I’ll start you off, although these are priced at high end retail.
http://www.burlington-arcade.co.uk/
The new Watches of Switerland on regent street has a good selection too.
I though I'd check with the fine folks of the Timefactors forum if you can send me in the right direction. In a couple of months I am going to be in London for about a week. I was wondering what the good shops are for watch hunting. I'm interested in all levels, if only for looking, but I like shopping for vintage watches of all makes. Are there any vintage shops there to recommend? Any good Boutiques for window shopping? Hell, good pawn shops that have a interesting watch cabinet?
Come to think of it, the following week I'm going to be in Paris, so the same questions would apply there. Thanks for any of your insights!!
I’ll start you off, although these are priced at high end retail.
http://www.burlington-arcade.co.uk/
The new Watches of Switerland on regent street has a good selection too.
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
Thanks, thanks and thanks. Burlington Arcade does look like mostly window shopping for sure! The old post from 2009 I missed, thanks for the link. That has lots of good suggestions!!
A walk around Bond Street area - it has some of the flagship boutiques for famous brannds. Head up Old Bond Street.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=old+bond+street+watches
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 18th March 2018 at 15:56.
All good suggestions. Keep your wits about you in Grays, amazing watches and some very nice people but don’t necessarily expect a cheery welcome from everyone. Great for looking though and some of the militaria stalls have older pocket watches as well so worth a good look round upstairs and downstairs.
I’d add Selfridges for mid to high end, if you are around Bond Street. Not as glamorous as Harrods watch room (is that open again yet?) but generally quiet, very pleasant staff, lots of good makes including one or two hard to find outside boutiques (e.g. Breguet). Nice for me to see stuff like Bremont alongside the usual.
Have fun.
If doing tourist tour then when near the Bank of England try the Royal Exchange outside and inside several dealers.
I popped in to the Seiko boutique in Knightsbridge this afternoon. It's a nice place to waste 15 minutes. Also went to Harrods to the fine watch section.
For vintage Austin Kaye on The Strand has a good window for browsing
Seiko boutique near Harrods is worth a visit - full of Grand Seiko, the Japan domestic models and some modestly priced models too. Friendly staff and a warm welcome, on Brompton Road. https://www.seikoboutique.co.uk/
If you’re in the Strand area, Austin Kaye often have some interesting second hand pieces in the window, and further along on Fleet Street opposite the Royal Courts of Justice is Alsal Watches where you can see less common brands like Eterna, Junghans & Ventura.
Cheers,
Steve
Burlington arcade is great but only for window shopping. Head up to the Brompton road,they have a big Rolex boutique and a big watches of Switzerland and as said by others the seiko boutique and watch room at harrods
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Definitely give Grays a go. As someone higher up says, there are some right grumpy tw@s running stores in there
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Grey's sounds humorous! I should go there when I am still jet-lagged! I can be grumpy too! LOL A walk down Old Bond Street and a walk through the park to Brompton Road. Sounds like a great day to me!! Thanks for all the suggestions.
Fas est ab hoste doceri
Something very similar happened here just last week too. I wonder if these guys also just took the Omegas and left everything else?
I think someone has a beef with Watches of Switzerland! It happened again!! Note to self, don’t park a scooter in front of Watches of Switzerland! They might be a bit jumpy!!
They’re often seen using Piaggio BV350’s. I wouldn’t ride mine through London for fear of it being jacked!
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