Reply With QuoteJealous, Moi?
Sorry, I know thats no help, but enjoy the trip.
Gents,
Am off to nyc next week and wondering if there is any watch shopping worth doing?
I like rollies, ap, iwc, patek..
Don't mind pre-owned. Love vintage rollies etc.
Any tips?
Will obviously have a good look at heathrow before flying out..
Thanks in advance.
Jealous, Moi?
Sorry, I know thats no help, but enjoy the trip.
Torneau has a fantastic range of stock to look at ... but prices are crazy.
2 or 3 floors of watches
http://www.tourneau.com/
Can't remember which one I went to .. someone might remind me which has the largest stock..
Think it was the one on Madison..
Madison Avenue
510 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 758-5830
or was it ..
Tourneau TimeMachine
Tourneau TimeMachine
12 East 57th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 758-7300
Anything a bit less obvious than tourneau?
All the Rolex, new or second hand, that I have ever seen in NYC have been the same or more than they cost in the UK, and that's before you add on the 20% vat you need to pay to get them back into the UK.
I was there last year and just down from the Roosevelt Island Tram Station (cable car) on 2nd Avenue was a couple of family run Jewelry shops with used Rolex, Omega and others in the window. 5th ave is fun for just pressing your nose against the windows of the Jewelry stores and dreaming. :)
That is next on the agenda for me, cannot advise, put pelase tell when you get back :)
Pack lots of warm clothes. I went in February a couple of years ago and spent the week buying more and more thermal clothing each day.
NY is not at all a good watch buying town. There is decent selection, but good luck trying to get a reasonable price - there are too many uninformed and flush tourists for any retailer to have to discount. IMO, Tourneau is about the worst watch buying experience around, as impersonal as a department store - they seem determined to have the least trained sales force around. Better (for browsing) are the spate of brand boutiques that have opened in the last year or two, including Omega, Vacheron, IWC (not sure that one is open yet), Breguet, Girrard Perregaux. If you like Patek, my pick is Tiffany - nice selection, very professional and in-the-know staff. If you are looking to buy and only if you know your stuff really well, you can try a haggle with the fellows on 47th Street (non-ADs) for stuff that "fell off the back of the truck" - sort of a live grey market, but that's a full contact sport - you'd better know your business.
I'd advise you to concentrate on the food, the art, the neverending sidewalk show. Oh, and dress warm. It's bitterly cold this weekend.
I was wondering have any of you come back from the states and wore the watch you bought back with you how would they know if you did not have the Rolex with you when you flew to the USA they don't look at your wrist when you board the plane.Not saying to cheat them out of there 20% but just a idea.
And if you wear the watch back, don't forget to post the boxes back to UK rather than having them in your luggage.
Malc
Tourneau has a meaningful 2nd hand department -- I still regret not buying a Leman flyback chrono for $4,500 or so. The stock will vary a lot, because they move stock around stores, but sometimes it is very interesting and fun. I actually find the used stock salespeople more friendly too!
Tyvm evryone. Particularly on the weather front. Will report in a week.........
The US list price of a Submariner, a bellwether for Veblen product prices if ever there was one, is $8,700, or £5,700. This includes the sales tax which generally as a tourist you cannot avoid. The UK list price after tax is £5,320, and before tax (for example if bought at an airport, where an amount equivalent to the VAT component is removed) is £4,400. Choose to buy in the States instead of the airport on the way out, and it will cost you £1,300, or 30% more, for the privilege.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Enjoy the wide offer. Take a note of what you like and then support your home economy.
+1
also consider Wempe on 5th Avenue.....
Do you know what kind of savings you can get at the airport on the way out? Is it 'just' less VAT or can you get any better deals - for a Submariner I mean.Originally Posted by andrew
you'll be lucky to get the vat off after BAA have had their cut!
Well this is just my two penneth worth, but i disagree with the thought that NYC is bad for watch shopping. Yes if you just look at the Tonneau and Wempe type outlets then yes your going to pay top dollar. I mean its like shopping in WOS in London. We all know that there are places in our own country that cater mainly for the tourist, and the outlets mentioned in previous posts on this thread are basically just that.........tourist traps. Try venturing alittle off the beaten track.
Down in China town/the village area there is a small Diamond/Jewellery market, go inside and you will find a number of sellers with AD status working from an indoor market stall. The prices are negotiable, very much so. Also try the Jewellery/ gold district which as memory serves is around 37th /38th streets, crossing the Ave of the America's and 5th Ave. Again not very impressive shop frontage but lots and lots of great watches, new and secondhand. They will take trades and again the prices are negotiable. There are lots and lots of little shops in this district and much better than the tourist area's. And if you can stomach the typically rude NYC attitude there is a little second hand shop up on 59th { I think }which is next to Carnegie Hall which has some nice interesting secondhand watches and also does some good deals on new Rollies.
A NY local friend of mine recommended a little watch repair shop in Grand Central station. He picked up an old Heure from there a while ago...
Chinatown is rife with fakes - if you go there, you better be on your game, just as on 47th Street (not 37th street - that's Koreatown and the eastern edge of the Garment District). But you're right, there are some finds to be made there. It just happens to be time intensive and a tad risky.
Chinatown and 47th Street are typical NY. The place on 59th Street (Plaza Jewelers) is nothing close. It is run by a sociopath named Lee who feasts on clueless tourists. I haven't been there in ages, since dealing with Lee makes me feel like I have to wash after, but my recollection is that darned few locals deal with him. Only tourists think it's cute to be handled roughly, a la Soup Nazi. If you go in there, be prepared to be quoted prices that are one order of magnitude too high. Don't be afraid to offer prices one order of magnitude too low - it is not possible to offend Lee. I'm not kidding, he's a strange guy. And don't be rattled when someone moves to block the exit door as you are moving towards it.
The place in Grand Central is called Central Watch and is very small but OK. Only open on weekdays, though and not easy to find - be persistent.
If you like vintage, Aaron Faber on 53rd between 5th and 6th is the doyen of vintage dealers - nice stock, but 5th avenue prices.
LouS has provided some excellent recommendations -- NYC is a great place for watch hunting, once you get away from the "usual places" -- Tourneau, Wempe, etc.
Here is Hodinkee's guide to New York City -- http://www.hodinkee.com/nyc-watch-guide
Plaza Jewelers is every bit as bizarre as LouS describes. But if you are in the mood, you may actually buy one "right". Lee doesn't really know what they are worth; he only knows 3X what they are worth; so offer .70X the value and you may get lucky. Hold your ground; allow several hours for even the simplest transaction. One thing for sure -- Plaza has more vintage watches than in any other shop in NYC . . . maybe 3X the number two shop.
The shop in the basement of Grand Central is great; near Track 38, I believe; fantastic cordovan aviator straps and they are good guys.
Looking forward to the report from the visit!!
Jeff
Or if you already have something in mind order from bernardwatch or similar & have them send to your hotel so no sales tax & wear it back ?
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