Should I Purchase a Watch on Line?

bagshopr

bagshopr

O.G.
Apr 6, 2007
3,106
3,233
#1
I have received many helpful replies to my question about prestigious watches. I have decided I want an Omega constellation with a diamond bezel.
I have located one I like at a local jewelry store, but on-line research has shown that I can get the same watch at about a $600 savings, and no sales tax.
Have any of your ever purchased a watch on line? Can you recommend a trustworthy site? Any to avoid?
Also, this watch is stainless and rose gold. Any opinions on rose gold?
Thanks!!
 
#3
Personally, I would never buy an expensive watch online because almost, if not all, online retailers are not authorized dealers and it means: NO WARRANTY through the actual manufacturer. Also, some online retailers have been known to put mediocre or subpar parts inside of the watches so you would never know until you took it somewhere to be worked on. I think it is worth the $600 to have peace of mind on such an expensive item, JMO tho.
 
#4
I got my Omega when wristwatch.ccom carried them, We called and got one with the serial number so I still had the manufactueres warranty. I think it cost am extra $30. Also the rose gold with a diamond bezel, I love it.
 
#5
Just also keep in mind that even though your watch has a serial number, it will be recorded (unless Omega is different than Rolex) as being sold through a NON authorized dealer....which, thus voids ANY warranty issues. Once an authorized dealer takes the watch apart, runs the serial number, and discovers it was not purchased through an authorized dealer, they will flat out refuse to work on it. I know Rolex does this for sure, but Omega may not. You might want to call an authorized dealer to ask prior to making your purchase.

Also, do not even think of buying a watch without serial numbers! Whoever is working on it will most likely take it and sent it back to the manufacturer as these are usually stolen property! :wtf:
 
#7
Mine wasnt an Omega but I have purchased three Gucci watches online. One diamond and two regular ones for huge savings over retail. Only one had to be worked on and I sent it directly to Gucci and had no trouble. Had links removed from the others by an authorized Gucci repair and they verified authenticity.
I bought two from here and both were authentic.
http://www.worldofwatches.com/
 
#8
And the other thing is if Rolex et al refused to work on watches that weren't bought from authorised dealers there would be no secondhand market for these watches as no one could ever get them serviced
 
#9
When I said that, I was implying that the ORIGINAL and first purchase of the watch has to be from an authorized dealer....then, if it sold secondhand it still has the warranty attached to the serial number of the watch. Rolex keeps track of serial numbers and where the original purchase was....which means buying it secondhand is fine, as long as the original owner purchased it from an authorized dealer from the beginning. Also, you CAN get it serviced from any random store that claims to work on Rolex, it is just that if they have to actually send it to Rolex, Rolex won't work on it.
 
#10
kristie said:
Also, you CAN get it serviced from any random store that claims to work on Rolex, it is just that if they have to actually send it to Rolex, Rolex won't work on it.
Click to expand...

Exactly that is because Rolex is all about lousiness in customer service and all they care about is ripping you off on a lousy, overpriced watch made by robots in the quantity of nearly one million a year. If your Rolex goes bust in 20 years time, they can't repair it for you because they have an explicit policy of keeping the parts for only 20 years. For other brands such as IWC and Patek, they will actually keep the blueprints and make a replacement part for you if that is necessary in 100 years time. Moreover they will service your watch even if it is from the grey market (even Cartier does that!) because they actually care about every single watch that went out of their workshop rather than Rolex factory. In any case, warranty is only two years so after two years, you will be paying for the service cost anyway whether you buy it from an authorised dealer or not.

Coming back to the question that the lady who started the thread asks, if it is a quartz Constellation , buy from a non-authorised dealer if that gets you the best price. If it is a mechanical Constellation, also buy from the non-authorised dealer if that gets you the best price. The reason is because:

1) For quartz, it is easily serviced and a gentleman in your local market can easily sort out quartz problems; I have no intention to get my quartz Patek Twenty~4 serviced by Patek itself because that will cost me 525 Swiss Francs.

2) For mechanical, it can also be easily sort out by the same gentleman in your local market because the movement inside is ETA 2892-2 (95% sure of the number but I don't remember off by heart :P) which everyone knows about and it is not like a Grand Complication that requires expertise!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back