Reply With Quotefor parallel imported Japanese watches Seiko Citizen...Sino Centre http://maps.google.com.hk/in Mongkok where you can also visit jewellers like Chow Tai Fook and Chow Sang Sang which are selling Rolex and other Swiss brands.
This is likely to be another "How long is a piece of string?" question, but I will be in Hong Kong in a couple of months, and I wonder if there are any areas that are better than others to shop for watches? I don't really mind what type of watches (both new and pre-owned), or what price range (from Casio ProTrek to IWC/Rolex), but like many of us, I just like to look at watches, try them on, and (quite probably!) buy them. If anyone has any useful advice in response to this open ended question, I'd love to hear it.
for parallel imported Japanese watches Seiko Citizen...Sino Centre http://maps.google.com.hk/in Mongkok where you can also visit jewellers like Chow Tai Fook and Chow Sang Sang which are selling Rolex and other Swiss brands.
I have used:
Carlson Watch Co. Ltd.
AON China Building
G/F, Shop G8
29 Queen's Road Central
Central
Hong Kong
This was a good few years ago. They are still there tho.
Had good service and a decent price from them.
HTH
Cuch
You can find shops selling watches everywhere in Hong Kong... :D
I agree with Seikomatic - the best place to look for Seiko / Citizen is Sino Centre in Mongkok. For Tutima / Sinn, they are distributed by a retailer called LS Collections - they have shops in the Oceans Terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui (map), Pacific Place at Admiralty (map), and Taikoo Shing (map). For pre-owned watches (inc Rolex, Pams, Omega, etc.), you may want to check out the boutique shops along Kimberley Road at Tsim Sha Tsui (map), and also Pak Sha Road at Causeway Bay (map)- here, you would need to know exactly what you are looking for and the market price to avoid getting ripped off...
Good hunting! :D
Oh one more thing .... When you are in HK do try and go to the IWC (Flagship) Boutique near Ocean Terminal in TST. Its a mind blowing experience!
I was in HK a few days after it opened. Went in there for a quick browse and it was nearly 4 hours before I left!! Very friendly people and they let me try on loads of watches.
And the IWC chocolates were not too bad either! .... nom, nom :lol:
I was there a couple of years ago and Nathan Road is full of watch shops but I found a shop on one of the side roads parallel to Nathan Road (it was either Portland St or Shanghai St, walk up Temple St market away from the harbour and keep walking) which had a lot Seiko and Citizen stuff. Walked away with 3 Seikos. Staying on Nathan Road, at Mong Kok, there is a building that has several floors of computer bits and on the ground floor there were a number of stalls selling G-Shocks.
That would be Sino Centre. :wink: Some say that some of the stalls there are owned by the same group / person...Originally Posted by rgee
Hong Kong is insane for watches - walk down Queen's Road in Central and there's a Rolex or Omega or even a Richard Mille boutique on literally every bloody corner. BUT - it isn't cheap - certainly no cheaper than the UK, though there's a little more haggle room. One of the salesmen in one of the big chain AD's told me to save my money and buy back home in London. No sign of any scarce watches either - green Milgauss, etc. And amazingly, there are some glitzy-looking shops selling obviously fake watches for pretty much full price - who do they fool?
The HK market, driven by cash-rich mainland Chinese buyers is obsessed with new stuff,and there are surprisingly few good vintage outlets given the quantity of new watches sold. This is the best guide I came across - I've been to most of the places it mentions, and they were all still trading:
http://www.deskdivers.com/Site/ShopsHK.html
The Holiday Inn on Nathan Road in TST has the best collection of used/vintage dealers in one place if you're short of time.
One top tip - as you walk down Queen's Rd, passing Pedder St on your right and D'Aguilar St on your left you'll get to a stepped road leading up to your left. The first stall on the right is run by Raymond, a lovely bloke with a lupe permanently clamped to his forehead. He's mainly a repairer but has some interesting old Seikos and Rolexes for sale, and a private museum under his little desk that includes a 321-calibre Moonwatch that he pulled out when he saw mine! He also did me a new battery and crystal for a vintage Seiko and a spare link for an Omega bracelet, all for £8!
