Great Time To Buy From Europe

Great Time To Buy From Europe

Author
Discussion

michael gould

Original Poster:

5,691 posts

240 months

Friday 20th February 2015
quotequote all
Watches have always been a little cheaper in Europe.....Italy and Spain are great places to buy from at the moment and with the exchange rate @ 1.35 against the Euro it's time for smart buyers to pick up some cracking pre-owned bargains ........at this rate watches are 20% cheaper in Europe than the Uk at the moment.

Fill your boots

ToplessMonster

19 posts

115 months

Friday 20th February 2015
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Can you recommend any good sites?

I'm after a pre-owned Omega Speedmaster.

michael gould

Original Poster:

5,691 posts

240 months

Friday 20th February 2015
quotequote all
http://www.chrono24.com

I have purchased 4-5 top end watches via this site and never had a problem.......stick with the dealers not private sales (although I did buy a nice Vacheron from a private buyer but ended up doing a face to face deal )

ADP68

528 posts

170 months

Friday 20th February 2015
quotequote all
I looked on Chrono 24, but have been thinking of a trip to Monaco after seeing ads from Monaco Watch co, however a bit of googling reveals the cops have shut them down!
The 'problem' with Chrono24, as I think I've read on here, is that the 'trusted retailer' label can essentially be 'bought' by vendors.
I'd love to know people's experiences of buying from overseas, there's a place called horologeriaAlex or something like that, in the NL, selling Speedmasters and I'm sure there's a '68 pre-moon there with my name on it!

avinalarf

6,438 posts

141 months

Friday 20th February 2015
quotequote all
A shop called Nautilus in Riccione,Italy.
I have visited the shop,they certainly have the stock.
e.g. 2015 Speedmaster 57 is circa £3911 against circa £7000 in UK.
No connection to them or recommendation,just an observation.

Edited by avinalarf on Friday 20th February 13:53

ADP68

528 posts

170 months

Friday 20th February 2015
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I'm on a cruise in Venice next month. I don't suppose anyone has any recommendations there do they?

michael gould

Original Poster:

5,691 posts

240 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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ADP68 said:
I'm on a cruise in Venice next month. I don't suppose anyone has any recommendations there do they?
I loved sailing into Venice on my cruise last year......lucky you ! .....there's a nice Patek shop behing the the "Grand Cafe" on St Marco square smile

ADP68

528 posts

170 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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Thanks. Can't wait. Wife convalescing so cruise being looked forward to. Thanks for the tip will take a butchers.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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ADP68 said:
I looked on Chrono 24, but have been thinking of a trip to Monaco after seeing ads from Monaco Watch co, however a bit of googling reveals the cops have shut them down!
The 'problem' with Chrono24, as I think I've read on here, is that the 'trusted retailer' label can essentially be 'bought' by vendors.
I'd love to know people's experiences of buying from overseas, there's a place called horologeriaAlex or something like that, in the NL, selling Speedmasters and I'm sure there's a '68 pre-moon there with my name on it!
I've been looking at something from a "trusted seller" from Italy on there, I've googled them and they do look like an authorised dealer but I'm not sure I'm comfortable buying such a thing sight unseen off the internet.

NNH

1,515 posts

131 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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I got a lot of help from this forum last month when I was thinking the very same thing in Italy. I bought a 1982 Datejust for £1800/€2400 in Sestriere from the Bonori Gioielleria.

The watch is on this thread

Ikemi

8,438 posts

204 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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ADP68 said:
Thanks. Can't wait. Wife convalescing so cruise being looked forward to. Thanks for the tip will take a butchers.
There are some nice watch stores in St. Mark's Square, but check out the surroundings too - There was a store selling VC and Zenith pieces! smile I was there last August and took a few shots:





A bit blurred ... I was probably being pulled away from the watches by the then girlfriend tongue out


michael gould

Original Poster:

5,691 posts

240 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
quotequote all
whilst enjoying the watches on the windows you will no doubt wish to have refreshment in the cafes.....coffee is £10 a cup and lasts 20min......but for £30 I purchased a superb bottle of Rippaso (in the cafe next to the Grand Cafe on the left hand side looking at the shops) and it will last you an hour, much better value .....Venice is wonderful ......enjoy

With regards to buying a watch from an Italian dealer, I have never had a problem, its normally a good indication if the have lots of watches for sale and have been a trusted seller for some years.

SickFish

3,503 posts

188 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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the GMT II has come onto my radar after trying one on yesterday in Pepsi guise.... now currently speaking with a couple of dealers on CH24 for some very keenly priced watches thumbup

ADP68

528 posts

170 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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Last-time I combined alcohol and watches it cost me a lot of money (and some wag on here told me that the lady in the watch shop was drinking appletise and pouring me champagne), but thanks for the tip!

Martin_M

2,071 posts

226 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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Once I sell my Black Bay, I had planned to seriously consider buying through Chrono but I've read about some negative experiences which puts me off in case I'm one of the unlucky ones.

yeti

10,523 posts

274 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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Martin_M said:
Once I sell my Black Bay, I had planned to seriously consider buying through Chrono but I've read about some negative experiences which puts me off in case I'm one of the unlucky ones.
The unlucky ones haven't done their due diligence, luck is not a factor. Itls not like eBay with some comeback via PayPal, it's just an advertising site.

It's like Gumtree for watches, just a place for (mainly) dealers to advertise their stock. So see the watch on there and start researching the dealer. Ring them, mail them, perhaps even visit them!

Martin_M

2,071 posts

226 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
quotequote all
yeti said:
Martin_M said:
Once I sell my Black Bay, I had planned to seriously consider buying through Chrono but I've read about some negative experiences which puts me off in case I'm one of the unlucky ones.
The unlucky ones haven't done their due diligence, luck is not a factor. Itls not like eBay with some comeback via PayPal, it's just an advertising site.

It's like Gumtree for watches, just a place for (mainly) dealers to advertise their stock. So see the watch on there and start researching the dealer. Ring them, mail them, perhaps even visit them!
The particular example I was thinking about featured a number of happy buyers from a seller in Italy, yet one guy seemed to have serious issues that there's no point going into but cutting a long story short, after a lot of hassle for him, he was eventually refunded. Apparently he made use of Chrono's Trusted Checkout Service and they weren't of much help. Not sure I would take the chance but each to their own.

Quinny

15,814 posts

265 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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Got this one sent by an Italian dealer.....communications left a little to be desired but at just over £2.2k delivered, with all stickers etc in place, I was happy enoughsmile




BristolMS

653 posts

133 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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Quinny said:
Got this one sent by an Italian dealer.....communications left a little to be desired but at just over £2.2k delivered, with all stickers etc in place, I was happy enoughsmile

That's a lovely piece cloud9 and what a great saving....!

TimLambert7

642 posts

124 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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I'm finding myself with irrepressible hankerings for a Tudor Pelagos.

I'm going to be in Hong Kong, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto and Montreal in the next 4 months - where might I get the best deal?