For many, ADs offer a happy medium between directly purchasing from brands and launching full-fledged into the sometimes more difficult to maneuver secondary market. Working through an AD extends the same authenticity guarantee as buying directly through a brand, but as the dealers have a larger stock of watches to move, they more frequently are willing to offer discounts on their available products.
#Reputable grey market watch dealers watch online
The second option for buying a watch online is through authorized dealers (AD), which simply means that a watch brand directly authorizes a private third-party seller to sell its watches. You can find a list of some of these brands, below: Some brands, including luxury watchmakers like Rolex and Patek Philippe, as well as more affordable brands like Citizen-owned Frederique Constant and Alpina Watches, are eschewing direct sales altogether through the crisis, conducting sales almost exclusively through authorized third-party sellers with existing stock (though some are still offering limited private appointments in certain locations). The downside is that buying directly through brands, with few exceptions, requires the consumer to buy the models at MSRP, with few discount opportunities - useful for very in-demand models and those prone to counterfeiting, but certainly requiring more initial capital for purchase and won’t necessarily yield a positive or neutral return upon resell (if that’s a consideration). The benefit of buying directly through brands is this is the method best able to ensure authenticity of the watch you are interested in, and further able to ensure the watch is brand new, never having been worn. Some higher-end luxury watchmakers are still offering private in-person appointments, but even brands opting towards this method of sales most often still have an online concierge service to help with scheduling. The first option is to buy directly from the brands, i.e., go to a brand’s website or official online shop and purchase a watch directly through the platform. In buying a watch online, the options are much the same as buying a watch in person, leaving consumers with three primary routes: direct brand sales, authorized dealers, and the secondary, or “grey” market. While the guide is especially helpful now, the information will be relevant far down the road, even when social distancing standards and mask requirements begin to fade. To help you in your watch-buying journey, we at WatchTime have assembled a guide on the three most popular buying options, as well as helpful tips when looking for a watch. Still, for all the options, supply lines both for manufacturing and consumer sales have been crunched, with some of the most popular models on the market coming in and out of stock as retailers and watch brands develop work-arounds in the face of disruptive social distancing and travel restrictions. Others still are allowing limited sales via in-person private appointments at brand boutiques. Some brands facing this new reality have launched new online stores to cater to the growing demand of online purchasing, while others, such as Patek Phillipe, have allowed authorized dealers to sell online, lifting a longstanding ban on the practice. Nonetheless, while the traditional method of buying from a local jeweler, a larger AD, or a brand boutique might be paused, buying a watch from any of them online is increasingly possible. This is not to say that you will absolutely be screwed if you buy gray market.you are just introducing a higher risk.With the COVID-19 pandemic still wreaking havoc in many parts of the world, and social distancing measures likely to carry on for the foreseeable future, the capacity to browse and purchase watches at a boutique anytime soon might seem somewhat slim. These people make livings on selling high-quality watches at reduced prices. You will have peace of mind knowing that everything will be worked out if any issues pop up.įrom my experience, if you're looking to save some money on a higher-end watch, buy pre-owned from a REPUTABLE dealer like Topper, Govberg, or Bernard watch. I suppose the best way to put it would be to consider the higher price from an AD as insurance.
Does your budget allow for you to make a $4,000 risk? Like others have said, it's all up to your preference. Since it came with a company warranty as opposed to a manufacturer warranty, I would have to send it out of the country to a place of unknown reputation. You simply don't know the history of the watch, or any damage or repair that has occurred. Yes, the watch ticks and keeps time, but I have had some issues with the movement, winding, date window being offset slightly, etc. I purchased my first watch (Diver 65) from a grey market dealer.
0 kommentar(er)
