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High-end Watches Locally?

1,752,411 Views | 14850 Replies | Last: 12 hrs ago by BBRex
TheOC16
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jh0400 said:

I assume the answer is "no", but is there any reason not to order from an international seller on Chrono24? I can't find the watch I've decided on for anywhere near the price offered on there by a seller out of Italy.

I've really considered doing this, as there are loads of brand new Grand Seikos shown from sellers in Japan at 2/3 the price of buying new from local AD. $4k vs $6k is tempting, I've just wondered what I'm missing.
AgLA06
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I kinda looked into it. Apparently each country may have an export tax and the US may have an import tax. Understand those processes and costs as well as Chrono's process and you should be good. The price disparity often reflects those costs.

Seems like a lot of positive experiences.
JSKolache
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US has 3 import duties for watches. Case metal, movement, and strap each have seperate rates which are combined together in the total bill. Unless the shipper or you are savvy and declare the import as some cheaper generic machine parts etc AND if you make it thru without inspection.
Charismatic Megafauna
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New (to me) watch day!
Some of you guys will dig this, Farmer and Silian will probably not...



Silian Rail
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Got an ad in my email from "crown and caliber" advertising a $23k discount off of list.

Follow the ad to see that this Rolex Explorer can be had for only $10,600! Down from………..$33k
AgEng06
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Is that Z for Zoltan?





Nice looking watch, by the way.
Silian Rail
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Hey I like it. I think Zelos is a great brand, I was just an idiot for buying a 3k watch from them.
Charismatic Megafauna
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Thanks for that. Thanks a lot. Anybody wanna buy a zelos cheap?
AgEng06
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I like Zelos, the logo just reminded me this morning.
schmendeler
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I've never really gotten zelos. People have said this about Christopher Ward, but zelos just looks like a micro brand to me. Reminds me of the Spinnaker i bought before I knew what type of watches i actually like. Kind of an amalgamation of various design elements that just ends up looking meh.

*My opinion only*
Silian Rail
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AgLA06 said:

I kinda looked into it. Apparently each country may have an export tax and the US may have an import tax. Understand those processes and costs as well as Chrono's process and you should be good. The price disparity often reflects those costs.

Seems like a lot of positive experiences.
I've bought from C24 a few times, but only niche items that I couldn't get elsewhere or to take advantage of currency disparities. Realize that C24 is going to take 6.5% of your vendor's sales price in commission, so your vendor is going to account for that in your pricing, and also c24 is going to charge you US sales tax, AND possibly duties, so it's a mixed bag and really has to be a good deal.
Charismatic Megafauna
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It is just a micro brand. I wanted a green titanium diver with offset crown, i liked the Citizen ny0100 but i like the way zelos put this one together better. I've also read good things about the owner/ creator, in contrast with the hamtun dude (who i believe is still on the lam with like $1m in crowdfunding). But really it's just a Citizen with a couple changes. For the record i also like heimdallr, other than the greg Norman logo
TheOC16
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Silian Rail said:

AgLA06 said:

I kinda looked into it. Apparently each country may have an export tax and the US may have an import tax. Understand those processes and costs as well as Chrono's process and you should be good. The price disparity often reflects those costs.

Seems like a lot of positive experiences.
I've bought from C24 a few times, but only niche items that I couldn't get elsewhere or to take advantage of currency disparities. Realize that C24 is going to take 6.5% of your vendor's sales price in commission, so your vendor is going to account for that in your pricing, and also c24 is going to charge you US sales tax, AND possibly duties, so it's a mixed bag and really has to be a good deal.


Vs:


FTAC2011
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I'll chime in. Zelos is a microbrand for sure, but my favorite microbrand.

Most micro brands use pre designed cases, hands, dials and maybe make small changes to make it their own. Zelos is extremely innovative on their designs and dials. They use a lot of different materials and colors. Also, the bang for the buck is crazy good. You can spend 250 on a regular miyota run watch or spend $1k plus on a Swiss chronograph.

Their customer service is top notch too which is crazy because it's basically a one man show. Pic of mine with aventurine dial
Silian Rail
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Makes sense to me, the japanese yen has fallen about 25% or so against the US dollar in the last year, so there are likely deals to be had in Japan, good catch. From some posts on WUS it looks like duties from Japan are around 4% of the purchase price, so with tax, duties and delivery you're probably looking at about $4600 or so, which is still a heck of a deal compared to the alternatives.
Silian Rail
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So Army, I've got a story involving these 3 pics. It's a wild one, stay tuned.


