My first post... I'd thought I'd share my experience and ask the rhetorical (or maybe legitimate) why???

All my watches (with the exception of one used from a known online retailer) have been purchased new, either AD or grey market. I don't have a lot of luxury pieces, but I do have more than a couple. As I don't consider myself an expert in spotting fakes, especially good fakes, I have avoided the Bay for purchases.

I decided I want an easy grab & go daily beater. I decided on a specific model, a quartz, I wanted it in excellent condition and no more than $2k. I have found several, most in less than excellent condition. I have contacted 3 jewelry shops that I found had one (one in New York, one in California, one in Miami) and I reached out to an independent who advertises here.

I have contacted all four either by phone or text message. After each one saying they DO have the watch, it isn't spoken for & would call or email me back with further details (like payment, etc...), NONE HAVE CONTACTED ME. One of the jewelry stores, I spoke to three times, the private sales guys from this site, I have exchanged texts twice.

WTF?? Why do sellers want me to beg them to take my money? Ive not low balled anyone. In fact I never even had a chance to make an offer. I didn't ask for anything unreasonable, never had a chance to ask for anything really.
I know I'm not buying a $10k watch, but doesn't a $2k watch still have enough profit to make a seller WANT to sell it? I wont beg anyone to take my money, nor do I want to do a deal with such people as buying a highly faked item is largely a matter of trust (i.e., buy the seller).

Is my experience normal or am I really good at finding duds?

 

Just keep trying to reach them. It's like dealing with a contractor -- if they are busy at the time they may not follow up. So try them again. And again, and again (I deal with contractors for work, so I am used to ding this and it does not bother me).

Also, is there a potential issue with phone calls due to time zone issues?

 

Unless they are selling something super rare, then I would just move on, they would lose me as a customer. I am happy to buy from someone who gives good service and will happily stay loyal to them even if I could get the same watch cheaper somewhere else. Hopefully you will have the satisfaction of telling them where to stick their watch.

 

I'm with you. There's a London dealer with their own website and a good Instagram profile. They have an AP Royal Oak Kasparov that I have emailed them about twice and responded to them on Insta. They haven't replied at all. It's a £13k watch. It baffles me but I'm not chasing them anymore. I will go somewhere that welcomes money.

 

I bought my first mechanical watches in 2014. I did a lot of online research (ie: what are the "best watches under $1000"...) and decided I wanted both a Hamilton Jazzmaster and Tissot Visodate. I knew the exact PN for each I wanted and looked up retailers near me that sold these brands. Like you, I sent an email to quite a few of them asking if they carried (or could get) these watches and what price they would sell them for. Of all the emails I sent, 1 dealer responded with a good price for each (compared to online). I ended up buying both from him, and now use him also for some basic watchmaking services (he changed dial/hands on a Speedy for me).

My assumption for the many non-responses is they either:
- receive a lot of 'tire-kickers' who never follow through with a purchase and therefore aren't diligent in responding
- or, they are more 'in-person' style shops with a mom-and-pop feel and don't really use email/internet as much

 

One thing you have not stated is the time frames. If it's been weeks waiting for these people I could understand your frustration, but sometimes people are unrealistic with what they expect when they email you - I had one guy email me every minute for an entire hour (while I was eating lunch) asking for a response. Needless to say I told him to find someone else for the work.

While many here are piling on saying that these dealers would never get your money, I won't because as someone who gets a shit ton of emails with requests for help/information, some asking me to do actual work for customers, and have just returned back from vacation, I can tell you that sometimes I can't respond right away.

So I will withhold my ire until I know if these really are dealers that have dropped the ball, or if you are posting this 15 minutes after all your initial contacts...not saying you are, just that I don't know the full situation, so it's hard to say if you are having a normal experience or not...

Cheers, Al

 

Um, I think you forgot: get people who don't show up on time; don't do the job agreed upon; and track shit all over your house.

 

Of course there are dealers who will take your money very quickly but...............

 

What's the watch you're after? Total guess here but if it's a Grand Seiko quartz, there's tons of sellers online who offer them.

 

Sorry, I should have qualified this. I work with commercial contractors.

 

Some dealers just don't use email. Maybe they get so much spam they no longer check their box, or their filters are set to exclude people they don't know. Sticking to voice phone might give better results.

 

I have a good friend who is a contractor and during the spring and summer he turns down work, ignores email and doesn't return calls. During the winter months he's practically begging for work. Luxury goods are a hot market right now; I wouldn't expect any of them to chase sales.

What watch are you looking for? I'm assuming you are in a location that prohibits you from simply going and getting one but are you not able to find this specific model from a known reliable seller and buy over the internet?

 

What watch are you trying to purchase? I don't see any reason why they would ignore you unless they do not actually have the watch in stock as they say, especially if you haven't even had the chance to make an offer.

 

I agree... there surely are a lot of "you need to do what I want RIGHT NOW" people out there.

So, I started making contacts early last week. I think I'm very understanding about not expecting immediate or even same day responses. All of my contacts have been phone or text message. The phone conversations have been, "yes we have the watch, I need to call you back".... and no return call. I call back a day or two later and say, "Hey... remember me? I called about this watch", and I get the response of "I will send you a text or email with more pictures or details" and I receive nothing.

The text messages have been, "Yes I have the watch but Im busy right now, I will call you tomorrow". After not receiving any call or text back the next day, I email with my inquiry. Then nothing.

I truly haven't been demanding RIGHT NOW. But I do expect that if I want to give you $2k, and I'm told they will send pictures or a call back, I expect that... either the next day or when I'm told they will get back to me or even within reason a day or so later. In no way have I expected immediate response or sale. If I wanted that, I'd buy online from the bay, crown/caliber or any of the other overpriced used online retailers with instant purchase. I think I've been reasonable.

 

Lots of "what watch are you buying"....

Its the famous blue Omega. Lots of them out there, no need for me beg anyone to sell to me. Nor do I think this watch is so hot that its gone within minutes or days of a seller acquiring it. Buying locally is out. Kansas City is an hour away. Anyone with favorite KC used dealers, please share (I go to Meierotto's often to see whats in).

Only thing I figure is that people get inundated with tire kickers, so they don't put a lot of energy into dealing with people contacting them until they ask for how and where to send the money.

 

You must be close to the same area as me. I've been to Meierotto's a couple of times. I don't like the whole take a number wait for service system...seems corny, like I'm in an AT&T store and I don't like that there isn't a display for the used stuff so it's a back and forth, what do you want; what do you got; look on our website, it'll be updated in 2 weeks.
There is https://www.coolvintagewatches.com/ just outside of KC. No real modern stuff but a must see if in the area.

 

Don't know which direction you are from KC but if it is east then there is https://timekeepersclayton.com/

 

I live in Oz.
I love the vintage watches.

 

Oz like the county or The Lake?
You need to check out Cool Vintage Watches for sure. That place is awesome. Here is a Hodinkee article about them a while back https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/w...at-cool-vintage-watches-in-parkville-missouri

Be warned they keep "whenever" hours, even if they are clearly stated.

 

Lol. My bad.... Oz as in Kansas (Dorothy, Toto & witches)

It hadn’t occurred to me that the lake and surrounding region is in fact referred to as LOZ.