The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I should also point out that you can view the full IWC catalog in PDF from IWC's website. This is obviously not an answer for the poor customer experience, but just so everyone knows. Go to the US website, click "Library" (bottom of the screen) then "Catalogue", then in the upper right corner will be "Read the catalogue 2008 online". It's an entire book!!

Maybe when I go to Vegas next week I will see if the IWC boutique in the Palazzo will give me one.

Mofongo

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

One more update....

I have been having a good discussion with the Romain Jerome AD and that's a definite possibility - I'm scheduled to visit Chicago at the beginning of May so will hopefully be able to see the Moon Rider in person then. RJ and their AD network really are trying to impress me.

In terms of IWC, it's been almost 3 weeks since my second contact that prompted the automatic reply of "We will do our best to process your inquiry as quickly as possible" and nothing. I contacted them one final time, still professional but clearly not happy. Got the same auto response, but nothing else yet - we'll see what time brings.

This is really starting to annoy me - the watches are great, I had my heart set on a Portuguese this year, and not necessarily one of the cheaper ones, and of course all the BP and BI activity on here is adding to the love of the brand, but I am really getting a sour taste in my mouth about this. I also find it extremely disappointing that this level of bad service seems to be just an IWC problem rather than a Richemont Group problem, and it does clearly depend on which part of the world you are in.

I really can't imagine what I would be faced with if I bought a Portuguese and had problems with it! If this latest contact doesn't result in some kind of positive experience then I think it's time to contact the Richemont Group directly - I think I can get a couple of contacts.

Really disappointing behaviour.

With the recent focus on IWC (and general interest for a while now) I picked up the 2008 catalogue at an authorised dealer the other day (2008 being their 140th year as I'm sure you're all aware). It's pretty impressive. Talks about the history and technology before getting into the products...

Sorry to hear that Roff - very disappointing behaviour as you say; inexcusable really. Hopefully you get a resolution soon!

My VC catalogue turned up today - nice pictures, but the catalogue is a very small format - Oris like. However they also sent me a fold out poster of the Quai de L'Ile. I found it a bit odd to have a poster - seems a little specialised, but it is a great way to show off the watch - and of course the concept of being able to customise a watch is also pretty cool.

I know this is an old thread but What I do / did is to dress up clean but not expensive looking and take in something like a swatch or so. Ask for help and see how they treat me. Amazing how different things can be in the same room. One guy did everything professional and spent some of his very busy time (lunch hour in downtown) to take care of me. Showed me what he had in vintage 'lings and invited me back.

When I came back later, dressed the same and picked up the watch (needed a battery) and wandered over to the showcase I felt like I was under investigation, like I was going to smash the case and run off with a watch or two. Same dealer, same day, different attitudes.

It used to be that they could get away with this because $$ was flowing like the Nile in monsoon season. But in todays market you would think that they'd take a little better care. But then maybe when $$ was flowing they just got complacent because there was always someone there to sell it to. We'll see how many stay around.

Oh and thats why my DD is a Toyota and not a Vette. (I set off the alarm and the salesguys came pouring out of the back room, one turned off the alarm then walked away)

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Currently:
Breitling - Colt chronoOcean
Others - RADO Integral Jubile, Movado Museum, Lum-Tec M9, Seikos

Special knowledge can be a terrible disadvantage if it leads you too far along a path that you cannot explain anymore.
Frank Herbert 'Dune'

Just got back from Vegas. Went to the IWC Boutique at the Palazzo (it's part of Bellusso Jewelers) and had a great experience looking with one of their salespeople named Bill. He happily gave me an IWC catalog and wow it is beautiful.

He also told me that if I have an interest in seeing a specific model they did not currently have, and I know I will be in Vegas at some future date to give him a call and he will see if he can get one in. There is no commitment to buy...just to look at. If anyone else out there is going to be in Vegas and would like to take him up on that offer, PM me for contact info.

Mofongo

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

One more update.....