Other things to do - have a foot massage and pedicure at Happy Foot (don't worry, you won't be offered 'extras'), take the cable car to the Big Buddha (book online to save queuing) don't eat on the Peak (the restaurants are way overpriced) and don't be tempted to go to Macau! If you need a hotel, the Garden View is fantastic, well-priced and central.
Blimey! Thanks very much for the comprehensive replies folks (the Desk Divers link was very useful). I might have to go for a month rather than the week I was thinking of. :P I'll have to find someone to show me around next January!!
I'm a big fan of Hong Kong especially since the Airline i fly for pay Me to go there!If You want Seikos/Casios/Omegas there are tons of options and You can haggle which is the fun part the shop locations are all the ones covered as before have fun its a pretty wild place but 24 hours especially great if You're jetlagged!
I'm going there too soon...can't wait for some winter sun and shopping. I've been in the past and equired about Rolex in Chow Sing Sing...they give 10% discount...just ask.
Glad you liked the guide we did, we truely do love HK, its watch heaven imho!
Be careful buying watches in some of the markets, if you can buy a Panerai for £25 there's a good chance it's fake.
How very true indeed... In fact every dealer you talk to will be very clued up IME. They will also know the days exchange rate(1) to your currency and usually what the new price is locally for you if buying new, these guys put most home watch shops to shame really.
1- Occasionally they may err in their favour and you shouldnt take what their calculator says as gospel of course...
Awesome work, my friend, you made my trip! Many thanks!
But what's the deal with the places selling the plastic-wrapped fakes for big money? I should have gone into one but was worried I'd catch something.
All of the previously mentioned places are good.
If you want some high end Seiko stuff that is not available easily in the West there is one official Seiko Boutique, it's in Causeway Bay. I was in there last week, it sells all the Grand Seikos , handwind, autos, the Spring drives, the lot.
I wouldn't trust buying expensive Seikos from some places in Mong Kok though I have bought many lower end Seikos from that area. Sometimes they are grey market watches and are not covered by Seiko's worldwide guarantee.
regards
siggy.
There are some old jewelry shops in Central which is always an interesting visit.
Pretty much watch heaven, a year a go I got 25% off an IWC, which wasn't spectacular but better than what I could of gotten in the UK!
Thanks, that very kind of you to say that. :)Awesome work, my friend, you made my trip! Many thanks!
But what's the deal with the places selling the plastic-wrapped fakes for big money? I should have gone into one but was worried I'd catch something.
LOL, yeah stay away... theyre in condoms for a reason! eeek! :D
There is another shop at the IFC Mall called "Moment" which also sells Grand Seiko, Ball, Oris, etc. - both of these shops are part of the City Chain group which has shops all over the place in Hong Kong that offer more affordable watches. :mrgreen:
I'm off to Hong Kong in a few weeks to visit a mate who works and lives out there now so this has given me some interesting places to go visit.
I find that the prices for watches on eBay from HK sellers are always low, nice Rolex SS DJ's around the US$1k mark all the time. People from the US/Uk are affaid of scams and import duties/ postal theft so don't bid but very often the watches are from reputable sellers who also have high street shops.
You could buy one in advance and have it delivered at your hotel or Fedex "hold at location".
For those visiting soon, the gloriously-named Wing Man at Vintage Chronometer in the Holiday Inn, Nathan Rd (see the deskdivers city guide above) has a Memomatic for about £500 which I should have bought, but didn't.
Will anyone be in HK during xmas/new year ? I wouldn't mind a partner in crime browsing for watches.
If anyone as any info on other good places to visit in HK then please do send em to me and I'll add em to the DeskDivers article when we next get a chnace to pass thru HK.
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