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      12-12-2013, 06:43 PM   #1
tony20009
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Ever wanted an expensive watch, but it was too expensive?

Sometimes the nice watches one wants are just to darn expensive. Sometimes they are out of production, but you still want one. Buying used often is your only choice in such cases.

Where do you go to find them? Places I like to check when I'm seeking something that's no longer made are:
  • http://www.chrono24.com/ - largest selection by far. Many sellers are brick and mortar jewelers.
  • Alan Furman - not a huge selection, but what they have is good quality/condition. They are a grey market seller primarily which is why their used watch selection is somewhat limited.
  • Local auction houses -- because I want to see them before I buy at auction (auctions are nearly always AYOR)
  • James Edition - wonky website but a reliable place from which to buy (they offer a lot of stuff besides watches -- cars, boats, real estate, etc.)
  • Luxury Bazaar - grey market seller
  • Local antique jewelers
  • Local non-antique jewelers
  • Tourneau - huge Rolex selection, and decent selection on other brands. Not the cheapest, but reliably good quality/condition.
All the best
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      12-13-2013, 12:13 AM   #2
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watches24seven.com and matthewbaininc.com have some good finds from time to time (pun intended muhahaha)
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      12-13-2013, 12:30 AM   #3
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yes daily.
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      12-13-2013, 08:35 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD View Post
yes daily.


I bet you aren't alone. What do they say? Misery loves company.

All the best.
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      12-13-2013, 08:37 AM   #5
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I want a lot of things that are too expensive.
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      12-13-2013, 08:45 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THE TECH View Post
I want a lot of things that are too expensive.
OFF TOPIC:

+1 for your avatar. I loved V for Vendetta. Excellent movie!

All the best.
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      12-13-2013, 11:27 AM   #7
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Quote:
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I want a lot of things that are too expensive.
Yeah, I hear that. Can someone find me a mclaren p1 for cheap?
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      12-13-2013, 11:38 AM   #8
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i wanted to grab a AP Montauk Highway.....but damn wedding got in the way :?
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      12-13-2013, 12:38 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD View Post
Yeah, I hear that. Can someone find me a mclaren p1 for cheap?
Ask and you shall receive.

http://www.legacydiecast.com/mclaren...FcQDOgod4hcAdA
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      12-13-2013, 03:56 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tony20009 View Post
very cool tony. i may get that.
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      12-13-2013, 05:41 PM   #11
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      12-14-2013, 08:11 AM   #12
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timezone.com is the largest private collector sale website. Ask for references before you buy.
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      12-14-2013, 08:32 AM   #13
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      12-14-2013, 11:05 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EyeGuy View Post
Jomashop.com
I know about Jomashop's existence. I know they offer pretty decent prices for expensive, top tier watches. Mostly though, I use them as a bargaining chip when I'm haggling with ADs. I do that because over and over I see negative reviews of Joma's customer service.

I've had good results with Alan Furman among grey market sellers. There are, however, quite a lot of grey market sellers. Just Google the brand of watch you are interested in followed by the word "discount" and you'll find plenty of them.

James Edition is another good seller.

All the best.
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      12-15-2013, 12:02 PM   #15
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www.watchrecon.com
This website pulls in many different watch forums. Plenty of trust worthy private sellers with references. Quite a few AD's as well selling used watches as well.
It's where I found my Panerai 111 that I bought privately. Great transaction with a great guy.
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      12-23-2013, 10:05 PM   #16
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watchuseek, ebay and various local guys... best deals can be had from guys in the international watch network that hustle on the side... huge savings often on brand new and similar stuff.

http://www.topnotchwatch.com/

http://www.harmonyjewellers.ca/timep...-owned/cid/404 <<< personal reference for this guy if you are Canadian.

you need to have a 'watch guy' these days. most of the boutiques for Rolex, Omega etc. are staffed by 50 year old women in malls who dont know shit about the products they are selling. It's the best way for the watch co's to push volume and manage their product line... tougher to manage guys who are enthusiasts rather than jewellers.
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      12-23-2013, 10:46 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bing240sx View Post
...
you need to have a 'watch guy' these days. most of the boutiques for Rolex, Omega etc. are staffed by 50 year old women in malls who dont know shit about the products they are selling. It's the best way for the watch co's to push volume and manage their product line... tougher to manage guys who are enthusiasts rather than jewellers.
I guess it depends on where yo go. I went to Lenkersdorf (or something more or less like that spelling) and Lillenquist & Becksted in Tysons Corner, VA. In both places I found multiple highly knowledgeable and skilled sales people.

