Going to Switzerland to buy a watch?
Discussion
I have a bit of a milestone birthday coming up next year and my OH suggested a weekend city break away in Europe somewhere to celebrate. Being the lovely lady she is she also suggested that it could be a good opportunity to visit somewhere nice to buy a watch as a memento...well who am I to refuse a suggestion like that!
So we have been talking about a trip to Switzerland, but having no idea which bit is the best place to go.
My criteria for the destination is that it must be a nice place to visit for a weekend away and it has to have a nice range of watch shops (priority on that criteria will change depending on if you ask me or my OH!).
Does anyone have any experience of going to any of the major Swiss cities? I am thinking it is probably going have to be Geneva, Basel or Zurich, but others could be a possibility.
Or, id there somewhere completely different we should consider?
So we have been talking about a trip to Switzerland, but having no idea which bit is the best place to go.
My criteria for the destination is that it must be a nice place to visit for a weekend away and it has to have a nice range of watch shops (priority on that criteria will change depending on if you ask me or my OH!).
Does anyone have any experience of going to any of the major Swiss cities? I am thinking it is probably going have to be Geneva, Basel or Zurich, but others could be a possibility.
Or, id there somewhere completely different we should consider?
I work out here, and honestly, I wouldn't travel to Switzerland just to buy a "standard" watch.
The prices here, even in the airport and duty free, are more expensive than in the UK.
If you want to go somewhere to buy a watch, then Dubai or Vegas. I found the vegas pawn shops to be the best value for money! Original watches, all papers and boxes. Well worth a look.
The prices here, even in the airport and duty free, are more expensive than in the UK.
If you want to go somewhere to buy a watch, then Dubai or Vegas. I found the vegas pawn shops to be the best value for money! Original watches, all papers and boxes. Well worth a look.
mathmos said:
Or, id there somewhere completely different we should consider?
Cayman Islands apparently very good for watches if buying new!Geneva and Baar have some good second hand dealers and obviously a lot of choice. I have spent a few sunny weekends on the lake, I find it a very pleasant city and always enjoy the drive there. A weekend is enough though
Don't forget to visit the Patek museum.
I've just come back from doing much the same thing Switzerland (a trip I'll post about in due course). I'd give Zurich a miss. It's got some great stores for watches, but you'll be paying top money and not just for the watches. Everything in Zurich seemed over priced to me (accommodation, food, drink etc) and the city itself isn't particularly great either. Not that I went there expecting it to be cheap, i might add.
If I were going back it would be to Geneva and Schaffhausen. I didn't go to Geneva last time, but i'd like to have a look. I did go to Schaffhausen, which is the home of IWC. It's a nice town and i actually found some watches that were, according to my mental exchange rate calculator, good value for money. That included IWCs being sold well below rrp from a store that the IWC receptionist pointed me in the direction of (this may be more of a commentary on my poor arithmetic).
La Chaux-de-Fonds is also well worth a visit. The Musée International d'Horlogerie is there, which is terrific.
If I were going back it would be to Geneva and Schaffhausen. I didn't go to Geneva last time, but i'd like to have a look. I did go to Schaffhausen, which is the home of IWC. It's a nice town and i actually found some watches that were, according to my mental exchange rate calculator, good value for money. That included IWCs being sold well below rrp from a store that the IWC receptionist pointed me in the direction of (this may be more of a commentary on my poor arithmetic).
La Chaux-de-Fonds is also well worth a visit. The Musée International d'Horlogerie is there, which is terrific.
yeti said:
jshell said:
I bought a Omega from the Omega boutique in Geneva. It was the nicest buying experience I've ever had. Loads of time, champagne and extras thrown in to the deal - plus tax free.
So Swiss tax free, how did it compare to UK prices with VAT? Straight 20% cheaper?I was in Zurich last night, I always go 'watch window shopping' down Barnhoff Stasse.
Living in Oslo, Zurich is a cheap night out (!)
I don't follow prices keenly (because I'm skint) but for the 'Big Mac' index, every shop selling Rolex had SS subs at 7100, including the 8% VAT, which I don't think you'll see a massive amount of once Global Blue have had their way.
If you go to Zurich, your missus will spend twice what you do, it's lethal.
If anyone's in Zurich, The burgers in Holy Cow are beyond good if you're rushed for time.
In short, find the watch you want. Dom H or Chrono24 and book flights wherever you want to go with the saving.
Living in Oslo, Zurich is a cheap night out (!)
I don't follow prices keenly (because I'm skint) but for the 'Big Mac' index, every shop selling Rolex had SS subs at 7100, including the 8% VAT, which I don't think you'll see a massive amount of once Global Blue have had their way.
If you go to Zurich, your missus will spend twice what you do, it's lethal.
If anyone's in Zurich, The burgers in Holy Cow are beyond good if you're rushed for time.
In short, find the watch you want. Dom H or Chrono24 and book flights wherever you want to go with the saving.
sneijder said:
If you go to Zurich, your missus will spend twice what you do, it's lethal.
Yeah, this is a real concern, my OH is fairly obsessed with handbags!As this is for a birthday I am really after the whole experience, the effort the Omega store went to with jshell sounds excellent. As long as it's not a massive difference then I think I would prefer that over buying from Chrono24 and then sitting waiting for the postman to deliver.
From what you guys are saying it doesn't sound like the Swiss cities are going to be that entertaining for a weekend break. So I am now thinking maybe another European capital may be a better bet...Paris, Madrid or maybe Berlin.
marcosgt said:
Switzerland has some lovely landscapes and I'm sure it's a lovely place to live, but the cities, in my experience, don't offer much for the tourist.
Geneva's got the lake and, errrr, a fountain and, errrr, an airport that's always busy?
I'd agree with that. No offence to any one that lives there but it wouldn't be my first choice for a weekend away. Geneva's got the lake and, errrr, a fountain and, errrr, an airport that's always busy?
Hmmm London Hackett watches, champagne bar, Eurostar, champagne bar pick your stop.....
I am regularly in Zurich and concur with the above, any saving if there is any, can easily be lost in a restaurant bill or two.
Mr C Laboutin has a shop their that will see shoes and handbags to make any watch seem relatively bargainous!
I like Zurich, the watch shop at the airport is lovely, but it's not a cheap place to be!
I am regularly in Zurich and concur with the above, any saving if there is any, can easily be lost in a restaurant bill or two.
Mr C Laboutin has a shop their that will see shoes and handbags to make any watch seem relatively bargainous!
I like Zurich, the watch shop at the airport is lovely, but it's not a cheap place to be!
toohuge said:
The Caribbean is an excellent place to pick up a watch at a good price. Vegas is great for the choice but the prices are not as favourable as you would hope.
Chris
I visited a few shops out there and wasn't impressed with the prices. Granted I wasn't looking to buy just window shopping at the time. Chris
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