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Thread: Classic Watch Company - Brighton

  1. #1

    Classic Watch Company - Brighton

    Had a blast on the bike this afternoon & headed down to Brighton for a cup of tea on the beach, followed by a wander round "The Lanes" which I've not done before.

    The Classic Watch Company had the best range - loads of Rolex and generally not too silly pricing for a bricks & mortar dealer especially given the location.

    http://www.classicwatchcompany.com/

    The (I assume) owner seemed rather flamboyant to say the least though. Dressed like a pimp & sipping a cocktail.

    Rather off-putting.
    Andy

    Wanted - Damasko DC57

  2. #2
    Grand Master
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    Ha, was biking the 272 myself today andy!, as for the watch shop, Martin is rather flamboyant isn't he?!, he did come on here briefly but ballsed it all up and got booted off.


    Mike

  3. #3
    What happened to get him booted off?! He's certainly a character; I always think he must have walked off the set of Lovejoy (for those old enough to recall that series!). He's obviously been in the watch game a long time though and I've enjoyed a couple of chats with him. I agree that the prices seem reasonable for a shop dealer - considerably better than London. I bought a second hand but unworn OEM Panny Assolutamente strap there last week; he seemed to pluck a figure from his head when one of his staff asked the price. I picked a much lower one out of mine and he agreed to it!

  4. #4
    Master MerlinShepherd's Avatar
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    Martin does dress to kill (well actually to bludgeon slowly) but he's fairly priced and good for a chat. He also knows his onions, and a lot about watches too. He's been in Brighton longer than I have and I often pop in for a browse. He also has a well dressed doorman and few long lasting shop assistants.

  5. #5
    Master
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    I used to work in Victoria where Martin had a shop just up the road (upper Belgrave road???) and I've called in there a couple of times when a colleague of mine had his speedy serviced. He used to have a watchmaker working there in the front window. Generally a nice chap, but IMHO bloody arrogant.

    The company seem OK, I saw them probably in the first couple of weeks after they arrived in Brighton. I bought my Sea dweller there about 3 years back at a price good enough to be able to be sent it straight to RSC for a full work over.
    One word of caution though, my wife bought a 'franken' Oysterdate there about 4 years back, against my advice, but she liked the orange dial and res strap (in all fairness it does look good, just a bit over priced for my liking).

    I went to pick it up, got it home and it wound and wound before running for an hour and stopping. I called them up and they sent a pre paid special delivery bag to send it back for repairs. Also in the package that they sent me was another Oyserdate as a loan watch whilst the wife's was being repaired. Would you believe it, after about 3 days the winding stem of the loan watch came completely away.

    There is a happy end to the story of course, my wife's watch came back in top working order and has been to this very day, and as for sending a loan watch, well that is good customer service as far as I'm concerned.

    If you ask me, they get the watches in, clean them up and then sell them on ASAP, claiming they're fully serviced. I recon you could say that maybe 1 in ???? come back as faulty and so from their point of view it's probably worth taking a chance on.

    All in all, provided the price is right and you factor in a service, and you can deal with the fake tanned arrogant one, a good place to buy.

  6. #6
    Grand Master
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    Theirs a guy in Harrogate that says all his watches are fully serviced!,I don't believe any will have been serviced for him prior to selling.Were all fully aware what costs are for a service,and quite a lot of his watches are vintage and pricey,so to state all fully serviced just don't sit right with me when looking at his overpriced stuff tbh.

    Why not give a 12 month guarantee,but I suppose to say its fully serviced sounds good to the non WIS and the chances are slim of it stopping,so he's got away with that hey.


  7. #7
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by seadog1408 View Post
    Ha, was biking the 272 myself today andy!
    TZ bike meet in Brighton, anyone?

  8. #8
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dougal View Post
    TZ bike meet in Brighton, anyone?
    That is the idea of the year so far, to include both cycle and motorcycle!
    RIAC

  9. #9
    Master Martin123's Avatar
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    As said good stock, priced fairly for a bricks and mortars store bought a strap and discussed watches, he knows his stuff. Gave a fair price on a piece I was looking to sell for a friend but got a better offer elsewhere.

  10. #10
    Master
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    I was in Brighton today and had a look there as well. Seemed to have good prices for a shop and I agree about the owner looking like a character from Lovejoy!

    Steve

  11. #11
    Master
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    Bike meet sounds good, but I only have a C90!!!

  12. #12
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Piemuncher22 View Post
    Bike meet sounds good, but I only have a C90!!!
    Now that's no excuse: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132848

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by MerlinShepherd View Post
    He also has a well dressed doorman
    Indeed.

    As for a bike meet - sounds good, but I'll start a separate thread.
    Andy

    Wanted - Damasko DC57

  14. #14
    Master Plake's Avatar
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    I've always had good experiences of dealing with Martin. He's friendly, knowledgeable and prices his stock reasonably (the latter point being unlike many other vintage/used watch retailers.)

    I live in Brighton and am still on a fireblade. Ridden it twice this year though thanks to the weather!

  15. #15
    Been in there a few times.
    You end up talking to martin if you show interest in a watch.
    He is certainly keen to do a deal, and i nearly walked out with something i was not really planning on buying.
    Would be interested to know what sort of prices he pays for stuff..

  16. #16
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by MMC View Post
    Well that link looks to me like what I once knew as the Plymouth Dakar challenge. If so I'm one step ahead of you MMC, I did that rally in its second year, in a Fiat Panda.
    I think that stir is for the George and Dragon though!!

  17. #17
    Master MerlinShepherd's Avatar
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    I like the idea of a Brighton GTG. I could stagger home...!

  18. #18
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by P9CLY View Post
    Theirs a guy in Harrogate that says all his watches are fully serviced!,I don't believe any will have been serviced for him prior to selling.Were all fully aware what costs are for a service,and quite a lot of his watches are vintage and pricey,so to state all fully serviced just don't sit right with me when looking at his overpriced stuff tbh.

    Why not give a 12 month guarantee,but I suppose to say its fully serviced sounds good to the non WIS and the chances are slim of it stopping,so he's got away with that hey.
    +1.....I don`t believe it either. My guess is that the watches are checked and regulated, and I think that's the case with many dealers. The chances of the watch actually stopping or giving problems during the warranty period is slim if it's running reasonably well when sold. Fully serviced means a complete stripdown with all faults corrected as far as practicable.........and that will cost money.

    Paul

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