I just came back from Dubai and while there, we went to the Burj Al Arab Hotel, I asked my wealthy friend if he wants to look at some fine watches. I have been convincing him to buy either a grand complication or a tourbillion or a minute repeater for a long time. He likes the diamond studded Rolexes where the whole watch is covered in precious stone. Gaudy! Anyway, we went to a watch store in the hotel and I showed him a Blancpain Double Tourbillion which he liked. I asked the manager to show us a minute repeater and he brought out this beautiful Jacquet Droz Bird Repeater in 18k rose gold. When my friend saw it he went bonkers and once on his wrist his next question was how much? The list price is $630K but with discount it went down to $480K. My friend was about to say "sold" but I stopped him and haggled for more or we will leave. The manager made some calls and gave it for $ 420K. Sold! Only 8 pieces were made and my friend got the number 1. What an experience indeed. This is the watch:
Wow. are you sure that isn't really a clock that they attached a strap to? What size is that - over 60 mm?
Wealthy doesn't begin to describe it. When you walk into a store and buy a watch you've done no research on for over 400k. Sillyrich.
That "little extra session" of haggling literally saved him enough to buy a Lange Dategraph. Or a Dodge Viper.
Indeed - while it might not to someone's personal tastes, I'm not of the opinion that anyone should be executed for producing such an item. I can certainly appreciate the work that goes into the design and manufacture of a watch like this, I just wonder how the Swatch service center would make out doing the service...
Me, too. Maybe @erpin9 can arrange a 'World Tour' with his friend and the watch as centerpieces! Since his friend also likes jeweled pieces, I could bring along this one as a potential partial trade: ...and if I only had 35 or 40 more of them, we could call it even!
