Help me understand the “gray” market

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Ticker5

·Feb 12, 2023

I've read many very helpful and informative posts and welcome your thoughts on the following.
I wish to learn of and avoid any potential potholes associated with:
1. purchasing new Omegas through a second party dealer with full papers, etc. and dated or undated warranty card
2. purchasing used Omegas still under the original dated warranty card
3. purchasing used Omegas from a seller with no papers at all
Number 3 is buy the seller as I see it. If a sound watch, it will go to Omega ( yes or no?) or Nesbit's or a local watch smith for servicing...Wait...can it go to Omega absent papers?
Numbers 1 and 2 are a puzzlement. If the warranty card is still active, shouldn't any AD or service center handle anything that goes awry?
What do you recommend that I ask of the seller in number 1 and 2? IOW, what am I missing? I enjoy the watches, and have learned from this and other sites. E.g. My local OB offered only 3% off list. I found that rather odd considering what reputable sellers are offering on line.
Thank you, I"m learning and enjoying this forum. I welcome your thoughts.

 

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OmegaOwner2019

·Feb 12, 2023

You are correct in what you stated.

The concern in all scenarios is whether or not if the watch is genuine.
If a watch came with all the papers, there is a higher likelihood that it may be genuine.
Fakes nowadays can look very, very good. If the seller has a reputation to maintain, then there is a lower risk that he would be peddling fakes (thus the "buy the seller").

 

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gbesq

·Feb 12, 2023

There is no risk of getting a fake from a well known gray market retailer like Jomashop. The watch will be brand new in box and come with everything that you would get from an AD EXCEPT the manufacturer’s warranty. It’s up to you to determine whether you want to take that risk. In my view, if the gray market discount is large enough to cover a full service from the manufacturer (which very likely won’t be needed) and then some vs retail, it’s worth it. Others may have a different opinion.

 

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Evitzee

·Feb 12, 2023

Omega will service any genuine watch, it doesn't need papers.

 

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Dan S

·Feb 12, 2023

Evitzee

Omega will service any genuine watch, it doesn't need papers.

Do you know this for a fact? The Jomashop website explicitly says that the watches they sell do not come with a manufacturer's warranty. Maybe this is just a generic CYA statement, but it would give me pause, especially given all the QC issues that get posted on this forum.

https://help.jomashop.com/articles/4806-are-your-watches-authentic/

 

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gbesq

·Feb 12, 2023

Dan S

Do you know this for a fact? The Jomashop website explicitly says that the watches they sell do not come with a manufacturer's warranty. Maybe this is just a generic CYA statement, but it would give me pause, especially given all the QC issues that get posted on this forum.

https://help.jomashop.com/articles/4806-are-your-watches-authentic/

I think he means that Omega will service any genuine Omega, but you’ll have to pay for the service if the Omega was purchased on the gray market as opposed to an Omega sold with the manufacturer’s warranty.

 

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Dan S

·Feb 12, 2023

Oh right, service ... not warranty. 🤦

 

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Sluggo

·Feb 12, 2023

gbesq

I think he means that Omega will service any genuine Omega, but you’ll have to pay for the service if the Omega was purchased on the gray market as opposed to an Omega sold with the manufacturer’s warranty.

If the numbers are all there, is someone suggesting Omega won't fix their own watch within the normal warranty period? Then, there's cost perspective. How much is your average service cost? And how often does that occur within the factory warranty period?

Full disclosure: For my personal use, I prefer buying everything online like 90% of the time. Once done with my homework, I usually know almost exactly what I want to buy. Much has been mentioned right here on OF about anticipated or possible AD discounts. My contempt is more towards these uber-chic retail spots in their high dollar locations. Brick & mortar, in general, is struggling for very obvious reasons.

In 2020 (yup, under Covid lockdown), I bought a new Omega. It was a significant savings off of list / retail. Given all of the questions I've asked here, so far, it's been well worth the risk. To date, no issues or problems. Back to cost perspective, I've banked enough to seemingly offset a rather significant amount of required warranty period service. Just outlining my personal experience...

 

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SC1

·Feb 12, 2023

Grey Market is easy peasy -

Buy
The
Seller.

