Originally Posted by
SimonConnell
Ordering from Japan is a good option - especially with older models, GS will have sold in greater volume in the domestic market meaning there is wider choice and often better pricing.
I would suggest using a proxy such as From Japan, who can buy for you from Rakuten, Yahoo Japan and other marketplaces. They will intermediate by handling payment of the seller, and onward shipping from their warehouse in Japan to your location.
Their fees for this can be very reasonable - so the only thing to make sure you factor in when looking at prices in JPY are the import duties you may be liable for when the watch arrives into the UK.
Don’t forget that like any used marketplace, stock comes and goes. So it can be worth searching regularly to get a sense of what comes into the market, and pricing. Occasionally the markets will have 5% or 10% discount days - if you sign up to a proxy like From Japan they will give you a heads-up e-mail.
The other thing to watch out for is bracelet length - the description and photos will state the current bracelet length and if any spare links are provided. Buying a watch which is short a few links, especially if it’s an out-of-production JDM model, is a short route to a headache.