I know I am brand spankin' new here at the forum but I also figured this is the exact place to shed some horological tears ~ my wife and daughter would simply look at me like I am a complete idiot if I did this in front of them.

I joined here recently because I was anticipating acquiring my 'Grail Watch' and as such thought to myself, "I am definitely getting it, and it's an Omega, so what better place to join as a celebration of my new watch!" So I joined, I posted, I introduced myself... in other words, I set the stage.

And then the stage collapsed.

UGH!!

Since getting into watches again I have had my eye set on what seems to be a not very popular Omega (a later period Aqua Terra Railmaster in the 36mm size... and speaking to my OCD, it had to be full kit)... and precisely four days ago it appeared (I have alerts set up all over the Net so one can only imagine my abject shock and delight when I awoke to an email from Chrono24 that the piece was listed)!!

A 2011, full kit, near mint, and priced precisely where I hoped it would be for market fairness and my budget except the shipping was either inflated or typo'd. Nearly had a panic attack as I sent the seller an email... and another, and another. No replies. The shipping was insane to the USA from Italy -- I simply wanted to discuss it. Still no replies. I then found the sellers website... more email to a different address as well as then calling and leaving voicemail. Nothing.
Called a friend who is fluent in Italian, told him my dilemma... he thought me nuts but agreed to help.
He wrote an email in Italian as well as also called and left a voicemail on my behalf, also in Italian.
And then we both discovered the shop is closed Fridays through Mondays.
I then spent the weekend looking at the ad, visualizing the piece on my wrist, hitting Refresh on my browser while praying that it wouldn't say Sold upon reloading... it didn't.
Like a teenage girl with a scary crush on Johnny Depp, I even emailed a few more times during the weekend. So embarrassing to admit.

Finally yesterday afternoon I get an email from the seller/shop owner... in pure minimalist fashion it reads, "Ello, yes. Reserva'ed. No. Yes."
What the... ? What's that mean?!
I email back that I want it, I am ready to do this but could we discuss the shipping.
Nothing.
I do a quick tally of the stability of my marriage while seriously considering just doing the purchase even with $300.00 for shipping, "Will she divorce me, will I wake up to go pee one night and find her kneeling over me in bed with a bank statement in one hand and a dirty dull knife in the other?"
I email the owner back one more time and wait an hour.
Nothing.
"Okay, life is short, do this Scott... " I go to the page, hit Refresh, still says "Buy" so I press it.
It loads into a page listing other Omega Railmaster offerings -- none of which are this piece -- "WHAT? NO! NO!!"
The ad is simply gone, vanished like my hope for living, my zest for life. I do a search, nothing. I go into my save list... it's there, relief, I click it, goes to a general search for Railmasters.
Upon further investigation, I can see the listing in my saved list but with no photos and when I click it, as mentioned, I get rolled over for a general Omega Railmaster search.

Crestfallen.

Out running errands today and I keep channeling two thoughts (neither of which are helping in the least)...
1. "Hey, at least you didn't have to feel bugged down the road about that shipping fee, buck up kid."

2. "There will be another... sometime, maybe."

Sorry for the long post but I needed to purge my angst.

 

Where did he pull a figure like 300 usd from for shipping, is he sending it on a Gondola?
Secondly, it is not wise to do the deal outside of Chrono24, not because they will necessarily do anything if a problem occurs but at least you have a small chance of any issue being resolved.
Thirdly sooner or later another watch will turn up and you will have forgotten about the first one.
Your biggest problem is convincing the wife. The solution to this is to buy a lot of watches so that when you buy another one, you can just tell her you have had this one for ages and it is a great shame how she never pays attention to your watches, then give her a run down of the history of the brand, how an automatic is different from a manual wind and so on and so forth, she will never ask or mention them again.
Good Luck with the hunt, it is half the fun.

 

Thank you for that reply: makes me feel like I am not alone in all this... like there are others out there that understand what it feels like to have the need for things which are ultimately unnecessary but yet very necessary!

 

I thought I was an Omega man until I discovered the private sales here on the forum and the joy of dealing with knowledgeable, courteous and trustworthy sellers - One Connie an Enicar, a Zenith and a Polerouter later and I think I need to reconsider.

 

It's not the only watch like that on the planet. You'll survive.

 

Everyone has been there.... My own personal case: "The one who got away"
https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-one-who-got-away.89334/

But fear not, a better one is waiting for you in the future!


Like it happened to me: "The best way to heal a broken heart"
https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-best-way-to-heal-a-broken-heart.90439/

 

Skillfully turned the table... bravo!!

 

My first time experience of "grail" was certainly like that. But in time, when I have purchased a number of different versions of this "grail", and especially when I learned that no one example would be perfect, the urge gradually eased out... Instead of feeling "OMG I have to get this", it'll become more like "Ok here's another... hmm, some imperfections here and there... I'll wait for a better example."

 

Welcome

You are not alone and your story is very familiar. Many on OF have shared the same pain and also have wives who just doesn't get it.
Personally I have never paid more than a few hundred for a watch as far as the wife is aware.
You will find another grail eventually but in the meantime try some others for size and have some fun that way when you find "the one" she is a little desensitised and more accepting.

 

The hunt is half the fun !!

Good luck I am sure you will find another

 

what is everyones opinion of Chrono 24? Trusted or no?

 

Wise advice here. There is always another one. Dealing with people who don't respond over several days is generally unwise. Courage!

 

QOTD!

 

Oh, and to the OP. We've all missed the bus at some stage, but another one will come along.

Don't give up.

 

Another will show up. If you are going to use chrono, use the chrono payment system where the dealer doesn’t get the money until the watch is received and ok’d. Gives you some comeback (a bit like pay pal protection I assume).