 

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Ticker5

·Feb 12, 2023

My thanks to each of you. I asked the same questions on WatchUseek and learned, along with reading many thoughts similar to yours, of some other sellers I hadn't yet found on line. Yes, it took me a long time to research and purchase my first Omega, and much discussion via email with the vendor. The watch was genuine, in the description noted on line, and verified by my local watchsmith during my potential return period. Buy the seller, indeed. A good week to you all. I'm convinced the watch bug is longer lasting than many other viruses.

 

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tjs1295

·Feb 13, 2023

Don't some of the gray dealers simply have a relationship with an actual AD? Meaning, they don't have all the watches in their possession. Especially the brand new ones. I have bought Rolex and Omega from four different grays over the past 9 years. Three were brand new. I swear one new Rolex and at least one new Omega were shipped to me right from an AD. Either way, the new ones had complete warranty and everything. And the experience with them was great. No issues at all.

 

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dstfno

·Feb 13, 2023

Dan S

Oh right, service ... not warranty. 🤦

For warranty repair, it could be that papers are required.

Last month I got the clasp of my 300M replaced and the boutique wanted to see the papers first. Even though it's a model that was released in 2020 and it is obvious that the warranty couldn't have expired yet.

 

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tjs1295

·Feb 13, 2023

dstfno

For warranty repair, it could be that papers are required.

Last month I got the clasp of my 300M replaced and the boutique wanted to see the papers first. Even though it's a model that was released in 2020 and it is obvious that the warranty couldn't have expired yet.

What do you mean when you say they wanted to see papers? I have a plastic, dated, Omega international warranty card. Is that all they needed to see?

 

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bgrisso

·Feb 13, 2023

dstfno

For warranty repair, it could be that papers are required.

Last month I got the clasp of my 300M replaced and the boutique wanted to see the papers first. Even though it's a model that was released in 2020 and it is obvious that the warranty couldn't have expired yet.

I would imagine people buying from AD and OB lose their papers all the time. Seems hard to actually enforce a policy that if you cannot provide your papers your warranty becomes invalid? I’m not even sure that would be legal?

 

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Evitzee

·Feb 13, 2023

bgrisso

I would imagine people buying from AD and OB lose their papers all the time. Seems hard to actually enforce a policy that if you cannot provide your papers your warranty becomes invalid? I’m not even sure that would be legal?

The watch is supposed to be entered in the Omega system electronically at time of sale, but a dated plastic card or a dated paper receipt would suffice if it wasn't entered. If it's not in the system and you can't prove you bought it from an AD or OB, no warranty, it's considered grey market.

Edited: Feb 13, 2023

 

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EuroDriver

·Feb 13, 2023

I bought an Omega on the grey market (Jomashop). One day I asked my OB about the warranty. Their response was that if the watch needed service and I did not have the warranty card or receipt, it would be sent to Switzerland for service and the Swiss service center would inform me if it would be covered under warranty or not.

 

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andorjkiss

·May 22, 2024

Dan S

Do you know this for a fact? The Jomashop website explicitly says that the watches they sell do not come with a manufacturer's warranty. Maybe this is just a generic CYA statement, but it would give me pause, especially given all the QC issues that get posted on this forum.

https://help.jomashop.com/articles/4806-are-your-watches-authentic/

Yes, I sent my grandfather's Speedmaster Professional (1971) (no papers) to Omega for a complete service - no issues.

 

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Dan S

·May 22, 2024

andorjkiss

Yes, I sent my grandfather's Speedmaster Professional (1971) (no papers) to Omega for a complete service - no issues.

He bought a Speedmaster from Jomashop in 1971?

 

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andorjkiss

·May 22, 2024

Dan S

He bought a Speedmaster from Jomashop in 1971?

No, he bought it from an AD, then lost the papers. I inherited the watch and then, when it stopped working sent it to Omega for repair. Omega will repair any authentic watch, they don't care where you bought it.

 

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ErichPryde

·May 22, 2024·Seamasters Forever

andorjkiss

No, he bought it from an AD, then lost the papers. I inherited the watch and then, when it stopped working sent it to Omega for repair. Omega will repair any authentic watch, they don't care where you bought it.

The original misunderstanding here has already been cleared up, it was a matter of service versus warranty service. @andorjkiss if you scroll down just a couple of posts from the original post of Dan's you responded to, you'll see this.