Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)

Do creationwatches.com pay customs on purchases? They are coming from Singapore I think?

Still over retail for a year old watch

Anyone else watch this over the Christmas - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001t575

Journalist interviews gangs who target high value watches in London and snatch them off wrists. One group also use ladies as spotters to chat up potential targets in pubs and clubs and point them out.

Watching it you do question the sanity of walking around with €20k on your wrist whilst drunk or even out shopping.

As a simple rule of thumb , if Paul Thorpe says something , believe the opposite .To me he’s a UK version of Anthony Farrer

I remember getting eaten alive for suggesting that "blue chip" steel sports Rolex would be back to retail. Only hype watches would take the cut they said. Non hype is insulated for this madness. Nope.

Its a good thing, takes the bullshit out of the market. The "I got the call" posts is not no more than I got a new watch and paid retail for it rather than I have been gifted 5k by and AD cause I am a great lad. The "I am on a waiting list" post is now little more than a "I dont want a secondhand watch" post. This is a good thing, you can actually relax and enjoy your watches now rather than having to share the space with tools.

https://www.adverts.ie/32208013

Thats an add to watch. Datesub can’t achieve retail. the drop has been very slow. I think I predicted it for end last year.

Now I think Rolex will be fine: sports especially. We are not at the sports watches in the window stage; and ADs will resist that as long as they can to keep the pretence up.

Really hope Omega get fully fucked for being greedy ****.

Agree. And also while none of the feedback is terrible (scammer kinda stuff) if someone has 4 negative feedback then they must have acted the maggot at least 15 times as people are reluctant to leave back feedback in general.

He ain’t needed anymore anyway….you can get one at retail in the AD soon enough.

I think that within 18months or so, availability of steel sports at retail will be a matter of weeks rather 1yr+.

China is the biggest consumer of luxury goods, the companies serving luxury goods, Burberry, LVMH and others have since October or so issued revised guidance on lower profit & margins. Couple that with property bubble in China well and truly bursting. Current PBOC strategy is interest rates, currently still at about ½ US rates. Their next move IMO is quantitative easing and the inflation that comes with it. A drum I've been beating since 2020, and I'll eventually be right 😉

The set of people with cash to drop on luxury goods is diminishing worldwide though. If an asset is worth what someone is willing to pay? Then you have to look at what forces drive the market. In UK & US, relatively easy credit for new watches, make them very much a discretionary purchase for most people and as such, dearer credit and less free cash, demand will tank.

TZUK sales corner has been heading that way for a while. Stuff that would usually be hoovered up, is sitting longer and Rolex prices have softened considerably.

Edit

Forgot to add, my reasoning above is also why I think Rolex bought Bucherer and introduced the Rolex pre-owned scheme. It's part of an effort to manage their secondary market pricing. Being the biggest 2nd hand Rolex dealer, will give them at least partial price control on 2nd hand markets.

I think that within 18months or so, availability of steel sports at retail will be a matter of weeks rather 1yr+.

I think we are nearly at that now , but a few weeks is very different to being able to get it right now.A few weeks wait still shows more demand than availability .

If an asset is worth what someone is willing to pay..

Thats the big change that needs to be driven home .Not being seen as investments or an asset that is easily converted to cash.Once that changes which it is starting to now , well then availability will increase.

TZUK sales corner has been heading that way for a while. Stuff that would usually be hoovered up, is sitting longer and Rolex prices have softened considerably.

Not sure that’s a lack of cash issue though.id imagine a lot of people have the cash to spend but won’t as you don’t want to find the same watch a lot cheaper in a few months.

Not to sound like the Rolex fanboy but I don’t think Rolex is going to have it as hard as the rest.The brand is in that rare niche position of being so mainstream and so popular that I can’t see the majority of their models sitting on shelves bar in a few quiet odd places that a buyer might be lucky enough to stumble upon.

Who knows. When profit can’t be made the list will get a lot shorter and theoretically those that want the watches will get them.

Hi Guys,

Just wondering which you prefer? I had my heart set on the black bay 41mm but then I saw this heritage seamaster in an AD in London and now I can no longer decide! Looking to buy on Chrono24

I'm with OmegaGene on this one. Go with your gut on what you'd prefer. I have a blackbay 41 and I love it, they are quite slab sided tho.

The other thing to consider, is price and any discount. You might find it hard to get much on the Tudor but maybe 15-20% on the Omega and that might sway you more?

Where would I get 15/20% off Omega? I feel like of Weirs and Keanes would laugh at me!

They are both lovely watches, I probably will save up for omega as this was my gut instinct once I saw it.

That's mad, I got the impression that Omega/Bucherer/Watches of Switzerland would tell me to piss off if I asked for a discount. Ideally I would like to purchase in euro.

I couldn’t get on with the older larger Black Bays, but you’re the first person (owner) I’ve come across who said the Pro was an issue. I’ve one myself and find it infinitely more wearable than say my Seamaster. And thickness is something I can no longer tolerate which my g shocks will attest to.