First purchase north of £1k - what's your go to?
Discussion
As per title really.
This is my 1st purchase for a luxury watch (no preference do it to used or new).
Looking at no date subs, TT subs and Milgauss models, I think I'd be happy with either.
Question is do I stump the £5.5k minimum for a sub at in a dealer like watchfinder, very omroessed with their service and standard of watches (colleague just bought a 2011 colt looks brand new) or go somewhere like Chrono24.co.uk, which I'm not familiar with but prices start from around £3.3k (a fair saving for me to ponder over)
Prices are approx and completely exact just asking about how people go about the purchase themselves.
This is my 1st purchase for a luxury watch (no preference do it to used or new).
Looking at no date subs, TT subs and Milgauss models, I think I'd be happy with either.
Question is do I stump the £5.5k minimum for a sub at in a dealer like watchfinder, very omroessed with their service and standard of watches (colleague just bought a 2011 colt looks brand new) or go somewhere like Chrono24.co.uk, which I'm not familiar with but prices start from around £3.3k (a fair saving for me to ponder over)
Prices are approx and completely exact just asking about how people go about the purchase themselves.
Edited by EC123 on Wednesday 1st March 21:15
I went through chrono 24 to buy my 16600 SeaDweller. As long as they are a trusted trader you cant really go wrong. I went with a dealer down in London, he called me and we had a chat over the phone he even wanted to meet up for a pint! Watch came the next day sent via recorded delivery with a declared value of £4500.
When i come to my next purchase i will most likely go down this route.
When i come to my next purchase i will most likely go down this route.
I bought 4 watches from Watchfinder over the last 4 months none of them have been over polished but all have been in mint condition, the service has been superb I've chopped and changed my mind swapped them out etc...and they have been nothing but great to deal with.
I've part ex'd and received 90% of the original price paid as well so they aren't bidding people down as some would have you believe in my experience.
They are a certified service centre for Cartier/Omega/IWC/Panerai and AP so know what they are doing.
Personally I would buy a Rolex from them with confidence.
I've part ex'd and received 90% of the original price paid as well so they aren't bidding people down as some would have you believe in my experience.
They are a certified service centre for Cartier/Omega/IWC/Panerai and AP so know what they are doing.
Personally I would buy a Rolex from them with confidence.
Wills2 said:
I bought 4 watches from Watchfinder over the last 4 months none of them have been over polished but all have been in mint condition, the service has been superb I've chopped and changed my mind swapped them out etc...and they have been nothing but great to deal with.
I've part ex'd and received 90% of the original price paid as well so they aren't bidding people down as some would have you believe in my experience.
They are a certified service centre for Cartier/Omega/IWC/Panerai and AP so know what they are doing.
Personally I would buy a Rolex from them with confidence.
Currently in the midst of purchasing a 2014 Submariner from Watchfinder. They are very good . This is the 4th time ive dealt with them. I had a Rolex Sub before and i noticed they went in a bit hard on the clasp thus rubbing down the Coronet. However i was more than happy with the watch at the time.
I've part ex'd and received 90% of the original price paid as well so they aren't bidding people down as some would have you believe in my experience.
They are a certified service centre for Cartier/Omega/IWC/Panerai and AP so know what they are doing.
Personally I would buy a Rolex from them with confidence.
Currently in the midst of purchasing a 2014 Submariner from Watchfinder. They are very good . This is the 4th time ive dealt with them. I had a Rolex Sub before and i noticed they went in a bit hard on the clasp thus rubbing down the Coronet. However i was more than happy with the watch at the time.
Decided to go the new route, £5450.00 for the sub I want, in my personal opinion that beats a 1997 one from watchfinder for £4750.00 (I note there are newer models for £6kish, still more than new).
Spoke to a few dealers, Fraser Hart in Maidstone seem confident they can get me one in no time at all so a trip there is in order.
Traffman that's good to hear! Certianly wouldn't discount watchfinder, went to bluewater store yesterday, good bunch, just rather buy new for same price.
Spoke to a few dealers, Fraser Hart in Maidstone seem confident they can get me one in no time at all so a trip there is in order.
Traffman that's good to hear! Certianly wouldn't discount watchfinder, went to bluewater store yesterday, good bunch, just rather buy new for same price.
EC123 said:
Decided to go the new route, £5450.00 for the sub I want, in my personal opinion that beats a 1997 one from watchfinder for £4750.00
Correct decision, I reckon. Given current second-hand Sub prices in the UK, there’s not a massive saving with them.
Buying new, you’ll also be sure to get all the boxes & papers (worth a premium of circa £250 if you plan to sell in future), plus full warranty and no need to service it for perhaps 10 years or more (buying second-hand without a confirmed service, you’d need to budget about £400-£500 extra for that).
Leaving purely aesthetic preferences aside, some dislike the ‘fat’ lugs & shiny ceramic bezel on the newer Subs, but in terms of build they are much better than the older versions, and the 1997 model you reference, offering several improvements:
- Solid bracelet links (not hollow/folded links & hollow end pieces)
- Fantastic machined ‘Glidelock’ clasp, allowing easy on-the-fly bracelet resizing without tools, compared to prior cheaper, stamped metal clasp
- Ceramic bezel – arguably more shatter prone than aluminium, but that's rare, and it’s virtually impervious to scratching, rusting & fading, so it’ll
still look sharp in 20 years.
- Slightly better movement
- Enhanced, better than Chronometer timing – to an average of +/- 2 seconds daily
It’s worthwhile bearing in mind that only Rolexes sold by Authorised Dealers (ADs) after July 1, 2015 will have the new 5-year Rolex warranty. Submariners first sold from ADs between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2015, get an extra year of warranty, extending the original two years to three. Therefore, you are best to target that newer model for the extra warranty comfort.
Finally, unless you’re careful & have the appropriately sized hollow-ground screwdriver, I’d get them to re-size the bracelet for you in-store. Doing it yourself is really simple of course, but it can be tricky unless you’re careful – the screw head can be ‘chewed’ if you use the incorrect screwdriver, and the threads themselves use a light glue (‘loctite’) to retain the screws, which must be gently heated to release (and replaced, unless you want a screw working-loose over time and your bracelet going flying when you least expect it). Some ADs can also make a hash of it, but at least this way you can blame them & get them to rectify any mistakes free of charge.
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