Watches you wear...

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

At this point it hits me. I ask the guy if he knows which stores sell Tags. He has no idea. I figure Toronto and Vancouver. Check Tag site and sure enough Toronto and Vancouver downtown stores are both authorized dealers. No idea why the asshat at Tag Heuer's official customer service told me the Bay aren't an authorized dealer.

Not watch specific but I know some of the retailers inside the Bay DT Vancouver are technically separate retailers.

They have some mens clothing brands like Sandro & Kooples that aren't carried in other stores and when I purchase from them they actually have separate receipts, bags and it's like a store within the store. The people working in those sections work directly for that brand as well, they're not employed by the Bay. Same with the Sunglass Hut inside the Bay.

Not sure if this how Tag operates as well, but that may be why the Tag customer services guy didn't see "The Bay" listed as an authorized retailer.

[craigwd]

Anyone know where the watch repair tech from Sears South Centre moved onto?
She was a genius when it came to fixing my watches and replacing batteries. Sorry jewellers, I'm not paying you $70 to replace a watch battery every 2 years.

[Kiran403]

Isn't there a watch repair at the Bay in Southcentre? If not it's in Chinook. I just remember using one of those 2 Bay locations for a strap repair & battery replacment. Price was right and the service was fast.

[TheFlamesVan]

Originally Posted by Kiran403

Isn't there a watch repair at the Bay in Southcentre? If not it's in Chinook. I just remember using one of those 2 Bay locations for a strap repair & battery replacment. Price was right and the service was fast.

Yeah in the Southcentre Bay and it's awesome.

[Hack&Lube]

Strap and battery replacement is dead easy and can be done with $20 worth of tools from Amazon. I do it all the time.

[DoubleF]

I got a killer deal on this watch (Braun BN0032) on boxing day. I also nabbed a Grey Braun BN0042 but it has not arrived yet.

It's wildly different than my other watches, perhaps boring, but I like the design history relating to this watch.

Spoiler!

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by TheFlamesVan

Yeah in the Southcentre Bay and it's awesome.

Nice, thanks.
Back in the day when I moved into the area I remember the guy at the Bay being a DB so I took all of my business to Sears.

[VladtheImpaler]

Got that Montblanc, and jayswin was right - it was rather "meh" in person. Luckily, with Costco, returning was not an issue.

[spetch]

So joining the watch family with this:



Got my local jeweller to pull some strings for me and it finally came in! Always had a thing for seeing the workings of a watch. Now if I can only convince him to bring in a Devon Tread 1 and win the 649

[VladtheImpaler]

Question for experts... With respect to chrono24 site, how should I feel about Hong Kong merchants? They seem to be best on price, but, China being China, I am concerned about fakes, and lack of any recourse...

[Hack&Lube]

I doubt I could ever afford it without saving for 10 months, but I was thinking of getting a retirement gift for a family member...and I was leaning towards Rolex.

Has anybody ever purchased a Submariner at an authorized dealer in town? Any recommendations? Are they even available? I heard the stainless steel models were being artificially supply limited.

[NuclearFart]

Brinkhaus and Birks (downtown) are authorized dealers. I also think J. Vair Anderson is as well, but have never been there.

Birks probably has the largest "local" inventory because they can draw from across Canada, but I felt like Brinkhaus was much more personable, less stiff and ultimately more willing to bargain with you.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

Brinkhaus and Birks (downtown) are authorized dealers. I also think J. Vair Anderson is as well, but have never been there.

Birks probably has the largest "local" inventory because they can draw from across Canada, but I felt like Brinkhaus was much more personable, less stiff and ultimately more willing to bargain with you.

I didn't even know bargaining was possible on luxury items! What can you do?

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Question for experts... With respect to chrono24 site, how should I feel about Hong Kong merchants? They seem to be best on price, but, China being China, I am concerned about fakes, and lack of any recourse...

I wouldn't buy from those guys.

Jomashop. Best deals, reliable service.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I didn't even know bargaining was possible on luxury items! What can you do?

Just say "I can get it from Amazon for $X. If you can come close to that, I would love to buy local" and see what they are willing to do...

[Harju]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I didn't even know bargaining was possible on luxury items! What can you do?

You definitely bargain. Birks is a corporate store so will not move as much. Brinkhaus and J Vair Anderson will have more room. If you are buying a watch with gold you should get 10% off fairly quickly as there is such a high mark up on the gold.
You just ask what their best price is and then go back and forth from there. You can offer to pay with a bank draft to save 2-3% on credit card fees. They do not seem to like cash as I think they have a lot of forms to fill out for money laundering rules for anything > $10K.
Source: We bought two Rolex's as a wedding present from MIL. We ended up at about 20% off but that was on two watches. We spent half a day rotating between Birks/Brinkhaus/J Vair and finally bought at J Vair.

[Harju]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I doubt I could ever afford it without saving for 10 months, but I was thinking of getting a retirement gift for a family member...and I was leaning towards Rolex.

Has anybody ever purchased a Submariner at an authorized dealer in town? Any recommendations? Are they even available? I heard the stainless steel models were being artificially supply limited.

Stainless steel Daytona's are limited. I never thought Submariners were an issue.
When we bought only Birks had a SS Daytona and they wouldn't move on the price so we didn't buy from them. Ended up with an SS Submariner from J Vair. I think J. Vair is only store that is an authorized service center for Rolex in Calgary.

[CarlLester]

The watches I have purchased locally have ranged in discount from 25-30%. However it has been a few years now since my last purchase and none of them have been Rolex, which anecdotally would have a much smaller discount.

[homestand]

Late 1950s or early 1960s. First wrist watches approved for use by railroads.





From the early 1940s. I had the clear crystal made for the back so you could see the movement.

[Sliver]

Any recommendations for a cool watch for an 11 year old boy? Thinking like Nixon-style stuff, but smaller for a smaller wrist. Analog face.

Up to $150 price range.