For example, I asked one of them about about the movements inside a watch and though he thought he had the right answer, he wasn't sure and checked with a colleague who knew right off the top of his head. The guy I was working with also did in fact have the correct answer along with the integrity to admit he wasn't totally sure and bothered to confirm his answer.

At another store, I spoke with a woman who knew more about Bruguet -- minute details, some of which were clarifications on the minute details I had mentioned -- than I did/do.

To your point, however, I also went to another store and spoke with a salesman who didn't know the difference between a Submariner and a Seadweller. I saw the SD in the case and mentioned that it looked much thicker than I recalled a Sub being. His reply: hmmm...I don't know why that would be. I then asked him if he was "into watches" or whether he just worked there because it pays the bills. He did admit the latter was his reason for being there. I guess I already had a sense that that would be his answer given some of the conversation I'd had with him before making the SD comment.

Based on my experience, if one is in a store selling brands that would have appeal to folks "into watches," there is surely at least one person, if not several, who will know a lot about watches. If the only "watchie" brands the store sells are Omega and Rolex, it's far more hit or miss regarding finding a highly knowledgeable salesperson.

In the end, I guess one must do one's own research before going to a store so that the store visit is mostly just to test drive a watch and make one's decision based on that plus what one learned in one's researching.

All the best.
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      12-24-2013, 08:59 AM   #18
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up around me all of the boutiques that sell rolex and omega are staffed exclusively by women and they are geared towards people who are either buying their first swiss watch or to people who are buying it as a gift for someone else.... no knowledge or style
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      12-24-2013, 09:34 AM   #19
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Quote:
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up around me all of the boutiques that sell rolex and omega are staffed exclusively by women and they are geared towards people who are either buying their first swiss watch or to people who are buying it as a gift for someone else.... no knowledge or style
That's dreadful. Are you in Toronto or Ottawa? Just asking so that if I'm ever there I don't waste my time looking for watches.

All the best.
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      01-01-2014, 02:09 PM   #20
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Discovered another wonderful GMS

IMO, there cannot be too many sellers of watches that everyone has heard of and that there is really no cause for concern over the quality of the watch's workmanship. I just found another great grey market seller (GMS):

http://www.pacificbaywatch.com/

The carry one of the best lineups of brands I've come across. For example, they are one of the very few discount sellers I've ever seen offering new watches from de Bethune, Chronoswiss, FP Journe, and many others. As for Rolex, I can say they are offering better discounts than most online discount sellers. Ditto Patek Philippe and Breguet. I noticed too that they have a great selection of new-old-stock (NOS) watches.

One caveat: their pre-owned offerings are mixed right in with the new stuff, so pay attention to what their descriptions say. They aren't trying to mislead you or anything; the "pre-owned" indication is at the top of the listed attributes, but I know some folks aren't exactly careful readers when they are just browsing.

They accept PayPal along with major credit cards and they are a BBB accredited business.

All the best.
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      04-18-2015, 08:12 PM   #21
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The vintage watch space, once one knows enough about watches, is by far the best playing ground for getting maximum bang-4-the-buck, whether one seeks an uncomplicated piece or a superfine minute repeater or grand complication.

A couple outstanding vintage watch sellers:
-- http://www.aaronfaber.com/advancedSe...Submit=Search&
-- http://www.matthewbaininc.com/vintage-watches/ -- check out the Cartier Super Tank on this page





All the best.
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      04-19-2015, 07:50 AM   #22
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