AgLA06
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Tease...
FTAC2011
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File5
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Love that watch!!! Really love the aventurine, clean bezel, and solid pushers
htxag09
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Nerdy as hell of me, but I'm a big Alton brown fan. Just saw this….

1966 Omega Seamaster

BBRex
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YouBet said:

Are the numerals on that watch face written in Elvish?
Arabic
Silian Rail
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SO. I was talking with a buddy of mine who is a GM of a Cadillac Dealership and he's a fellow watch fan and we started talking about my Patek. I mentioned how I wasn't loving it as it was just too shiny and spaceship looking and was thinking about flipping it or selling it for something else. He jokingly told me that he would trade it to me for a Cadillac CT-6 V they had on the lot with crazy low miles and how Cadillac wasn't going to make any more of the gas-engine sedans and the CT-6 was a great car that had a very short run and with the V engine it was going to appreciate, but in the meantime my 6'5" frame would actually be able to fit in a luxury sportscar for once.

I was intrigued and we talked a bit and he said he could get special pricing on the car as it was at his dealership and he'd just "pass the savings along to me" and I'd give him the watch and he'd give me the cash for the car. I did some research and saw that it would give me a pretty good value for my watch, and I'd been wanting something fast, but that I would also fit in, but given my line of work has to be American; and it ticked all the boxes so I accepted.

The guy is based outside of Houston so we make arrangements for him to come in and I clear everything with my wife, and unfortunately at the last moment he lets slip that he was mainly just funning and he doesn't have the cash to pay for the watch. So I'm kind of pissed off at my buddy, but I still like and want the car, and actually got my wife to go along with it, so hell I've gotta buy it now; and he says he'll honor the same price and drive it to me for free and everything else like that, so I give him some crap but end up buying the car anyway.

Now I've got this Patek watch that I've already mentally cut ties with and really don't want back, so I reach out to another buddy of mine, Thanh in Houston to see if he wants to buy it or trade me something for it. I go to this watch dealership in Katy and am about to pull the trigger on a 2021 Rolex DayDate platinum with ice blue dial until he pulls out the AP. I've never owned a steel AP, and I've never even seen one with the blue dial in person, and brother it is amazing; and I've already got two day dates (but none in platinum).

Long story short, I traded the PP for the AP 15500ST blue dial plus cash back to me, and bought a Cadillac CT-6 V for the price of a Patek (I pick the car up tomorrow)
AgLA06
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My life sucks.
schmendeler
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You said you weren't into cars!
schmendeler
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That might be the best looking zelos I've seen
AgEng06
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Lol, good Lord
Farmer1906
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I Am A Critic
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Nice twig and berries at 12 o'clock.
Username checks out.
nealan
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I have one of the things in those pics. Anyone want to guess which one ?





The Montblanc pen
schmendeler
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I have a wrist
htxag09
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I Am A Critic said:

Nice twig and berries at 12 o'clock.

Lol noticed the same. Torn on the watch. This is the type of watch that would be priceless if it was my grandfathers and he passed it down. But buying it, the age of it loses some luster, imo
JB!98
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AgLA06 said:

My life sucks.


For us poors. Here is the Seiko with the NATO strap that Spadilly recommended. I love it. Cheer up. Game day tomorrow!
AgLA06
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JB!98 said:

AgLA06 said:

My life sucks.


For us poors. Here is the Seiko with the NATO strap that Spadilly recommended. I love it. Cheer up. Game day tomorrow!



Have the same watch in black. Waiting on my maroon Nato to arrive any time now.
JB!98
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AgLA06 said:

JB!98 said:

AgLA06 said:

My life sucks.


For us poors. Here is the Seiko with the NATO strap that Spadilly recommended. I love it. Cheer up. Game day tomorrow!



Have the same watch in black. Waiting on my maroon Nato to arrive any time now.

Nice!
Charismatic Megafauna
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captkirk said:

FTAco07 said:

I wouldn't do it. In addition to the costs it sounds like a much bigger hassle with no practical legal recourse if something were to go wrong.
I've done it through Chrono 24. Cash held in escrow until watch received and inspected. Did have to pay tax as they nabbed it at customs

At what point in this process did you find out that it was "nabbed" at customs? I have bought 2 inexpensive ($200ish) watches now from international sellers and never had to pay extra duties, but have one on the way from japan right now that cost a bit more and the seller sent all kinds of notices that i may have to pay duties. Supposed to arrive monday so i assume I'd know by now?
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