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.

 

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



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

 

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

 

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/

 

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.

 

Depends on the watch. Some people here fly for the right watch/deal.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

Far...

 

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.

 

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.


And that was just for a damn cigarette.

 

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?

 

It depends on the watch I guess and other travel arrangements, but nothing is off bounds!

 

Took a four hour plane trip. To buy six watches. Just depends on the watch.

 

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?

 

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%

 

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.

 

8,400 km round trip for a Railmaster.