if you were buying a watch new from either AD or OB, would you pay full price and get complimentary first service from OB plus some omega goodies or upfront discount from AD. Service of £550 for the chronograph and discount I can get from AD is around £400-£450. Is it a no brainier to pick the first service? No expiry date.

Thoughts?

 

It honestly depends. Would you rather save £450 upfront or £500 5 years down the line?

I personally would go with the service, it's good to know that I have that first free service. Plus you could probably sell the goodies here to make up for the lack of an upfront discount.

Establishing a relationship with a Boutique can yield certain benefits too, such as invitations to events and access to certain timepieces first, although it isn't like Patek Philippe where you've got to buy x timepieces to be able to buy a Nautilus.

 

The way I see it the cost of a service will go up faster than 500 quid in a bank.

 

You get 5 years warranty on any Omega now. If there is a warranty issue with the watch within 5 years, you'll get it serviced for free anyway.
Depending on the model and AD, you could get more than £400-£450 discount. Saving a few hundred £ would be a no brainer for me. I don't really care about free goodies or some champagne. Btw, AD's can also give you some goodies and another discount on your next purchase.

 

Yeah. But say I want a service in 8 years time. I reckon in 8 years the service may be £800 quid. I think it’s a better deal. I don’t care for free goodies but it all helps.

 

This is true, however you could consider the free service to essentially be your extended warranty, it'll outlast the 5 year warranty so if any issues arise you'll be covered.

Of course if the AD is offering a larger discount then £500-600 I would favour the AD. But if not then the OB is the no brainer for me. Purchase the timepiece, get to know the person servicing you and bag some goodies to sell if needed.

I think someone was selling Omega branded pens at £40 a pop here a while ago, so they're certainly worth getting.

There was another thing. I know the Beaverbrooks in Westfield is making a new boutique style area just for Omega so it may be worth going there as they'll give you a discount and some of what the London Boutiques can offer you too. In fact Omega themselves are furnishing and setting up the area.

 

Well said!

 

Tried. Discount only 5%. Not good to be honest.

 

It's also nice to establish a relationship with a good AD. Especially, if you have an interest beyond Omega. And if it's a family-run business, you have a better chance of dealing with the same person (or close relative) for potentially decades.

 

Generally. One watch guy. Relationship not too important to me. Given that the service cost is going up from 1 May and will continue to do so for years; I think from a pure monetary value it’s good. Percentage wise in current value it’s 15% effective discount. Taking the service in 10years time when the service may cost say 800-900 quid it’s over 20% discount on original purchase.

 

It sounds like you knew what you were doing from the get-go.

Which Omega were you after?

 

Moonwatch

 

Take the money NOW. Who knows, a couple of years down the road you may decide to sell the watch, or you lose it, or its stolen, and the 'free' service will be worthless. My AMEX Gold Card extends the five year warranty another two years so I would immediately have a seven year warranty. No one can predict what will happen seven years down the road, and Omega could always decide not to honor the warranty. The fine print always says promises made by their agents outside of official policy are not binding on Omega. A new manager at the Boutique could just say 'no' and you would have little recourse. Omega Watch Company would not back you up. The boutique knows that and is one of the reasons why they you are offering you this deal which really isn't binding. Pass.

 

No wonder. AD's don't tend to discount it too much since it's a good seller. Neither do Gray dealers for that matter, although they definitely are better than 5%.

It's your choice, but I think you've got this figured out already and I doubt much can be said to change your mind.

 

The Boutique is run by corporate. There is no fine print. It’s a certificate confirming a complimentary service and paperwork given to the boutique at the time. I thinks it will be valid.

 

If its an actual document from Corporate with no strings attached like valid time frame, or having to do something each year to keep the free service valid, or other potential restrictions that would allow them to renege on it than it should be honored. But I still say cash today is worth more. The watch is covered already by a five year warranty, and may not need service until well after that. Too much can happen in that time period. I'd take the money now. But it sounds like you prefer the service in the future, your choice. The goodies/freebies are standard fare, wouldn't enter the equation from my viewpoint.

 

This is interesting as I have not heard about this before. I think in this instance I would take the service. I would think you could transfer this to another owner as it should follow the watch but not sure. The only way I would look elsewhere is if I was getting 25-30 off via gray. ADs can do better than 10%

 

Gray dealers don't do much discounting on Moonwatches? Are you joking? Several gray sellers right on this site sell them for about $3,500 new with stamped warranty cards. I'd say that's quite a discount (34 percent) vs the $5,250 MSRP LOL

 

True, which makes purchasing from OB at full retail with promise of a future free service a not very compelling proposition, imo.

 

Take the money now. Especially if that complimentary first service offer is not transferable (which I imagine it’s not). Like many people I know, it’s entirely possible that a couple years in you don’t love the watch and want to sell it. At that point that first service means squat.