Reply With QuoteYes they are decent. Very busy and small shop though.
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just looking for some feedback on dealings with them as might go see them the weekend.
Yes they are decent. Very busy and small shop though.
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yep...3-4 times...not easy to get a discount but my experience was definitely positive
I bought a 'fully serviced' 2254 via their website a couple of years back.
The bracelet fell apart on my wrist due to loose pins.
Got a refund without problem, and I'd use them again, but I'd take any claims about their watches having had a service with a pinch of salt.
Just Phoned them and seemed very abrupt on the phone has kinda put me off visiting them
I think this came up before; Austin Kaye don't necessarily claim to have serviced all of their stock but it doesn't stop them standing behind the warranty that they offer. I wouldn't have a problem buying from them if they had something I wanted at the right price; something that is less and less likely.Originally Posted by vortgern
I've always found them very friendly in the shop.
Not the cheapest, probably can't bargain , not nicey nicey like an AD but straight up and not rip off merchants. If I wanted Bricks and Mortar I'd probably go there.
I bought a watch off then from their sale without an issue.
Proper bricks and mortar shop on the Strand. Not too many bargains to be had, but reputable outfit.
They are a bit old school I think it's who you get to deal with in there. You won't get ripped but at the same time I can't imagine I'd ever be on best buddy terms with them.
Dealt with them before, haven't had any issues, prices were fair, service was reasonable.
Depends on the watch, the servicing tends to be based on the age and condition of the watch, some go the Manufacturer (Rolex, Omega), others SwissTec or their own workshop.
Not very good is it? They've potentially lost a sale, how did the conversation go?
I've tended to email them in the first instance and back that up with phone call/deposit, in terms of replying to email they tend to be fairly prompt, in person and on the phone I've found them to be fine, have dealt with far more rude and arrogant second hand sellers.
Being on the Strand can't be cheap, in which context their prices seem a bit less harsh, but unless you really want to buy vintage from a bricks and mortar shop in central London there are much cheaper ways to get what you want.
M.
Used many times, always happy to chat...no they're not going to be your best pal, but they're a busy shop with a reasonable turnover of stock. Not cheap but not expensive for a London bricks and mortar store. I will continue to use. On servicing certainly most of they're omega and I think all Rolex go straight to the manufacturer for a service when they take the watch in. I have haggled on less desirable pieces...10% on a Ball a few years ago. But on the popular brands I suspect you'll struggle to get much discount they simply don't need to.
I work nearby. Window prices are very high. Only been inside once but I hate being made to stand outside like a criminal whilst they look you up and down before opening the door - so I'm not a regular visitor. They have some nice stock though.
I bought from them a couple of times until I discovered both WUS and here. No problems and no issues, but not been back since!
Prices a bit steep but decent relative to, say, Burlington Arcade (everything's relative). Nice enough folk, although a bit brusque with tire-kickers.
I emailed them and didn't get a reply so thought I d phone them. Seem to be very picky about my watch being a uk supplied watch but oddly didn't seem to matter the one they were selling was from Greece...
Sold a watch through them on commission basis. No problems.
Their shop window is essential viewing when I have a meeting in London. No good first thing in the morning though as it takes them ages to restock the window. Great selection of watches but London prices obviously. I have not looked at their website in quite a while but I do remember the photos on there were fairly over exposed, which certainly hid some fine scratches on a watch I saw in the metal later that day.
I've purchased from them twice.
My initial purchase was online; a vintage Longines Steel 'Calatrava' that had been wonderfully well restored by Swiss Time Services and was offered in a sale at a 25% discount from their original asking price. This is now the only watch I ever want to wear. It keeps immaculate time and is a beauty.
My second purchase was a Patek Philippe 3445 dating from the mid-sixties with an immaculate dial and unpolished yellow gold case that belied the watch's age. I found the staff in the office to be courteous without any trace of smarminess and knowledgeable about the watches they showed me. And I was able to negotiate a substantial discount from the sticker price. As soon as they twigged I was a genuine buyer with ready cash, they became very amenable to agreeing a deal. That watch is now with Patek for a full service, but I had bought it with a view to getting it properly serviced anyhow.
So yes, I do recommend Austin Kaye for purchases. I'm not sure they would be my first port of call if I was selling though ;-)
Roguishly..
I'm not sure if this was an Austin Kaye specific issue.
In my opinion the bracelet pins on 2254s are crap and the Achilles heel of the watch. You'll size the links two or three times if you're lucky and then they wander out, which is an issue with a secondhand watch. Sometimes the pins just wander out anyway, an AD told me that they had trouble with Seamaster bracelets falling apart for this reason.
