Visit to Harrods Watch Dept today

[Welshwatchman]

Firstly I must state that the bastidsat Harrods had me delete my photographs from my reasonable decent (3.2 megapixel) camera phone. The manager was very polite about it as he was still trying to twist my arm on an IWC I was due to try on.

There must have been 300-400 watches there. From memory :

Rolex - 60+ watches, all GMT Master 18ct gold/diamonds 5 versions, including variants I had never seen previously. Daytona Leopard and other diamond daytona variants, a couple of SS Subs and loads of DJ.

HUGE selections of JLC, Chopard, IWC, Breguet, Blancpain, GO, Breitling, Graham, UN, Jacob Le Shite (including a £119,000 diamond encrusted quartz/rubber strap joke), AP, Panerai, Richard Mille, Chronoswiss, Hublot, Corum, Bell & Rolls, Frank Muller, Zenith, Gerald Genta, Girard, Perr., VC, most of the lesser interesting brands but NO PATEK or LANGE !

My over riding impression of the watches is that most of them looked far less impressive in the flesh than some of the finer pictures we see. The JLC range, in particular, looked flimsier and less impressive than I expected.

When I asked a lady in the Rolex booth about the possibility of a SS Daytona being "stashed away" in the back she gave me a look as if I had just reversed my car over her cat.

[worktolivelife]

Did you get the impression they were willing to negiotiate on prices

thanks
steve

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Welshwatchman

My over riding impression of the watches is that most of them looked far less impressive in the flesh than some of the finer pictures we see. The JLC range, in particular, looked flimsier and less impressive than I expected.

When I asked a lady in the Rolex booth about the possibility of a SS Daytona being "stashed away" in the back she gave me a look as if I had just reversed my car over her cat.

Expect the mention of S.steel in Harrods was the equivalent of a four letter word.Had a trip to Paris last year in some posh department store same as you with the camera.They had most of the high end brands but mostly gold and high priced bling models.And agree in the flesh some looked bloody awful,but in that type of store bling sells.

[worktolivelife]

Didn't notice one of these in there cabinet did you? Only AD's seem to be in The Capital



steve

[Welshwatchman]

Yes Padi,

The place was filled with diamond/gold bling models. Far more than you would ever want to see.

I had to take a dictionary out to prove the existence of the word D I S C O U N T.

They couldn't or wouldn't contemplate it.

The whole experience kind of dampened my enthusiasm for watches.

[JJ Irani]

Paul,

I think you were simply the wrong man in the wrong place!!

On the other hand, if you had on an Arab head gear and traditional white flowing robes.....

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by worktolivelife

Didn't notice one of these in there cabinet did you? Only AD's seem to be in The Capital


steve

Steve,

I am 90% sure they had one with the contrast dial around the £9k mark.

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Paul,

I think you were simply the wrong man in the wrong place!!

On the other hand, if you had on an Arab head gear and traditional white flowing robes.....

JJ,

It's a London thing.

I went 100 yards up the road to the Mappin and Webb boutique (Patek, Rolex, Lange etc).

Yet more w4nkers working there. I talked PP model numbers and availability and two of them cluelessly sifted through the catalogue while the third continued preening himself in the mirror.

My wife felt intimidated by the whole atmosphere until I explained to her that these snobs were on £10 an hour plus commission and we, with our regional accents and casual attire, were the only people in the shop the means to purchase these expensive watches.

It is worth me visiting these places every time I am bursting to buy another watch, just to cool me down and save myself a fortune.

[JJ Irani]

I can relate with what you're saying, Paul.

I was in London with my wife on a holiday, but this was way back in 1976. We had visited Harrods and in fact had purchased some clothes at the time. The treatment meted out to us was excellent, but that's probably because we had petro-dollars (from Iran - during the Shah's regime) with us.

We look like Iranians and thus treatment meted out to us was pretty royal.

JJ

[worktolivelife]

I think its hard work breaking in a new AD!!! especially walking in of the street to one of the large chain jewellers, proberly one of the main reasons i've stayed with Rolex from my local independant, but there's a whole world of horology out there i'd like to try, but at times you walk in with every intent to buy, to walk out thinking, why do i want to bother with these

steve

[AdamB]

Steve....Wempe in Bond St had the VC Overseas Chrono in at the weekend.

