Hi everyone,

I am always torn between saving a few hundred (sometimes thousand) or buying straight from the OB or AD.

What are some benefits of buying from the brick and mortar shop as opposed to Chrono24, ebay etc?

 

You get it right away, and it won't go missing during shipping. I'm trying to come up with more, but for me that's it. If it would be only a 100/200 $ difference then I'd get it from an AD, but it is a lot more usually.

 

I generally go to an AD or OB only when they have a Limited Edition that I want when it first comes out. And of course, I'm sure to get the mfgr warranty. I've also had some pleasant buying experiences at an OB (champagne, etc), not that such experiences would be worth thousands, but if the OB has what I want and/or the price is not too far from gray market etc, it can be nice.

 

+1 on this. I’ve waited for expensive watches before in the mail, and it is agonizing. Especially if coming from overseas. Another benefit of an AD or Boutique is that they will size the bracelet for you. If you order through the mail, you’ll either have to do it, or take it to a boutique or AD and ask them to do it if you don’t hVe the tools. Even more of a wait.

For what it’s worth, I’ve bought from a boutique (in Europe when the dollar was strong compared to the Euro) and from an AD here in the states (where I got a 25% discount). In both cases, the price I paid was only a few hundred dollars more than that at popular US gray market dealers that sell the watches without a valid Omega warranty.

Another benefit is that in both cases, I got some Omega branded swag to go with the watch - a pen and hat from the boutique and another pen from the AD.

 

1. A big benefit of buying a watch from an AD/OB is the chance to see, wear and compare a watch to all other options. Pictures found on the net (WRUW threads... etc) don't always give a clear idea of size/scale/visual-effects of a given watch. Physically going to an AD/OB might open your eyes to a watch you didn't consider before, or it might convince you a watch isn't right for you in person.

2. Buying from an AD/OB gives a level of 'peace-of-mind' buying experience. They have a reputation as they directly represent the brand, and you can buy in confidence that they will almost always be open/honest/up-front with you. Buying from grey or private market can be great if you know who you're buying from, but in many other cases comes with a lot of risk (caveat emptor).

3. Buying from an AD/OB gives a simple and reliable warranty with the purchase.

4. Buying most common watches from an AD/OB allows you to buy an available product on-demand and walk out with it. Buying from grey/private might mean patiently waiting for deal to come up. Not a big deal for the more common models, but could be a differentiating factor.

Some feel the above are worth the higher price, some don't. The newer or less informed a buyer, the bigger the value of these would be. For experienced and highly knowledgeable buyers this goes away.

 

Buying a watch that is second hand could easily save a few hundred or a thousand dollars, even if the watch was sold retail a month or two before and is still like new, but if the prices were identical, sales tax alone would be reason enough to avoid the retailer. The same is true of car purchases, of course. So those who say "It was only 400 more at the AD, and I got a t shirt" might be forgetting the 300 to 1000 they saved on sales tax by buying second hand. If you're a lover of warranties, crunch the numbers and consider the likelihood of a near new Omega needing serious work and the cost of that work vs saving 1000 or more at the point of purchase. As for being able to try on the watch in advance and compare, one can do that at the AD then buy elsewhere, like going to the optometrist to get your eye exam and prescription, passing over the 700 dollar glasses they try to sell you, and buying 4 pairs of perfectly good glasses for 17 dollars each from an online seller. Something to consider.

 

Another great point. In both of my new purchases, I walked into the OB/AD intending to buy one watch based on pictures and reviews, but walked out with another after trying the watches on in person.

 

This works for brands that flood the market with too many units and don't control their supply chain very well (ie: Omega main lines). Doesn't work so well with brands/models that keep supply tightly under control or even restricted leading to prices above MSRP in resale market (ie: the few Omega LE's that are produced in qty's lower than demand, some recent Rolex models like the Daytona ceramic).

 

Bought GSOTM from an AD. Compared to the gray market I took a bath in $$$. However the watch did have issues two years in and the warranty was easy to use. If it was grey market I might have been concerned with the legitimacy of the warranty.

 

I bought my Speedy from an AD. When I got home I noticed a tiny fiber clamped between the hesalite and the dial. I called them up, and they said to bring it right in. He saw it, swapped it immediately, and I went about my merry way.

I’m sure a gray dealer would have taken it back too but between trying to get them on the phone to explain the situation, going to UPS to ship it back, then waiting for the replacement to come, it would have been a very frustrating situation. Because I got mine from an AD, it all took place over a few hours vs a few weeks. Well worth the few hundred dollars over gray market price. Plus everything is in my name and I got the warranty to boot.

