The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I've been told that it's cheaper to buy Breitling in Asia as there is no luxury taxes over there. Any truth to that ? If so, what kind of discount can you get in Asia ? I would like to get the Navitimer Chrono Automatic, which is selling at the Watchery.com.

http://www.thewatchery.com/detail.asp?b ... _id=134887

Well the Watchery is grey market not an AD. Will have to let others comment on dealer pricing in most of Asia but I do know that Japanese ADs don't discount, it's not part of the culture.

If you live in the States, you can PM either jnelson3097 (Govbergs in PA) or FEAR (Provident Jewelers in FL) both forum sponsors and avoid the state tax.

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Breitling Navitimer: Black Dial
OMEGA Speedmaster Professional
Steinhart Nav.B-Chrono II
Elgin-Hamilton 37500 (Aircraft Clock)

Discounts are all over the place (many different ADs), but not very substantial.

Only Hong Kong offers no tax.

In Singapore, you will have to pay 7% GST. Foreigners can then ask for a GST refund form (MUST get at time of purchase), and claim back about 5.5% at the airport when you depart Singapore.

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a few Pams...

Although Hong Kong doesn't have sales tax, the prices are set at the equivalent of their european counterparts, sometimes more expensive. A disgusting practice by Breitling HK. You can see some of the prices on my post "Jet team display......" Perculiarly, the only watch cheaper than in Europe is the SA 2 steel. Expect to bargain hard for a reasonable 20 % discount, but remember that you can get the tax refunded at European jewellers, and a possible discount on top too! Avoid HK, thus.

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Breitling Avenger Seawolf Yellow SS
Breitling Super Avenger (2009) Black SS
Omega Speedmaster Schumacher (Yellow) Steel
Tissot T Navigator 3000 Blue Steel
Fortis Flieger Cockpit L.E. (No. 788)
Seiko Black Monster Rubber Strap
Tissot PRS516 (2004)

For Asia I would feel one of the best bet is to buy in Singapore, if u have good bargaining skills. I asked around the ADs in Switzerland, Italy, Paris, Amsterdam and Dubai for the price of a particular Rolex DJ that I wanted to get for my wife last year and all quoted S$13K plus after discount. After I returned to Singapore I bargained with an AD and got it at S$12,700 which was about S$800 cheaper that I could get in Europe(that was like 17% discount that I got). However, I got my Chronomat 01 LE in (Switzerland)Luzern last year for 25% discount. I saw the same piece at an AD after coming back to Singapore and they offered me the same discount. However I felt that if I were to bargain they should be able to offer a little lesser, maybe end up I could get about S$100 cheaper in Singapore as compared to Luzern? But I had no regrets paying a little more for it as I prefer the LE number that I got(happened to be my year of birth). I think the issue with some of the European countries, especially Switzerland is that they are super strict with their price control. In Singapore Breitling seems lower in demand so I guess the ADs are willing to discount more than usual.

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

But you're forgetting that you can get the tax reduced as well when you buy it in Europe. Taking your Rolex example, there is still the 21% tax to be taken off after the discount given by the shop, and some jewellers will do that for you upon buying the watch instantly (thus to get the full tax refunded instead of using Global Blue, which is not that advantageous), provided you mail the invoice duty stamped back to them.

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Breitling Avenger Seawolf Yellow SS
Breitling Super Avenger (2009) Black SS
Omega Speedmaster Schumacher (Yellow) Steel
Tissot T Navigator 3000 Blue Steel
Fortis Flieger Cockpit L.E. (No. 788)
Seiko Black Monster Rubber Strap
Tissot PRS516 (2004)

The prices that I input above are net of everything, and as a Singaporean, I don't get any tax rebate buying in my own country. So imagine it was still cheaper as compared to getting in Europe with the tax rebate. But however I had no regrets getting my Ling in Switzerland because even though I might have paid a little extra, I love the LE number for that piece as it would have been a different number of no significance to me if I had gotten it in my own country. Best of all, the AD there made an excellent mistake by giving me a Breitling for Bentley box, which I only discovered it later when I returned to Singapore and contacted the Breitling Service Centre to change it for me. So the best thing is that they gave me a choice of the new box or the old Bakelite box(you should know which I chose), I would have to settle for the new style box if not for that good mistake;)

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

Well, I am a math idiot, but I really think I had a good deal a few months ago in Belgium for my Super Avenger (1) Steel. Here's how. The retail price there at the AD was at €4,720. I got 20% off (which could have been more if I bargained even harder, but one never knows)and then on top of that they deducted the included VAT (a whopping 21% in Belgium) instantly. I ended up paying around €3200. In Hong Kong, at that time, the SA steel was officially listed as HKD51,200 (€5,120). Tax in Switzerland is only a tiny 8%, so that's the price discrepancy you've encountered after comparing it to the price in SGP. Belgium is a great place to buy watches! Take note, my friend.

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Breitling Avenger Seawolf Yellow SS
Breitling Super Avenger (2009) Black SS
Omega Speedmaster Schumacher (Yellow) Steel
Tissot T Navigator 3000 Blue Steel
Fortis Flieger Cockpit L.E. (No. 788)
Seiko Black Monster Rubber Strap
Tissot PRS516 (2004)

Now the AD discount for breitling in sg isnt so attractive anymore

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Rolex Submariner 14060
Breitling Super Avenger A13370
Oris Aquis Staghorn Restoration

Ya I forgot to continue part 2 from my previous post. All the ADs here have clamped their discount to 15% since the opening of the boutique. Good news for me as it made me feel my purchase last year worthwhile. The same B01 LE that was selling at S$10K is now S$11K plus after discount. No more Ling for me meanwhile

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Breitling Chronomat 01 Limited Edition
Breitling Navitimer 01 46mm

And never to buy in Switzerland as a non-EU citizen.....

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Breitling Avenger Seawolf Yellow SS
Breitling Super Avenger (2009) Black SS
Omega Speedmaster Schumacher (Yellow) Steel
Tissot T Navigator 3000 Blue Steel
Fortis Flieger Cockpit L.E. (No. 788)
Seiko Black Monster Rubber Strap
Tissot PRS516 (2004)

No, not really. There are no "luxury taxes" in Europe or North America either, although there are various value-added taxes and sales taxes which can be avoided if you play ball with the paperwork. Also, "Asia" is a massive land mass with over half the world's population on it, and it includes China which very much *does* have a luxury tax in addition to other taxes, although I don't know if they apply to watches.

I can tell you that Dubai, if that counts as Asia, is not particularly competitive at all on the list price, which (like HK) is similar to European prices including their various VATs. However you might get a better discount.

BTW that price inflation in HK is pure economics at force. There is untold wealth in HK, and the market can stand higher prices, so that is what they charge - what the local market can stand.

Some people are lucky enough to fly around the planet buying watches, for the rest of us, the cost of the airline ticket blows any micro price advantage out of the water many times over I'm afraid!

I frequent HK all the time, watches are not cheaper here anymore and haven't been cheaper here since around 7yrs ago. All watches I have bought over the last few years have been out of the US.

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Currently:
Breitling Montbrillant Datora (Black)
Breitling Chronospace (Jet Team Ltd Ed.)
Omega Seamaster Chrono (Blue)
Tag Aquaracer Grande Date Chrono (White)