standard 126610LN (?), the Yachtmaster was a fabulous looking thing in White Gold with rubber strap. Don't know if these are rare models these days, but I walked in dressed like I was holiday (because I was) and I was able to buy both if I wanted. I only went in there to kill 10 mins and didn't think I'd get served given how I was dressed, but they had a few watches in the window with prices and I thought I'd be nosey and ask what was genuinely available.

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

[Shnozz]

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

[Louis Balfour]

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

When was the last time you saw anyone staffing UK customs, much less stopping anyone? The last time I saw it was 1976. That was so long ago you were still allowed to smoke on 'planes.

[popeyewhite]

kevinon said:

As a customer at Coutts Bank in my youth, (20's , 30's) I had older men call me Sir. A bit odd.

It's completely normal in the context you mention. An old traditional firm using old traditional form of address.