Purchasing advice

MarcusP12

Hi lads,

This is a follow up thread to previous but in summary, I'm looking to pull the trigger on a Tissot PRC200 chrono automatic ASAP. I'm a bit undecided as to where to purchase from though and would appreciate some boardsie advice. I've narrowed it down to 3 options as it seems to be a hard enough watch to source:

1. Buy off creationwatches.com - They have it for €636 here. Bought a couple of watches off them recently and they seem reliable if a bit "dodge" depending on what you believe off the net. They seem to declare minimal value on the package which would mean customs would be 20 to 25 quid but its risky. If they put the actual value or if it was inspected, it puts the price up to bricks and mortar prices. But it is worth the "risk"? Are they authentic? Will it come with the original box and paperwork? I read something about them using generic boxes which are lighter to reduce shipping charges. I've only ever got a couple of modest but nice seikos off them so was never that concerned but this is a step up in price.

2. Buy off premiumwatches.com - German based retailer but never used them. Are they reliable? They have it for 685 + 20 delivery. EU based so customs is not an issue so you're looking at max 50 quid more than creationwatches. Worth the premium? Will they have box and paperwork?

3. Buy from brick and mortar shop - Only place i've seen it in the flesh is weirs in Dundrum and the best they offered me without pushing was 750. I assume that any official tissot dealer (rocks, fields, etc) can order it in but how realistic is it to get a competitive price compared to the net? For example, if i showed them the on line prices, is there any hope of them matching? I'd much prefer to buy on the high street but i could potentially save 100 quid if things went smoothly with creationwatches. In saying that there's no risk in terms of authenticity and supplied documents when buying from a bricks and mortar dealer. I'm looking to buy my wife a decent watch also so could i leverage off this to get a price closer to the equivalent on line prices if i both 2 watches, in people's experience?

Any other suggestions are welcome.

I know i'm probably thinking way too much about this (not my first thread looking for advice on this!) but 650 to 750 is a lot of money for a watch by my current standards so i want to make sure i'm getting it from the right place.

Thanks in advance and apologies for the long winded post!

893bet

If weirs are selling for the bare 100 euros more then def go there. At least if there is any issue then you can take it back to them easily. Nice to have proper support of needed.

Things can and do go wrong regardless of it being a 10 euro watch or a 10,000 euro watch.

MarcusP12

893bet wrote: »

If weirs are selling for the bare 100 euros more then def go there. At least if there is any issue then you can take it back to them easily. Nice to have proper support of needed.

Things can and do go wrong regardless of it being a 10 euro watch or a 10,000 euro watch.

Thanks for the advice 893bet....however, is the premium as a % of its 815 retail price worth it though? Obviously when you're talking omega and brietlings, 100 quid is not much but its more of a consideration that the mid range that im looking at but what price piece of mind i suppose! To be honest, id say if i pushed and they knew i was willing to buy there and then i might get weirs down a bit more from 750...i was only cold calling when they offered me that...should i be expecting 10%? Or maybe more if i got a 2nd too?

Zagato

MarcusP12 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice 893bet....however, is the premium as a % of its 815 retail price worth it though? Obviously when you're talking omega and brietlings, 100 quid is not much but its more of a consideration that the mid range that im looking at but what price piece of mind i suppose! To be honest, id say if i pushed and they knew i was willing to buy there and then i might get weirs down a bit more from 750...i was only cold calling when they offered me that...should i be expecting 10%? Or maybe more if i got a 2nd too?

Bought a similarly priced Longines last year in Weirs and got 10% without too much difficulty, not sure if I could have gotten more, but was in a rush.

Mredsnapper

They give a standard 10% discount if asked AFAIK

MarcusP12

I assume a main dealer can order in a watch they don't have in stock and offer a discount?

893bet

MarcusP12 wrote: »

I assume a main dealer can order in a watch they don't have in stock and offer a discount?

Yes 10 percent is typical but sometimes more can be secured. The 750 weirs quoted my already include the discount.

I am sure there are more ADs in dublin for Tissot. Fields would be one and I am sure there are more.

MarcusP12

893bet wrote: »

Yes 10 percent is typical but sometimes more can be secured. The 750 weirs quoted my already include the discount.

I am sure there are more ADs in dublin for Tissot. Fields would be one and I am sure there are more.

Reason i went to weirs is that its the only place i've actually seen the auto version in the flesh so popped in with a view to trying on to see if it suited before maybe purchasing online for cheaper. Its ticket price is 815 there so the 750 they offered when i asked about their best price wouldn't even be 10%. If 10% that would bring it down to about 735 which gets it into the ball park whereby the premium for bricks and mortar would be worth it. But i'd be hoping to squeeze a bit more by showing cheaper on line prices. I would be surprised if they matched 685 (not including delivery) but i'd like to think they'd come a bit closer....

MarcusP12

So, i finally purchased! Picked up the tissot prc200 chrono auto today in weirs.got 10% discount as expected and they wouldnt budge any more than that.Not allowed to apparently! I asked if theyd throw in another strap to sweeten the deal which the salesperson agreed to if they one knocking around. Alas nothing there but she gave me her card with a note for spare strap so id say she was genuine enough rather than fobbing me off...One gripe though is they wouldnt take the all for ones with the discount! Was a bit taken aback by that....anyone come across that before? Would fields be the same?..still in the market to get the missus a nice watch so could off load them for that in fields if they dont have the same policy....

Anyway, very happy with the watch...reassuringly chunky which i like....only criticism is the lume is pretty weak compared to seiko i also have but might get better when my eyes adjust to it or something.....first swiss made watch and hopefully not my last....modest first step on the ladder but i like it!

Thanks for the all help folks....

Eoin

Congrats - be sure to post some pics

Zagato

Congrats. I think the problem with the lume is just what you're comparing it to. You'll do well to beat a seiko lume

Deep Thought

Lume could also be the fact its in storage, hold the face up to a light for 30 seconds and see what it looks like then