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Boutique freebies when purchasing a watch?

WatchAutist
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Well I picked up my new watch and it was like getting blood from a stone but I managed to get a rubber strap thrown in. The sales lady kept going on about how in demand my watch was so no free gifts would be included and usually only vip clients get free stuff. But I stuck to my guns and the rubber was thrown in, a 3 week wait on it though.

It’s amazing how different this thing looks in different light
 
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M
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These pics really show how versatile (colour wise) the watch is. Pics 1 and 2 look black. The only thing missing is the red text (which is absent from the green).

Well done on getting it and the strap freebie. Did you get the tang version or the folderover clasp?
 
WatchAutist
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M Mac_to_ten
These pics really show how versatile (colour wise) the watch is. Pics 1 and 2 look black. The only thing missing is the red text (which is absent from the green).

Well done on getting it and the strap freebie. Did you get the tang version or the folderover clasp?
The tang version, I was told the deployant was 16mm so I thought my moonwatch deployant would fit, but it’s 18mm.

They would only throw in the rubber with tang as the deployant is another $400aud. Tbh I’m quit happy with the tang
 
M
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Yip, that was the same strap offer I had. They would only thrown in a the strap but not the buckle or deployant. I bit the bullet, took the service offer and forked out c. £500 for the rubber strap and deployant. Ive only had the bracelet on for 1 day in the 3 months I’ve had it. The rubber is just that good! Happy wearing…
 
WatchAutist
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M Mac_to_ten
Yip, that was the same strap offer I had. They would only thrown in a the strap but not the buckle or deployant. I bit the bullet, took the service offer and forked out c. £500 for the rubber strap and deployant. Ive only had the bracelet on for 1 day in the 3 months I’ve had it. The rubber is just that good! Happy wearing…
She laughed when I mentioned the service, she’s never heard of anyone being offered that….sure you haven’t

happy I got the rubber in the end though
 
Landerhoffis
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I received a "free" leather band and deployant along with a mini bottle of Omega branded champagne when I purchased my Globemaster 1.5yrs ago. They also provided a pour of scotch while they completed the paperwork.

We all know how much of a discount can be had on GMs in the grey market so it probably wasn't the wisest idea on my part to purchase at an OB but I wanted the 'boutique experience' for my first new Omega purchase. It took the OB about 2 months to get me the leather band and deployant which was somewhat frustrating. The strap can't be in that much demand and courier delivery shouldn't take more than a week.

A quick tangent: about a month ago I took my GM to the OB to get pressure tested before I go on vacation and take it in the pool. The sales associate asked how old the watch is (purchased Dec 2021) and then told me that I don't need to pressure test the watch... I responded by saying thay the owners handbook says to test the watch annually and I, the customer, am asking you to take 2mins out of your day to check my watch that I spent many paychecks on. Definitely rubbed me the wrong way. 🤔
 
WatchAutist
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Landerhoffis Landerhoffis
I received a "free" leather band and deployant along with a mini bottle of Omega branded champagne when I purchased my Globemaster 1.5yrs ago. They also provided a pour of scotch while they completed the paperwork.

We all know how much of a discount can be had on GMs in the grey market so it probably wasn't the wisest idea on my part to purchase at an OB but I wanted the 'boutique experience' for my first new Omega purchase. It took the OB about 2 months to get me the leather band and deployant which was somewhat frustrating. The strap can't be in that much demand and courier delivery shouldn't take more than a week.

A quick tangent: about a month ago I took my GM to the OB to get pressure tested before I go on vacation and take it in the pool. The sales associate asked how old the watch is (purchased Dec 2021) and then told me that I don't need to pressure test the watch... I responded by saying thay the owners handbook says to test the watch annually and I, the customer, am asking you to take 2mins out of your day to check my watch that I spent many paychecks on. Definitely rubbed me the wrong way. 🤔

Champagne and whisky?! That’s the vip experience I keep hearing about, I didn’t even get offered water
 
PandaSPUR
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I got a full sized bottle of champagne the first time i purchased from my OB.
Went in to get my Casamigos PO checked out after I bought it, and got a mini bottle of champagne.
Can't remember what I got the other times I went there, but I have several bottles of Omega champagne at home now and a bunch of books too.

The best thing about OBs isnt the one-off freebies though, its the random events they host and invite repeat customers to. Best one was probably a private screening of NTTD (which did also come with freebies like a keychain).
 
Landerhoffis
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WatchAutist WatchAutist
Champagne and whisky?! That’s the vip experience I keep hearing about, I didn’t even get offered water
Well then... maybe I should be a bit more grateful for my experience! 😁
 
gatorcpa
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Just came back from Grand Seiko Boutique in Miami where I watched a friend finalize a deal for a Spring Drive Power Reserve.

