The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Well said Mofongo. Another way to put it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost

Every dollar you spend buying something new is a dollar you can't spend on something else. Food, mortgage, another watch, a car, a gadget, etc.

Thanks for the discussion.

I agree with those of you who think it's never a good idea to overpay for an asset -- even if it's a discretionary (non-investment) purchase. That's why I'm not ashamed or too lazy to do this diligence.

Someone asked where I live: in Charlotte, NC.

I absolutely intend to have "sufficient funds" for the purchase, at the time of purchase, but are you guys talking about "cash" - as in legal US notes??? The thought of carrying $5k+ into a mall is frightening.

I visited a Tourneau recently to try on various Navis. I made it clear that I wasn't prepared to purchase at that time, but that I appreciated any assistance to the extent they had capacity to help. It was a useful visit. Incidentally, the Raleigh-Durham AD said something upfront about discounts (even after I told her that I wasn't prepared to buy at that time). Her comment is what tipped me off to the possibility. (I had no idea!)

So it looks like Tourneau might lead with the weakest discount, and then there could be a great deal of variation between different jewelry store ADs.

Last question (and again, thanks for your help): is there any point to attempting a Carribean visit to try to get additional bang for my buck, or are there more risks (e.g., difficulty in finding ADs, lower discounting, poor selection, etc.)?

A lot of people don’t know about discounts because they think buying a watch is like shopping for clothes. You go into a store, you pay the price tag, and off you go…. Only those who dig, or do research online get the best prices. Almost everyone in this forum is a big proponent of buying from an AD, so that’s the biggest thing. I am sure with your mentality you will do fine!

As a Villanova grad, I will tell you to do an overnight trip to Philly. It doesn’t have the glamour of NYC, or the history/scenery of Boston…..so it’s often overlooked. Still, it’s a great place with excellent food and lots to do. If you go to a Phillies game, just don’t run on the field……

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Chronomat Evo (White, Arabics)
Avenger Seawolf (Black, Batons) INCOMING?

I just meant that you should have the means to buy. As long as your credit card can handle the purchase, it doesn't matter. The important point is don't bother negotiating until you are ready to buy.

Another thing I try to do is always have them name a price first. Most jewelry stores will do this anyway (pawn shops and car dealers will almost always try and get you to name a price first), because they don't want to hardcore negotiate with you, and they generally have preset discount limits already.


It is definitely a good idea to visit several ADs, if there are enough in your area, just to see which one seems to give you the best service. Remember, you will often get better discounts on repeat business, even if it's only once every few years, so picking an AD you will enjoy going back to is a plus. I have had a few ADs tell me about discounts up front, too, and that doesn't hurt either. I think it's good that they are trying to get you to come back and are focusing on the longer term picture.

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." --Dave Barry

I dont think ive ever been to an AD and asked the price of a watch and had them quote me retail and leave it at that. They will always follow up the retail price with something along the lines of "but I can do better than that" or "ill get you a good deal on it..." Im pretty sure its standard protocol, but maybe they can see my soul through my eyes and know im not paying full price

BTW, some buyers seem to beat around the bush and not really bring up price right away because they are either embarrassed or maybe just think its bad form. I usually see something and ask right away how much it costs.

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-RJ

Well, my experience this past saturday with 2 ADs was that they were happy to let me try on the watch and look at the price and just mention "this is the XXX price however we can do something better for sure..." and the 2nd one even gave me a price to think about (didnt have the money, but it was nice to see give me a good price for it).

Anyways, i myself going to be getting a Breitling in a few weeks, so happy to know they are willing to negotiate

Good advice, all.

I'm going to get a Tag for my wife before I buy my Breitling, so I'll send the AD that I think might be the most promising my earlier (Tag) biz.

I always just assumed it was because I looked like a cheapskate...


Seems to me any serious buyer would be interested in prices. I used to wonder if this was bad form, too, but almost every jeweler I have ever been in has been eager to talk about price. The one exception was the Tiffany store at the Bellagio where they looked snooty and typed the price into a calculator (this was for a ring). I know that's actually not uncommon, especially for Europe, but it was interesting that none of the other Tiffany stores have done this.

///M

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." --Dave Barry

I think that you'll always have a few customers that are either a bit ashamed to ask for a better price, or the type that won't ask just to try to impress on the dealer. Both of them will of course miss out on a better deal.

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