A day in the city. Rolex only for display 😂
I have been window shopping today. At the store where you have to ring at the door they displayed Nomos Glashütte with price tags, Glashütte Original with price tags, Tag Heuer with price tags, Tudor with some price tags, Jaeger-LeCoultre without any price tag, Breitling with some price tags and four windows with only one or two Rolexes with price tags and a sign reading, that the watches are only for display. Usually they display more watch brands. The one or two not for sale Rolexes per window over four windows must be a new incarnation of Rolex advertising and market making strategy.
For years I walked pass a jeweler without really recognizing it. I mean I am sure that I grew up with it at that spot, but for some reason I never really saw it. Today, however, there was a huge "watch days" sign which drew me to their window. With a bit of astonishment I found Longines, Orient, Rado, Mido, Junghans, Nomos, Tissot and some other watches with tempting price tags there. For a bit of a quarter of an hour I was close to break my current purchase stop of collectibles.
In a department store between these two shops they have a nice watch department with a good and fast workshop for watch maintenance. I prefer to go there for minor things like battery changes, new wrist bands. I have been there to let check the battery of the Tissot Woodwatch which I wore today. The watch is so clean and neat inside that I easily understood the real amount of internal destruction of my last Woodwatch 😬. The last owner seems to have renewed the battery before sending the watch to me. Nice guy 🙏. I had a look on some other brands like Zeppelin. But the real trap is the Citizen counter. Obviously I have a sweet spot for this brand. Usually I cannot just ignore it but think about my next purchase ... uhm, well, not ...
I have been there, when the first Lamy Safari fountain pen hit schools. I have been there, when the first G-Shock came into the classroom. I have been there, when the ticking of my classmates' first S...
Nice summary. I was mall shopping for back to school clothes for my daughter and stopped at the department store’s pitiful excuse for a watch department. One g-shock, three Rados, and a few Tissots. Then I stopped at a jeweler on the second floor of the mall and saw Omegas, Longines, Hamiltons, Tissots, Tags, and a couple more. Tried on a Longines Heritage diver and picked up a catalog.
I enjoy reading about how another enthusiast spends a carefree day. I just received an email that a watch that I ordered a month ago has finally arrived, I can see it as early as Saturday but weekends are spent with my wife who does not hate my hobby but warns that her patience is wearing thin after almost 40 years. Saturday will be a pleasant lunch at some over rated well reviewed bistro or boutique restaurant. Harmony in the family.
All Rolex watches are "display" only. Interestingly enough more and more regular folks (less grey market dealers, etc.) are getting calls that their Rolex has arrived. Grey market dealers are oversaturated with these watches and are no longer purchasing them from ADs. Thus many of the prices are being reduced (not all models).
My AD called me to validate the model/size I wanted last week after one year. It's not a coincidence. Good post.
Nothing beats window shopping for watches, even without the intention of buying right that moment. Once I got into watches I came to finally understand how women can spend all day long just walking around inside a mall.