Look into Little Switzerland. They are in the Caribbean and Key West Florida
Their website prices are basically msrp so I'm not sure if in store prices are diffrent. I had to take a look since I frequent KW and never knew about this store.
Buying at an AD has the advantage of a couple of years guarantee... didn't Omega prolong the warranty recently ?
As long as the grey dealer supplys a stamped card you get the same warranty an AD would offer with the exception of the date on the card might be days week or months old.
Agreed. Go to an AD to try them on, then find a reputable seller here. Good luck!
I was thinking of buying my Planet Ocean from a reputable seller here. I also contacted an out-of-state AD and explained the situation about prices from these resellers and grey dealers like Jomashop. They made me an offer just $100 more so that was an easy decision to buy from the AD. Very happy with the service and feels good to buy from an AD.
In your position I would want to go to an A.D. and try on all of the different watches to make sure I pick the right one
2 1/2 hours drive is a long way to go especially for somebody like me from the UK that used to driving just 30 minutes to go and see some watches
But you can always buy online from very trusted sellers like this guy... he usually sources watches from boutiques and ADs and sells them brand-new in box or excellent condition
As long as the grey dealer supplys a stamped card you get the same warranty an AD would offer with the exception of the date on the card might be days week or months old.
What grey market dealer(s) provide a stamped card though? I thought not providing it is at least part of what makes him a grey market dealer.
What grey market dealer(s) provide a stamped card though? I thought not providing it is at least part of what makes him a grey market dealer.
I thought the same however I was shown the way thanks to this forum haha. There are some dealers who will provide a warranty which I believe is stamped from the AD they got the stock from. In my searching of prices I have found this.....
1: Buy from OB for msrp or close to that and get a warranty
2: Buy from grey with warranty card for less than msrp (check the sale section here and read if watches come with warranty)
3: Buy from no warranty grey (jomashop as an example) and pay even less than if you went thru #2 above.
Again, your mileage may vary, just shop around. The above is just my experience. How much is the warranty worth paying for is a question only you can answer.
Can you give any examples of #2 that are truly 'dealers' and not individuals turning over a used-but-still-warrantied piece? The difference being, I guess, whose name appears on the warranty card - his or mine.
Can you give any examples of #2 that are truly 'dealers' and not individuals turning over a used-but-still-warrantied piece? The difference being, I guess, whose name appears on the warranty card - his or mine.
Here's an example of such a dealer, @mdgrwl. He posts in the Watches for Sale forum here, and also sells via their website watchexchangecompany.com. Offers watches, many brand new and unused, with stamped manufacturer warranty card. Never bought from him myself (yet!), but seems that many have.
I bought both my omegas online without trying them on, a 1950s Seamaster Deville from a member on here, which I absolutely love. My second was a First Omega In Space from a grey dealer. My personal advice would be that if possible to try them on first. Whilst I love my FOIS I do now think that if I had tried a Speedy Pro on I probably would have gone for one of those instead. All it means now I that I’ll have to add to my (small) collection. Good luck
I've bought from ADs, greys and forum members, and have had generally excellent experiences with all three.
Having said that, my recent Omega and Tudor purchases have been from an AD I know and trust, and whose after-sales service has been absolutely excellent, including an extra 2 years of warranty on any new watch sold, free strap changes and minor spare parts, and a 15% discount on any accessories ordered. He can't always provide steep discounts, but generally gets to within 5 - 10% of the greys, nearly all of whom are based outside of Canada, which can be a problem in terms of customs holdups, duties, etc. For me there's a fair bit of value-added there for the watches I've bought.
There are some watches I'm happy to buy used -- my Sinns, Seikos and Damaskos have all been bought online from trusted sellers, and it's worked out very well. But my recent experience with the purchase/exchange of a Speedy 57 coaxial, a beautiful piece but a poor fit for me, has made me more comfortable with buying from an AD where warranted.
For the record, I never said that a dealer HAD to have a storefront, my distinction was regarding the validity of warranty. Since there are non-AD dealers who sell new, warrantied stock (such as the example given above), I think calling them "grey" and lumping them in with the others does them a disservice. Nevertheless, if that's the common parlance, I stand corrected.
Since there are non-AD dealers who sell new, warrantied stock (such as the example given above), I think calling them "grey" and lumping them in with the others does them a disservice.
This is literally the definition of grey market. The term isn't meant to be derogatory.