I still haven't had any acknowledgement from IWC so I have been in touch with Richemont Group directly. We shall see what happens this time.........

Roff,

PM me with what you need and I'll personally send you some catalogs.

Panerai, Patek, JLC, Rolex, Breitling, TAG, Cartier...

To give any and all major brands a benefit of a doubt, times are tough, trust me, even they are feeling it right now. There have been a lot of cut backs and reducing of staff and I am sure you are not the only person who have been emailing them or trying to contact them. Maybe you just need to wait a bit more.

Thanks krlyuzh - I'll send a PM, but I think I hit a nerve with Richemont. Received the following this morning:

"On behalf of IWC, we sincerely apologize for the delay in sending a catalogue out to you and the lack of communication you encountered.

Kindly provide your address and I will personally see to it that one will be sent out to you immediately."

Well, Roff, in a funny way your experience made me feel better about my experiences while recently getting involved a bit in the Panerai community. In fact, I just posted a comment on Paneraisource at my displeasure about some of the feelings and vibes I am getting, regarding the stigma attached to owning a Panerai.
The one good thing is, when I applied for a catalogue on the Panerai website, a very beautiful one was sent to me within a couple of weeks. It makes me think, maybe I am judging the company on the arrogant behaviour of a few individuals. I am certainly not a person with much money, I just happen to get great pleasure out of owning quality timepieces. Like you, I get very put off by some of the pretense and arrogance that some display, in what is basically one of my very favourite pastimes.
It's a very good thing that there is such diversity in the world of watches, and we don't have to restrict ourselves to one particular brand.
Cheers,
Carl

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'63 Omega Seamaster, 2014 Omega Speedmaster MarkII

"Those who possess a sense of entitlement are seldom satisfied"

There's one particular online Panerai community that's well known for the personality of a few of it's higher profile members. I'm no expert, but I think it's due to the fact that Panerai is such a get it / don't get it brand. Among a tiny minority of those that passionately they feel that they are in someway superior from those of us who aren't able to get it.

Of course as we know from the PAM fans on here, the vast majority of Panerai fans are normal (if misguided ) people.

I'm used to the attitudes of collectors - I've dealt with enough of them on purchases, and I admit that I'm a bit of a watch snob myself, but when the attitude extends to companies it really annoys me. As a business owner I cannot imagine treating a potential customer badly in any economy, and espsecially today. I know that these companies don't need my money, but it can't be a bad thing for me to want to give them some of it - especially if you do the math around my current buying rate and the number of years of watch buying that I (hopefully) have ahead of me.

IWC seem to finally have come through for me, but even now I'm a little frustrated - the eventual communication came from Richemont Canada in Mississauga, Ontario - the same location where my JLC catalogue was shipped from with no fuss at all. Clearly they have them there so why not mail the damn things when people ask?

I'll enjoy the catalogue when it arrives, but in the couple of months that this has taken I've found a couple of other possibilities for the niche in my collection that a Portuguese would have filled so if my disposable income does increase this year I may well be going in a different direction anyway - IWC's loss.

Here in Mexico, it's pretty marked. I remember I once went to get a refill for a Cartier pen, their store is on Masaryk Avenue (apparently one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world) and I didn't look too much like a wealthy customer (long hair, sneakers, a t-shirt and cargo shorts showing my tattooed legs) and almost immediately I had some security guy following me around. Until the lady working there noticed the 'ling, the whole situation changed then and I was called 'sir' and they even offered to show me their watches and anything I might be interested in. Hmm.

Well credit where credit's due.

UPS delivered my IWC catalogue today together with a price list (US - ) and a personalised letter.

RE; AUDEMARS ABOUT TEN DAYS AGO, I SENT A REQUEST ON THEIR WEB SITE FOR A CATALOGUE HAVENT HEARD A WORD BACK, SINCE. NOT EVEN SURE IF THEY RECIEVED THE INITIAL REQUEST WAIT AND SEE, I SUPPOSE.

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Keepin' Time...