Annual VIP Event

[kenzembo1]

Long time lurker, very infrequent poster. I am hoping to change that and contribute more to this awesome community of watch and luxury good enthusiasts!


Let me preface this post by saying this was somewhat of a big year for me. I recently became engaged to the love of my life this past April and had the opportunity to pick up what I consider a monster of a second Rolex...the white dial Daytona 116500. These were both purchases from my local AD, who specializes in diamond jewelry but also has one of the best selections of Rolex in the northeast. These were my first ever purchases from an authorized dealer and I had a great experience with them throughout both purchases.


It's worth noting I am very particular and they worked with me every step of the way on the custom ring I had made for my special lady. I was a stiff negotiator but still spent what I would consider a sizable amount of money (>$10k) when it was all said and done. While waiting approximately 6-8 weeks for the stone to be cut and set, etc. I was shocked to get a call offering me the 116500. Needless to say, I didn't think twice about it! When I went to pick up the ring about 2 weeks later, they gave me a $50 gift card and box of chocolates as a way of thanks. I returned the favor by writing them a glowing review on Google, which I know was greatly appreciated.


Fast forward to the present. They invited me to their Annual VIP Event, where they claim no reasonable offer will be refused with no exclusions storewide. It's a 1-day event the first Saturday of August. I informed them I will be out of town, but they told me I can pre-select any items I want and they will put them aside for me to pick up upon my return. Now, I'm not a high roller by any means and if I'm being honest, I am a little tapped out on jewelry purchases this year, however, I have been wanting to pick my fiancé up a nice pair of diamond earrings. I took her to try some on there recently and she adored a pair of Tacori studs. They were only 0.50 ct. each but I was impressed when they told me they were $1,250 ... until I learned they were cubic zirconium. They recommended we exchange them for diamonds on our one-year wedding anniversary to give the gift a heightened significance.


Now, I don't know all that much about jewelry but my limited research indicates I can purchase 0.50 ct. cubic zirconium earrings for significantly cheaper. In fact, I have seen may examples from reputable sources for <$200. I do not believe I was overcharged for my fiancé's ring because I have done a healthy amount of research prior to purchase. My question is, what would a "reasonable" offer be for such an item in this case? These are undoubtedly much nicer than anything you would find at a department store (Nordstrom's, etc.) although I still have a hard time paying more than a couple hundred dollars for them considering what they are. The markup is incredible. I'm afraid of making a fool of myself by 'lowballing' them when they took such great care of me.


I know it's somewhat of a tacky subject, but how much would you pay if you were in my shoes? I am sure many of you have been invited to similar events at your ADs. I'm curious to know what your experiences have been.



As always, your advice and opinions are greatly appreciated!


-Ken