Buying expensive watch on line?
 

I'm thinking of treating myself to a Tag Heur watch (its my 30th at the end of this month :D ).

High street places such as Goldsmiths have it for £1,595 (ish) but looking on line I could get it for around £1,300, eg CAF2110.BA0809 - TAG Heuer Watches From Swiss Watches Direct Specialising In TAG Heuer, Omega & Breitling Watches

For all of you out there with expensive watches, have any of you ever purchased from such places or do you stick with the high street stores?

Cheers

You will find that the likes of Rolex and Brietling say on their website that their products are not sold on the internet and not to buy them online as they cannot guarantee they will be genuine. I wouldn't risk it, why not try and haggle with the jewellers? Are expensive watches selling well at the minute?

Tag are the cheaper more fashionable sister company of Rolex. I have a Tag F1 and my wife has the Tag alter ego. I wouldnt buy on-line as it such a big risk even though the cheaper prices are very appealing.

1 thing to consider when buying a Tag is wether there is a jewellers near you who can service/change batterys in store to Tag's spec. Any watch maker can change the battery but the watch will NOT be waterproof after it. £30 for a battery change and re-seal. A Tag chrono watch needs serviced every 2 years @£120. When my battery first needed changed the jewellers nearest me couldnt do it in-store so sent it to Tag, it took 3 months to get it back!

Lovely watch and you will not be dissapointed with it.

Yea thats a good point, I know on the Tag web site they list their authorised retailers but not sure about if buying on line is mentioned or not, I will take a look.

The thing is with haggling, in my local town (Ipswich), there are only a few shops that sell "expensive" watches and they all seem to be prices the same so I haven't really got much to haggle with, could be worth a try though ;)

I get my TAG battery changed at a local repairer who can only pressure test to 20Bar. As mine only sees the bottom of a swimming pool, that will do me! I think the last change cost £10 with a 20Bar test.

Steve

Thanks for the heads up on the "service" costs :eek: The particular watch I am looking at is an automatic model which I believe doesn't have a battery. Do you know if it will still need servicing?

This will be my first "expensive" watch :)

The servicing is to ensure the inners tick at the right time and it keeps the time correctly! Just looked at your link and it does say its auto so you just need the service. Tag recommend Chrono get serviced every 2 yrs, non Chrono every 3yrs.

Have a word with the jewellers and ask how often Auto ones need serviced as it may be different.

I am nearly 100% sure that this one is available at costco for a fraction of the RRP. hth james

I got both of my Rolex watches from Goldsmiths in Leicester in person. I did look into an online purchase but TBH ruled it out in case I was sold snide goods etc.

Have a look at some Jewelry shops in the Channel Isles, might be a bit cheaper with tax etc.

bit of a disappointing watch that needs servicing every two years to keep the time, isn't it?

It's probably fractions of a second and I suspect like most things its a "recommendation".

How accurate do you need a watch to be? Mine looses a few seconds a quarter. That is within my tolerance!

Steve

do you know of anyone going to the states? Fraction of the price there...:)

Have you seen the Dollar rate recently? :eek:

that they are m8, I bought my wifes there but because it was a US market model it cost the same to replace the strap(when it got ate by one of my parrots) as it did to buy the watch.

If you ever goto to Disney Flaorida there is Tag outlet store near it.:thumb:

whats the point in buying an expensive car if you need to service it in order for it to run right:D

sounds like the place my one came from:lol1:

Very good point :D

I'm really not worried about a few seconds.

No one I know going to the US, neither am I unfortunately. Mind you not sure I would buy one over there, should something go wrong with it etc probably be a pain in the arse to get sorted.

Looks like I will have to try some haggling in Goldsmiths then, don’t fancy my chances though but as already mentioned they probably ain't selling many at the moment so might be glad of a sale ;)

One other question, do any of you take out some sort of insurance with such watches?

Blimey, I bought my Tag in 1997 and it's only ever had one service in 2001 (about £75, think it had a new battery too)
I've never bothered since and it still keeps perfect time.

If you know what you want, just pick up the phone and call round a few authorised dealers - all you need to do is ask "I'm interested in buying a Tag model xxxxxxx, what's the best price you can do for me?".

Some may well quote the full RRP, in which case you can safely ignore them, but it's not as though Tag dealers are few and far between. Watches are high margin products, so don't let them kid you that they're struggling to knock off a few %.

The watch you're looking at is an automatic, so no battery to change, but it will need servicing. Some people get theirs serviced every few years on schedule, but there is a school of thought that says there's no point getting it serviced until it stops keeping time accurately. A watch service isn't like a car service where you're changing inexpensive parts to prolong the life of the expensive bits - it's a complete strip and rebuild every time.

House and contents will cover it m8, check your policy as most companys require you to tell them of a single item that costs over £1000.

??????????????

Are you sure about that?

Tag Heuer are owned by LMVH (LVMH group, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton: world leader in luxury, listed on CAC 40 index.) who are a massive luxury items company who also own (Deep breath!!)

Moet&chandon,Loewe,LuisVuitton,DonnaKaran,Hennessy ,Glenmorangie,Kenzo,VeuveCliquot,Krug,Hublot,DiorW atches Etc Etc Etc.

I'm pretty certain that they have nothing at all to do with Rolex. . . .

Don't bother buying off the Net, PM Mitchy260 on here, he can get you 30% off at Ernest Jones, for a 5% kickback (So you save 25%)


https://www.scoobynet.com/member.php?u=36489

Use that link and PM him.

I own 3 Tag's (And my wife has one) and we've been extremely hppy with them.

Erm, lol. Cheaper yes, fashionable maybe if you have an orange wife and live in a new build...........

I love your posts, always so useful and informative.

Do you live in a newbuild and have an orange wife?

We share a similar sense of humour - that upsets most people...:lol1: :lol1:

Where ever you buy one from dont by a watch with a battery ......

If you can afford a little more, I have a colleague who wishes to sell his unmarked GMTII (fully Rolex serviced), as his six year wait for a Daytona has ended....

When mine got sent to Tag for a battery change it came back and said Tag Heuer/Rolex on the invoice(Tag invoice) so I assumed they were one in the same!!!