I'm not sure it's symptomatic of the watch not being serviced unless you'd expect every pin to be changed, even then it might not fix the problem if there's wear inside the links.
I think the 2254 is over rated. I have owned one and sold it because of the bracelet and various other design flaws which the forum is happy to tolerate simply because it has 'Omega' written on it. If other companies made watches like that they'd be slammed, but the brand has a lot of loyal followers.
At least they gave you a refund.
Fair enough, I would agree that any watch using just pins on a bracelet is a cheap piece of design especially at the price Omega sell watches for. Nor would I expect anyone servicing the watch to touch the bracelet unless it was obviously unsound in some way.
No watch design is 'perfect' and any model can be considered to have design flaws depending upon your point of view. What exactly do you think the problems with that particular watch design are? Facts please not opinions...
Here's some for starters:
The bracelet has no fine adjustment.
The diver's extension on the bracelet has a habit of unfolding on its own accord.
The bezel insert cannot be changed as the whole bezel unit has to be replaced instead at high cost - if it gets scratched you're stuck with it
The bezel is difficult to turn and almost impossible to turn when wet due to its smooth scalloped edges.
The helium escape valve is just an accident waiting to happen and an unecessary extra point of ingress for water. An automatic valve is better but no one would ever use the HEV so why include it?
The pointy low slung crown digs into the back of your hand causing a painful bruise.
Aesthetically, the type face on the bezel is too garish for the dial. This and the wave pattern ruin any attempt at providing an historic nod to the Royal Navy Seamasters.
The watch doesn't look good on anything other than the bracelet, mainly because of the wave pattern.
Most 2254s have a Speedmaster style bracelet but the clasp is the same Bond Seamaster one which is rounded in cross section. This causes an ugly transition from the flat Speedmaster style links to the rounded clasp. There's just two short pieces to manage the difference in contour.
The issue for me was they claimed the watch had just had a 'full' service which should have included replacing or at least checking the pins IMO. The fact that the bracelet literally fell apart on the wrist, together with the inability to produce any kind of service receipt or papers, made me doubt whether any form of service had in fact taken place, which in turn made the purchase price too high for a watch needing service work.
I've had this issue as well. It could have been cured by adjusting the bracelet just right... but there is no adjustment. :/
I had a vintage omega serviced by them in 2013. It stopped working a week later and they took a long time to resolve the second time. My complaints fell on deaf ears, I received no apology, discount or other. I personally would not use them again as a result.
Looks fine to me I'm studying mine and struggling to see what you're on about. The only issue I'd say is the clasp is a scratch magnet.
I also spotted you say the HEV is an accident waiting to happen? Just on the 2254? What evidence do you have for water Ingres or part failure .
It's manually operated. It's just there for bragging rights down the pub and as no one will use it (with a gas dive / helium mix) why take the risk of adding an extra potential point of failure.
Most people buy a watch because of how it looks and what name is on the dial. The 2254 looks great but no one would dive with it, it's a pretend diver watch for showing off to your mates and none of the features or details are right.
If I'm going to have a 'tool watch' it needs to work, not drop to bits or have a bezel you can't grip. I didn't like the way clasp gapes either, at the adjoining links. It's all show and no substance.
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[QUOTE=AKM;4303845]It's manually operated. It's just there for bragging rights down the pub and as no one will use it (with a gas dive / helium mix) why take the risk of adding an extra potential point of failure.
Most people buy a watch because of how it looks and what name is on the dial. The 2254 looks great but no one would dive with it, it's a pretend diver watch for showing off to your mates and none of the features or details are right.
If I'm going to have a 'tool watch' it needs to work, not drop to bits or have a bezel you can't grip. I didn't like the way clasp gapes either, at the adjoining links. It's all show and no substance.
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There's been whole threads on divers who dive with Seamasters and Submariners. However I would highly suspect that most divers as a pure back up tool, are probably using Seiko's, Citizens. Suunto.
Out of interest do you actually dive? Do you carry out saturation diving to know that this particular watch is useless for its task.
How often do you turn a bezel in the water for instance?
I think suggesting that one particular model the 2254.50 is useless is just plain odd, where's your beef with a blancpain 50 fathoms or Seadwellers or maybe a Doxa? All these are surely tool watches? I mean no ones going to pop down a pub flash their HEV and tell tall tales of daring wearing any of those are they?
I was just a quiet chap before I bought my 2254.50. Now I think I'm James Bond.
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