[Blue Bull]

Yes,Paul,our friend from Cymru.Back in 1993 my wife,to be and I decided to visit Harrods,that famous Arab shoppie(I say ... quite close to Lizzies castle).Doubt if they enjoy tea together... Obviously,my attire gave me away,as a tourist,or someone with no money,or someone who dont have the regular/serious customer look.I did wear black Doc Martin boots,black denim,black T shirt and the infamous black coat and a black wool thing on my head.Black did seem appropriate for the English weather in the month of February(Gosh,how do they survive it year after year ??) The day is black,its just the shade of black that changes ... slightly,between 10 AM and 4 PM.Anyway,we did not buy anything,but at least we can say we have been there ....

[fat-sam]

i always use watches of switzerland ocasionally a look in wempe in bond st otherwise small grey dealers

[madformac]

Most high street jewellers in London haven't got a clue. THose that have won't tell either.

Its always amateur night at Harrods when I walk in there. They must have good buyers and relationships with the watch companies considering they are just an independant.

The staff have no idea what they are selling. Which is fine because the average customer has more money than brains and they don't need to know their product. If they lose a sale to a WIS then no big deal, some guy with a large wallet is just a step away.

If you want good service look for the smaller places or especially out of the centre of London, from my experiences anyway.

[madformac]

Originally Posted by fat-sam

i always use watches of switzerland ocasionally a look in wempe in bond st otherwise small grey dealers

I have had good service at Watches Of Switzerland in Regent Street. They are the only store that seemed interested and would answer my questions. WOS in Manchester are very good too. They do know their stuff.

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by Blue Bull

Yes,Paul,our friend from Cymru.Back in 1993 my wife,to be and I decided to visit Harrods,that famous Arab shoppie(I say ... quite close to Lizzies castle).Doubt if they enjoy tea together...

Funny you should say that, Chris. There was a photofit picture up on the wall matching your exact description,*** DO NOT GIVE THIS DANGEROUS MAN ADMITTANCE by order of Al Fayed himself !!!***

Whatever you got up to you certainly left an impression, Chris.


BTW - The Zenith model range looked HIDEOUS

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by madformac

I have had good service at Watches Of Switzerland in Regent Street. They are the only store that seemed interested and would answer my questions. WOS in Manchester are very good too. They do know their stuff.

Sam / Justin,

One of my local AD in Cardiff is W O S. Quite a small shop but they do try to pack a reasonable display.

I have bought there one time only as the buggers just don't give the right standard of service and negotiation with them is like fighting gravity.

Shame that, because the way I flip watches they could afford a larger store.

[Dr Rock]

The Vacheron *is* gorgeous though I tried one on when I was in Montreal and could have had a white dial one for £7k....

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Welshwatchman

Yes Padi,

The place was filled with diamond/gold bling models. Far more than you would ever want to see.

I had to take a dictionary out to prove the existence of the word D I S C O U N T.

They couldn't or wouldn't contemplate it.

The whole experience kind of dampened my enthusiasm for watches.

Exactly Paul but afraid bling thats what sells in these stores.Cannot remember the name of the one in Paris,that was the same.Watches priced in telephone numbers,and very unhelpful staff,if you could not speak perfect French.But I gave them a good run around when I started speaking Welsh to them..

[Tombstone]

I too was in Harrods four years ago, everyone I knew who had been to England or the U.K. said “You have to see Harrods”…bla bla bla I was not all that impressed. I feel Paris, New York, Germany, and California has stores just as nice as Harrods, as do other parts of the world. I do have a great admiration for the English people. I feel the English are an outstanding people and they reside in a very beautiful country.

[watchnut]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

I too was in Harrods four years ago, everyone I knew who had been to England or the U.K. said “You have to see Harrods”…bla bla bla I was not all that impressed. I feel Paris, New York, Germany, and California has stores just as nice as Harrods, as do other parts of the world. I do have a great admiration for the English people. I feel the English are an outstanding people and they reside in a very beautiful country.

Agree with that sentiment 100%! God Save The Queen!

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by padi56

.But I gave them a good run around when I started speaking Welsh to them..

I love it !

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

I too was in Harrods four years ago, everyone I knew who had been to England or the U.K. said “You have to see Harrods”…bla bla bla I was not all that impressed. I feel Paris, New York, Germany, and California has stores just as nice as Harrods, as do other parts of the world. I do have a great admiration for the English people. I feel the English are an outstanding people and they reside in a very beautiful country.

But in the UK you have the Welsh, Scots, and English so many prefer to be called British rather than English.Myself Welsh but never English but dont mind British in that concept.Wales, Scotland and Ireland are beautiful countries too.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Welshwatchman

I love it !

Yes agree expect they thought I was speaking Swahili,if I remember they had some of the new Zeniths,they made me swear a bit in Welsh because there was no English words to fully describe them.Now they were bloody awful even worse than the Zebra and Leopard.