Gilbert: Rolex did not buy Bucherer to gain retailer leverage
Ben Gilbert · Rolex (Audio) · Acquired · Feb 24, 2025 · at 3:49:13
Acquired co-host Ben Gilbert analyzes the strategic rationale behind Rolex acquiring retail giant Bucherer given Rolex's existing dominance over authorized dealers.
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“Yes, it will help them improve their economics for watches that they sell through Boucherer, but not why they did it. Yes, it will help them improve leverage over other retailers, but they didn't need that. They already do things like, gee, it would be nice if you wanted to remain a Rolex authorized dealer if you sunk A whole bunch of capital costs into rebuilding this part of the store to make it better. Oh, no, no, we mean you. We would like you to do that. We will get back to you this December if we're going to renew the contract for next year for you to stay a dealer or not, but let us know in those renovations. They have all the leverage, all of it, so I don't think it's like, oh, now we own this retailer, and they didn't need that at all.”
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