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How far will you drive for a deal on a watch

Walrus
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so I’m in Connecticut, I do travel a lot to MA but try to avoid driving in Boston. Anyway I found a gentleman selling a 2003 Rado chronometer for 250 and he is throwing in a watch winder. He is moving out west and is into smart phones now so he is just looking to unload it. Watch looks nice, I know Rados aren’t top tier but I have a couple vintage and really like them. It’s a 2003 and of course has never been serviced, I don’t know why people get decent automatics and don’t bother getting them serviced but anyway it’ll probably be a three hour ride for me. Just wondering if any of you travel when you see a good deal.
 
STANDY
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I travel about 2.5 hours each way to go fishing with a chance of catching nothing. ( and spend about $200 on fuel for the car, boat, beer and lunch sometimes )

Every now and then one of these comes on board
image.jpeg 00AE86A4-684C-4BC5-AC2E-4D9EC9019B76.jpeg


If you worked out the per kilo it would be like a Japanese Tuna 😉
 
Walrus
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Ok I guess that’s way of you telling me I’m not too bad. I drove to Queens in NY a couple weeks ago
 
cristos71
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I'm in The Netherlands and the furthest I've travelled for a deal was a day trip flight to Bristol in the UK for a CK2913. I've also done a couple of long drives to and from Germany, about 650km round trips IIRC for a Bullhead and an 18kt Connie/7077 combi. Last year was a nice day trip on the Thalys train to Paris, 850km round trip, which was to pick up a Mulco Prima from a Parisian auction house.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/paris-day-trip-with-the-perfect-ending.78708/
 
drhombus24
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I’m also in CT, and the furthest I’ve traveled for a deal was New Hampshire. Probably a 3.5 hour drive. Worth it.
 
Walrus
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Yeah, I wouldn’t put a short plane ride past me but it certainly wouldn’t be high on my list of things to do. I’ll try to keep it to 3-4 your drives
 
Canuck
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Don’t recall ever having to go out of my way to pick up a watch I have purchased. But I did have a fellow from Dalmellington (Scotland, near Glasgow) SELL me a watch. Several years ago, on another message board, there was a discussion relating to 18-size, 1892 model Walthams marked Canadian Railway Time Service. The chap in Scotland emailed me to tell me that his was available. And if I was interested, he would deliver it! I was interested! He and his wife love the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and they had a trip planned. I now own the Waltham.
 
Darlinboy
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STANDY STANDY
I travel about 2.5 hours each way to go fishing with a chance of catching nothing. ( and spend about $200 on fuel for the car, boat, beer and lunch sometimes )

Every now and then one of these comes on board
image.jpeg 00AE86A4-684C-4BC5-AC2E-4D9EC9019B76.jpeg


If you worked out the per kilo it would be like a Japanese Tuna 😉

Thanks for that “pro tip”!😎

Beer is an essential fishing expense that is often overlooked. Don’t scrimp on quality or the fish won’t bite.

Clearly you made the right choice. 👍


p.s. Have never driven farther than the nearest FedEx shipping center (1.3 miles) to pick up a watch.
 
MMMD
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Flew from North Carolina to NYC a few years ago, ostensibly to take my kid on a father-son weekend but really to do a cash deal for this, over Sunday brunch at the Waldorf-Astoria (RIP🙁), with @LouS as my lobster-noshing second. A perfect trip.
19A8D7FB-B4CB-4F33-B132-F632550AC78A.jpeg
Edited:
 
Swissmister
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For the right deal, anyplace with an airport. (Then make a vacation of it.)

I knew a very serious collector in Hawaii who paid the airfare and lodging for a seller from Mexico to bring him a 2915-1. He made all the arrangements and spent the money before meeting the man or knowing him other than from a couple of phone conversations. It worked out and was one of the nicest 2915-1s ever seen, and well before the craze. I won't note what he paid for the watch.

camel.jpg

And that was just for a damn cigarette.
Edited:
 
UncleBuck
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Rented a truck, drove to Michigan (400 miles away) and spent the night to get a nice watch bench, lathe, staking set and tools.
Took the Queen and made a nice trip of it, met a great personality and added to the memories.
Can you beat face-to-face?

bench.jpg
 
henrikaa
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It depends on the watch I guess and other travel arrangements, but nothing is off bounds!
 
Noles_88
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Took a four hour plane trip. To buy six watches. Just depends on the watch.
 
Enzo
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I travelled to Verona in Italy on a day trip back in October '17, this meant an hours drive to the airport, 2 hr flight, picked up a hire car for an hours drive to the watch place, then back again...was a full day, but would certainly do it again.
 
Swissmister
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Enzo Enzo
I travelled to Verona in Italy on a day trip back in October '17, this meant an hours drive to the airport, 2 hr flight, picked up a hire car for an hours drive to the watch place, then back again...was a full day, but would certainly do it again.
And you could have enjoyed Verona for a day or two if you'd never been before. So, which watch?
 
MaiLollo
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I took an 800km train ride to fetch a watch. Carried the cash in my underwear, it was pretty funny. But the watch was worth it 200%
 
Evitzee
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In January this year I drove 4 hours each way to do a watch trade with a small internet seller in Houston, met at a little watch repair joint to do the deal. Had lunch, gassed up, played a few games of pinball at Einstein's Pub in Katy and drove back home. Left at 7am and got back about 5pm, I look at it as part of the adventure, it's a fun day out. I've twice flown to deliver a watch, once from Austin to Tampa and another from Austin to Las Vegas. I just make sure the extra cost (about $1,000) is included in the sales price, buyers were happy that their expensive new watch was hand delivered.
 
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