Newbie: Lots of 1st time buyer Questions

[Fewst]

Hi all,

Im 25 and looking at buying my first decent watch. I have found alot of useful info on the site after coming across it while trying to decide which watch i wanted, found a few IWC ones i liked but finally settled on a Datejust 2tone gold and stainless with a roman dial. I am not into bit showy watches so the simple alomost understated datejust is perfect for me. Question is after finding it in my local dealers am i better off shopping around anywhere, and if so where? Or do Rolex set the price meaning i wont find it cheaper other than one the web where i cant be confident that ill be getting a genunie time piece? Also i am planning a trip to NYC so is there anything to be gained buy buying over there rather in the UK where im told with the vat hike Rolex prices have recently gone up 5%

[Scandinavian]

Welcome to TRF Is this what you are looking for? http://www.rolex.com/en#/world-of-ro.../michael-buble

[MonBK]

Check out the sales forum here on TRF.

Welcome

[t e x]

Originally Posted by Fewst

Hi all,

Im 25 and looking at buying my first decent watch. I have found alot of useful info on the site after coming across it while trying to decide which watch i wanted, found a few IWC ones i liked but finally settled on a Datejust 2tone gold and stainless with a roman dial. I am not into bit showy watches so the simple alomost understated datejust is perfect for me. Question is after finding it in my local dealers am i better off shopping around anywhere, and if so where? Or do Rolex set the price meaning i wont find it cheaper other than one the web where i cant be confident that ill be getting a genunie time piece? Also i am planning a trip to NYC so is there anything to be gained buy buying over there rather in the UK where im told with the vat hike Rolex prices have recently gone up 5%

One avenue is to checkout the trusted sellers on trf as mentioned. Should you do business with one, you'll have the added incentive of picking up your future timepiece purchased when you visit the US.

welcome to trf

[George Ab]

Welcome to TRF.

Many of the internet dealers sell with their own warranty so they remove the warranty card. There are a few complete frauds, but most are reputable. There is a What Out Section that points out known frauds.

If you buy a NIB or "near new" watch from a trusted dealer you still have to deal with duty. That unexpected 23% bill from the Government can be a surprise. Some dealers have creative methods to work around this. If you can find a trusted dealer to work with you, he could ship to your hotel when you are in the US. Logistics of the ship time are a complexity but manageable. For a newbee, I would work with with a solid seller a few that come to mind are: justrolexes, davidsw, bodypump, mosco, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few. There is also nothing wrong with buying from an AD, it is good experience, you great service and they should be there for you; however, the discount from MSRP is not going to be much. Heck, one our best contributors GMT Master aka Chris works at an AD. If I lived in the UK and I was going to buy from an AD, I would seek him out and buy a watch from him.

[m5blitzer]

Welcome. Go with a trusted seller unless you have lots of time State side to shop and buy from an AD for the first Rolex purchase experience. Yes, call the NYC and surrounding area ADs to see what they have in stock and what discounts are available. Will save you some time.

[CoopJr]

Wempe in NYC

[jeremyam]

usd vs gbp, let's assume that usd continues to weaken... us will be the best bet regardless... buy the watch, get it sized, wear it on the plane and ship the box etc back home in two containers to two different addresses...

[m5blitzer]

Originally Posted by jeremyam

usd vs gbp, let's assume that usd continues to weaken... us will be the best bet regardless... buy the watch, get it sized, wear it on the plane and ship the box etc back home in two containers to two different addresses...

Sounds so cloak and dagger.

[Brenngun]

Originally Posted by jeremyam

usd vs gbp, let's assume that usd continues to weaken... us will be the best bet regardless... buy the watch, get it sized, wear it on the plane and ship the box etc back home in two containers to two different addresses...

X2

Originally Posted by m5blitzer

Sounds so cloak and dagger.

Yeah but it works....

[DG123]

Have you been to one of your local Rolex Authorized dealers to try on a few watches ?

Originally Posted by Fewst

Hi all,

Im 25 and looking at buying my first decent watch. I have found alot of useful info on the site after coming across it while trying to decide which watch i wanted, found a few IWC ones i liked but finally settled on a Datejust 2tone gold and stainless with a roman dial. I am not into bit showy watches so the simple alomost understated datejust is perfect for me. Question is after finding it in my local dealers am i better off shopping around anywhere, and if so where? Or do Rolex set the price meaning i wont find it cheaper other than one the web where i cant be confident that ill be getting a genunie time piece? Also i am planning a trip to NYC so is there anything to be gained buy buying over there rather in the UK where im told with the vat hike Rolex prices have recently gone up 5%

[m5blitzer]

Originally Posted by DG123

Have you been to one of your local Rolex Authorized dealers to try on a few watches ?

Good question. No harm to do as much research as possible.

[t e x]

Originally Posted by jeremyam

usd vs gbp, let's assume that usd continues to weaken... Us will be the best bet regardless... Buy the watch, get it sized, wear it on the plane and ship the box etc back home in two containers to two different addresses...

+1

[bemik]

as many have pointed out, watches can seem completely different from photos (and I must say there are quite a few MASTERPIECE PHOTOS here!!) when actually seen in flesh.
And then, they can seem yet different again when sitting on your wrist.

So my advice would be try them on yourself, determine what you want, then buy from a trusted TRF seller :)

[Boadicea]

You cant beat the reassurance of buying new from an AD. It might cost more (unless you are lucky enough to find a SS Daytona at an AD) but it is worth every penny. Other people here will argue, but this is my opinion!

Oh!! Don't forget to check out the AD's in Guernsey and Jersey! They are VAT free and only a short ferry from Portsmouth or Dover!

[Fewst]

Originally Posted by Scandinavian

Welcome to TRF Is this what you are looking for? http://www.rolex.com/en#/world-of-ro.../michael-buble

Yep thats the one.....

Thanks for all the welcomes. Given ive already admitted to being a newbie to TRF i dont feel as stupid in asking what it is that the mentioned 23% taxes id be subject to pay (which i persume will be on re-entering the UK?)

Originally Posted by jeremyam

usd vs gbp, let's assume that usd continues to weaken... us will be the best bet regardless... buy the watch, get it sized, wear it on the plane and ship the box etc back home in two containers to two different addresses...

Will wearing the watch and then puting the boxes in my suitcase mean i will get stopped at customs in the UK and then receive a a bill from the goverment or would it be the US that id receive this from? So as above shipping the boxes seperated from my suitcase etc mean that i wont receive any added taxes etc? What with all the Q's im going to add something else in to the mix if im better off buying while in new york. Im actually flying from and back to Germany as im meeting with my girl who lives in germany then coming back to the UK, could i put the boxes in her suitcase and then get her to send the boxes back from germany? Im guessing this will only work if its up on entering the UK id get hit with taxes?

Originally Posted by DG123

Have you been to one of your local Rolex Authorized dealers to try on a few watches ?

Yes i have, did this a few days after deciding on the model as i happened to pass a dealer near me who had one in the window. I was glad i did this as the dial face i was looking at on the webiste was alot darker on the picture and in fact the steel roman dial that the piece they had in stock suited the watch far better than the one i picked from pictures.