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Better to buy pre-owned from an authorized dealer, or new from grey market dealer?

3K views 22 replies 15 participants last post by  onkyo 
#1 ·
I am easing my way into the world of high-end watched, and I've picked out something that is just within reach of my budget (approx $5K)...if I buy it used or grey market.

My inclination is to buy pre-owned from a dealer who is an authorized distributor and repair / service provider for this brand. I should be able to get it slightly cheaper than from one of the big non-authorized dealers who sell this watch with only an in-house warranty.

Am I on the right track here? How do the manufacturers treat watches purchased on the secondary market, but through authorized dealers?
 
#2 ·
Depending how old it is, it may have the balance of the warranty left on it. If not, some dealers may offer their own and in many cases that will be worth more than a gray market warranty. Some people around here say - with good reason - that a gray market warranty = no warranty. All depends on which AD, which GM dealer, and even which watch. If it's got a standard ETA movement you can get it fixed anywhere...
 
#4 ·
If the used watch is in good shape, not too old, and you trust the dealer, I'd go with the used one over GM. Gives you the added advantage of building a relationship with the dealer for future possible transactions. That's exactly what I did when I bought my Breguet. Since then, I've built a good relationship with them including buying other watches.
 
#8 ·
I have purchased 3 watches from a small GM dealer, the owner is a watchmaker, and I have received excellent service from them. I did quite a bit of research on the small used dealers in my area, it was important to me to be able to visit the store and handle the merchandise. So far so good....
For GM, it really comes down to the individual you buy from, so do research them and see if there is negative or positive info available on them.
 
#9 ·
Be real careful when you buy from a gray market dealer. The ol' standby is "buy the seller, not the watch". There are definitely rip-off artists out there, even well-established shysters (allegedly Motion in Time). Google the name of the dealer with the word fraud or lawsuit and see what comes up. The ideal case is that you already have a jewelry dealer or someone who you can trust who can introduce you to the right source. Otherwise, do your homework. One thing that can be important is to make sure you get a watch with a warranty from the watch brand because a warranty from a gray dealer itself is worthless even as toilet paper. Just my thoughts.
 
#11 ·
Thank you for all the guidance. I think I will go down the pre-owned from an AD route. This seems like an AD that I will likely be buying more watches from someday, and one that I would bring watches back to for service. So I think it is worth it to start down this road now.

Buying new is just too much $$$ for someone like me who is just starting out figure out what his tastes are. Buying grey market seems like too much of a risk, and somewhat of an unwise way to attempt to save money. Buying pre-owned from a reputable AD seems like the right compromise to make.

I still can't believe I'm about to spend this much money on a watch. But I guess this is how it begins for everyone. I am already thinking of this watch as my "starter" watch...
 
#12 ·
Thank you for all the guidance. I think I will go down the pre-owned from an AD route. This seems like an AD that I will likely be buying more watches from someday, and one that I would bring watches back to for service. So I think it is worth it to start down this road now.

Buying new is just too much $$$ for someone like me who is just starting out figure out what his tastes are. Buying grey market seems like too much of a risk, and somewhat of an unwise way to attempt to save money. Buying pre-owned from a reputable AD seems like the right compromise to make.

I still can't believe I'm about to spend this much money on a watch. But I guess this is how it begins for everyone. I am already thinking of this watch as my "starter" watch...
A thoughtful decision. Come back and post photos once you've pulled the trigger!
 
#13 ·
Sounds like a good decision to me. I have a (completely arbitrary) $2K limit for gray market-- anything over that, or any watch that I can't get repaired locally & I'm looking for the watch at an AD. Too many gray market horror stories & their warranties are suspect..
 
#17 ·
All depends on your tolerance for risk. I would be careful to lump all ADs and dealers in the same group for used watches as I would trust some reputable forum members more for used watch purchases. In the latter case, you do have a track record of satisfied transactions to refer back to.
 
#18 ·
I am easing my way into the world of high-end watched, and I've picked out something that is just within reach of my budget (approx $5K)...if I buy it used or grey market.

My inclination is to buy pre-owned from a dealer who is an authorized distributor and repair / service provider for this brand. I should be able to get it slightly cheaper than from one of the big non-authorized dealers who sell this watch with only an in-house warranty.

Am I on the right track here? How do the manufacturers treat watches purchased on the secondary market, but through authorized dealers?
You are on the right track, but the situation is not one that has binary considerations. It's not an "either/or" sort of thing. What is the right decision depends on your first settling on what watch you want to buy. That done, you can then canvas the marketplace and determine whether to buy pre-owned from a reputable seller or new from a grey market seller (GMS) or new and at a sufficiently good discount from an authorized dealer/boutique.

If you are buying pre-owned, the main things to consider are (1) the seller's trustworthiness and willingness to stand behind their claims of authenticity, and (2) the state of repair of the watch they sell to you. (the status of all the other watches they have on offer or ever sold is irrelevant)

If you are buying from a GMS, the main thing you'll want to be sure of is (1) that they have a good track record with customer service and (2) that the watch itself hasn't sat on a storeroom shelf so long that the lube inside hasn't clumped up (if it has, it's because the seals/gaskets have gone bad, so you may want to have it replaced), but that should only be a concern if you are buying a watch that's long been discontinued or that was produced a few years before you purchase it. If you are choosing a relatively popular and fast moving model, that won't be a problem.

As for how makers deal with pre-owned watches, most of them don't in terms of sales, but in terms of providing service, they don't care. They will always service and/or refurbish a watch/movement that they produced. Some makers without question will restore any watch they receive back to "like new" condition; others will communicate with the owner before doing so. That tends to be a factor for folks who've deliberately had aftermarket mods performed on the watch.

As for whether you should or should not be able to get a lower price one way or the other, I suggest just doing the research to find out exactly what you'll need to pay. There are no almost no guarantees. If you aren't willing and able to haggle a discount from any or all three types of sellers, the listed prices are what you'll pay. Good hagglers, on the other hand, can sometimes get as good (or nearly so) a price from and AD as they can going with a GMS. Some GMSes will negotiate with some customers and some won't. Also, some sellers of certain pre-owned watch models don't offer enough of a price variance between new and pre-owned to make buying pre-owned worth it. It's all market research you'll have to conduct to find out just what your pricing options are.

What one thing is guaranteed? It's guaranteed that if you don't ask for a price concession, you sure won't get one. You may have to put more effort into it than just asking, but not asking will almost certainly yield no concession; it's very rare that sellers volunteer to give a discount, other than when they are having an advertised sale/promotion.

All the best.
 
#19 ·
Well, I finally did it. Thanks for all the guidance. I pulled the trigger on a pre-owned Zenith Chronomaster 1969. I feel good about the purchase, and I might as well put in a good word for the vendor - Govberg Jewelers. They were the original seller of the watch, only 4 months ago, but got it back in a trade in, and then sold it to me. I got the watch in like new condition, and since they are an AD behind both transactions, it's almost as if I just bought it new with warranty and all. The pricing was better than grey market, so I'm happy. I'll be going back to these guys for more.

Analog watch Watch Watch accessory Fashion accessory Silver
 
#21 ·
I vote grey market new for sure, though not all grey market dealers are equal. A reputable grey market dealer selling a high end watch is only missing the manufacturer warranty, and watch reliability/function is not an issue in general for high quality brands. If price is close, grey market for sure. Used watches have very limited shop warranties and of course, they are used which increases the chance of normal wear and tear degradation.
 
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