Grand-Seiko-SBGA439-spring-drive-watch_763x.png

No discount, but they gave us all some very good red wine. He got a high end pen and a GS Lion cuff link set.
gatorcpa
 
joeshoup
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The OB where I bought my 3861 last year threw in a bottle of champagne and some Aqua Terra cologne, which I like a lot. Saving the champers for a hoped-for Bay Area meetup!
 
R
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What I take away from reading through this is that you should never buy directly from the brand website (unless of course that's the only place they sell their watches), since you get no discount or freebies. Is this correct, or is there a benefit from buying direct?
Edited:
 
M
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R RobMc
What I take away from reading through this is that you should never buy directly from the brand website (unless of course that's the only place they sell their watches), since you get no discount or freebies. Is this correct, or is there a benefit from buying direct?

The one benefit is certainty of getting your piece. Some of harder to get pieces (eg, green SMP) come in and out of stock on the website. If you setup an alert, and you’re on the ball, you can get it when it’s available. The counter argument to this is that the bracelets really should be fitted by the professionals.
 
Evitzee
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M Mac_to_ten
The one benefit is certainty of getting your piece. Some of harder to get pieces (eg, green SMP) come in and out of stock on the website. If you setup an alert, and you’re on the ball, you can get it when it’s available. The counter argument to this is that the bracelets really should be fitted by the professionals.
There are few reasons why an owner can't adjust his own bracelet. I'll put my skills up to any of the 'professionals' I've seen at dealers or boutiques. Good screwdrivers, a holder for the bracelet, good light and a modicum of confidence will allow you to adjust your bracelet 'in the comfort of your own home', as they like to say on tv. No need to have a technician do it.
 
tpatta
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
All I got was a shot of whisky and a pen.
The Japanese Whiskey was quite nice. Didn't get a pen though. Probably because I already have 6. 😁
 
FBCello
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M Mac_to_ten
I was in exactly the same boat. I wanted a green one and could keen the black one at 15% off somewhere else. I too wanted both the rubber and bracelet.

In the end the OB (Bond Street, London) wouldn’t match the discount but didn’t give me a freebie. I had the option of either a voucher for a free service (good for any watch, any time in the future) or a free rubber strap. I service voucher was more valuable in the longer term, so I took that.

On the strap offer, the clasp wasn’t free - so I would have had to pay for that too if I took up this offer.

In the end, I walked out with the green SMP on bracelet, rubber strap with deployant, a free red travel case, spring bar tool, an omega branded special candle for the Chinese new year and a free service voucher. Also, I got in a couple of weeks before the price increase - so all in all, I was happy.

for me they are an awesome boutique.
For discounts got to AD, for building a relationship that is worth a lot in the future IF you are collecting then it is a no brainer. Got my 321 in 1 week…
 
M
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FBCello FBCello
for me they are an awesome boutique.
For discounts got to AD, for building a relationship that is worth a lot in the future IF you are collecting then it is a no brainer. Got my 321 in 1 week…
Wow. You must of bought a lot from them or just lucky timing?
 
FBCello
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M Matty1
Wow. You must of bought a lot from them or just lucky timing?
Hhhuuummmm… let’s say a few… but you need to have a decade of relationship and it is not just buying watches but also chemistry with people tbh.

But you wont’t easily get a 321, snoopy, Apo XI 50th, etc… @ an AD. So if it a one off purchase it probably make sense to go to an AD but for a relationship and being a collector it won’t work IMHO.
Unless you buy multi-brand from an AD, then it may make sense. Just my 2c
 
prontoprint
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Never expected result from my one and only Boutique purchase but the young salesman at Oxford Street London came through with an amazing offer in 2015. Having taken the bonkers decision to purchase the 45th Apollo 11 watch at first sight, even though I wasn't too sure I could afford it, we chatted about VIP things that Omega sometimes offered to customers. He promised he'd watch out for any upcoming events and to my amazement he phoned a couple of months later wondering if I wanted to come to London for the launch of the Silver Snoopy release at the Science Museum, in the company of Gene Cernan !! Well before he finished the sentence I'd already answered " affirmative " . Still doubting it would happen but one day the post delivered the invite and off to London I went to meet " The Last Man on the Moon".
A fantastic night was had and felt like royalty . Managed to get someone to take a shaky photo when I met him and compared watches, he was happier than he looks in the photo ;-).

Never has a unplanned purchase worked out so well. Thank you Omega .
 
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