 

I usually ALWAYS buy used (once I bought a new gray market Sub), but last year I wanted the Railmaster LE so badly and couldn't wait, so I bought it through my local OB. Of course I got treated like a VIP, but also, I established very good rapport with a couple of the sales team and we've become friends.
They invite me in to try on some of the new pieces (like the new Railmaster non-LE and the Seamaster 300) while I am treated to a glass of beer or a flute of champagne while we chat watches. It's a great experience and they make me very comfortable (at first didn't think I would be a fan of the "boutique" experience), but it's nice and I want to support the brand directly.
I would suggest you visit your local OB or AD and see if you bond with anyone. That's exactly what I did. I instantly gelled with one of the team members right away (Jake Ross at the Bellevue location) and promised that if Omega does in fact release a retro-inspired Railmaster reissue, that I would buy it new with Jake and that's exactly what happened and I have zero regrets.

Best of luck and keep us updated.

 

Sometimes I bought from OB/AD, and other times I buy NIB with warranty from a reseller (ChiTownWatch.com or DavidSW.com) or buy them used from those same guys. I weigh the pros and cons such as cost, service, and relationship.

The main advantage for me buying at my local OB is that if the watch needs any warranty service they will not charge me to ship it to the Omega service center, while a warranted watch from another dealer will cost me $60-$90 for shipping with adequate insurance to send to Omega for warranty work.

With the OB, if it's not in warranty they have a watchmaker on site for some repairs or services.

 

Forthe Omega international warranty on new watches sold from OB and AD, what does it cover? Routine maintenance?

 

this is maybe the best benefit of a bricks and mortar experience. There may end up a loyalty here that runs both directions, and may ultimately get you to the front of the line for the "latest/greatest" speedmaster (or Daytona or _____) made from unobtainium.

 

It's there to cover for patent and latent defects in the watch that should have been corrected before the watch was sold (in an ideal world there wouldn't be any). It also generally covers you for when the watch fails to perform as it should in conditions it is designed to function as advertised. That is, if you wear it and use it to tell the time as opposed to using it to hammer in nails or something equally daft

A warranty however does not generally cover routine maintenance and general wear and tear. All new cars come with some form of warranty, but generally, routine service will be at extra cost. Sometimes service plans are available that fix the future cost.

 

Can only speak from experience but one time I purchased my Limited Edition Speedmaster from Omega Boutique, I ended up with an invite to dine with Gene Cernan in London. They could have sold me the watch for double the price if I knew this was going to come true ! Most of time I've sourced via other methods but this watch was hard to find even at MRP so decided to go right to the source and got so lucky.

 

I totally agree with this point. I went in certain I'd leave with an SMPc and ended up buying an AT from my local OB. Trying on in person cannot be overstated.

 

I was in there in Dec, talked with Jake and Ryan. Bought from Ryan. I had the same experience. Amazing their customer service and enthusiasm. I actually asked how they keep their passion for it.

Whoever is doing the hiring there is doing it right, very good saleforce thst isn’t at all “salesy”.

The whole experience of the selection, fitting, explanation, bottle of champagne, etc was fantastic. I would do it again for a special model I really wanted.

 

I understand buying from the OB/AD if it's the only option, as in the case of harder-to-come-by models. I also understand that it depends on the model in terms of how much cheaper you can find it offered for outside of the official channels. A couple hundred bucks saved and I'd probably just go to the OB/AD as well. Otherwise, I really struggle to wrap my head around the logic some of you guys seem to employ when you talk about it's worth it because you know the warranty is good just in case you have an issue, or to save on service shipping costs, or what have you. There are loads of gray market sellers who provide legitimate, stamped and dated warranty cards. There are loads of legit, high-reputation sellers on these forums who have been around for years with glowing reviews. The past six months alone I have saved about $6,500 compared to MSRP on the few brand new watches I have purchased. Even if none had official warranties in tact (they all do), that $6,500 can fund, er, quite a few repairs, costs of shipping to service centers, and whatever else you MIGHT need to pay down the road, with thousands left over. With savings like that, I'll be more than happy to continue to take my chances and attempting to never buy from an OB/AD at every opportunity. I spend money on a lot of dumb things that could be considered a waste (my girlfriend would tell you watches are one of them LOL), but I'm definitely not into just lighting it on fire and telling myself it was worth it because someone gave me a pen, a hat, a glass of beer, and a piece of plastic with the words "international warranty" printed on it. I have plenty of pens, too many hats, can buy my own beer, and indeed have my warranty cards, anyway.

 

@rainking I’m not telling my self it was worth it, because I know it was. I knew zero about Omega, zero. I am just becoming a “watch person”. I didn’t want to buy a knock off online or get a “deal” just because of a grey market discount (for example) for a model I know nothing about. I wanted to try on different sizes and styles, learn about features, etc. The bonus was the fluff they give you. The value was 100% there with what I paid for the entire experience.

I would recommend anyone making a blind purchase into something they know little or nothing about to do similar.

I like the watch so much I searched and found this great forum, now I am learning more and finding out what to look for with online purchases.