Anyone got intimidated with watch on your wrist while visiting luxury watch AD

You know, I have walked into a AD on occasion, and I have been ignored. It never really bothered me, as I was honestly just window shopping. When I finally go to get my Grand Seiko (sometime in the probably distant future), if I get the cold shoulder, I will probably pull a Pretty Woman, go buy the watch elsewhere, and come back to the salesperson who ignored me with it on my wrist. 🤣

That would be a good come back, gutted 🤣

Having worked at an AD of a number of brands - including Rado and Longines - yeah, I did look at what the customer's wearing. Not to judge, though. On occasion, this way I'd spot a fellow WIS and have a nice chat. It can be a really good talking point, matters not if it's a Timex or a Tudor.

As for ignoring, there were only a few instances where I'd actually do that. For example, when someone walked in with a phone glued to their ear and acted as if the store was a phone booth. If someone walked in with headphones on and swinging their head to the rhythm of whatever it was that they've been listening too, and just swiped the nose against the windows, well, they were disconnected from reality enough to not reply to a simple "hello." 

The kind of customers I hated the most was the one who wasted an hour of my time trying stuff on, and then saying "I'll buy it online." Damned be that kind of 'em.

The only time I didn't feel welcome at a watch shop was at a Rolex boutique. However, that wasn't the salespeople's doing, but that of the guard at the door.

"What is your purpose here," he asked. What a muppet. Oh, I just came to buy some groceries🤣

On Monday I went to order my first Rolex, before that I haven't spent more than 1k on a watch, but I always looked out for interesting watches. In december I got my hands on a Seiko SSC813 and decided to wear that one to the AD.

Of course within seconds of sitting down, the AD rep. checked out my wrist. I came for the GMT Master II but was given the ususal "you need to have a history with Rolex to buy that model". However the rep. was very much intrigued by the Seiko, we had a frank discussion about the model and they asked if they can check out the watch. 

After our discussion I went for my plan B and that was a Datejust 41, White Gold, Wimbledon dial, got on the waiting list, waiting for the call. 

I also asked them to show me their Tudor lineup and every watch I asked about was available for purchase right at that moment.

You need a Faux-lex just under that cuff! Be sure to keep it moving so the AD can't get a good look at it!

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Yes, I am kidding...

Thats so true, been working in customer focused industries for over a decade i can imagine it goes both ways 🤝

Wherever i am only window shopping, i would put that out immediately when any staff approached me. 

Great to see the improvement of their attitude and services as they are in general infamous in that area. 

And congrats on picking a datejust, a different look from typical sub like style is always a welcoming sight. 

Personally, I only wear obscure vintage watches into ADs because they may or may not be judging me but to be brutally frank - I am judging them.

Anyone worth half their salt knows that actual enthusiasts’ collections routinely include a G-Shock, even if it sits next to their Omega or Tudor. People who love watches love watches. If they don’t know that, then they’re jewelry dealers masquerading as watch folks. 

Never really thought about it. i dont judge anyone, as its rather more like a mutual thing. i am snooping for an opportunity, they are providing me with options. 

But yea, may be should try putting a 50s rolex or my king seiko for the occasion, might be interesting to see their reactions, or no reaction at all 🙌🏼

Have always been treated well at Omega, Breitling and Rolex ADs. 

Now the car audio stores have all been the opposite. Every single one I have ever been in, the sales people are rude and snobbish. Dude, you sell radios. Get over yourself. 

Got kicked out of a Breitling Boutique once - not even joking.  2 o'clock pusher on my Premier B01 broke after 1 month of ownership.  Took it into the boutique to have sent in for warranty service.  Asked the 2 gals working there if this was a known issue.  They immediately got defensive and angry.  Just wanted to talk about build quality and reliability, but they got angrier and angrier.  Finally, I asked to speak with their manager.  At which point they tore up my service slip, practically threw my watch at me, and said, "No, no, no!  We won't work with you!  Please leave now!"

Told my wife the story when I got home, and she looked me up and down, and said, "Well, with your stained shirt, your grubby shorts, and your frayed shoes, you do look kind of like a hobo.  Maybe they thought you were trying to pull some sort of scam?"

My buddy had an equally compelling explanation:  "Two gals?  Were they hot?  Well, there's your answer.  You dared to question a hot girl?  Get the &%$# out of here!"

Regardless, if you don't walk in with a nice watch on your wrist, at the very least don't look like a homeless person, I guess is the key take-away.

On the times I've gone to a boutique/AD, and I can count them on one hand, I luckily haven't been ignored or felt unwanted. My first time, I thought it was a fluke just because it was still Covid times (yes that recently was my first haha), I was the only customer in the shop and the sales rep was an incredibly nice old lady. I had a Grand Seiko on my wrist, but honestly the lady didn't know the difference between that and Seiko - the AD only had Rolex and Tag Heuer for watches of note.
The other times I've been in ADs and boutiques I've had similar warm welcomes from representatives regardless of how busy they were. For reference, these are experiences in FL and TX.

If I know I'm going to hit up some ADs for browsing, I definitely think about my watch choice.

I often like to wear obscure pieces like @Pete_NSOW, it helps me gauge the interest and knowledge level of the salesperson helping me.  For example, I wore my Seiko Mild Seven Ski Rally Chrono into the boutique and while no one in the store had ever seen it, the associate helping me called over every other person working to look at it because it is objectively cool.  That makes for a better shopping experience, even though I didn't buy anything that day.

There's definitely something fun and smug about wearing a cheap watch into a luxury boutique, too.  I think most good salespeople understand that there is a danger to judging customers by their appearance/clothes/etc., given how low-key affluent shoppers can be.

The latest experience I've had with an AD a few months back was generally ok..they didn't have any watches I wanted on hand. They recommended I develop a relationship with them to get the Tudor Panda Chronograph I was interested in. I asked...for a Tudor? I left. 

Went to visit the Panerai boutique...only list price there...I left. 

Walked past the empty displays of the Rolex shop...I left.

No one questioned my ability to purchase. The whole experience was underwhelming.

Yea, i too much prefer browsing by myself and allow me to approach them when i need something / some info, price, availability... Etc etc. 

Yet usually that is not the case, i wont get offended, but this kinda "welcoming" in fact stops me from checking, thinking about what i want, and sometimes i simply dont wana be bothered, just took off without looking. 

I feel ya, and as a matter of fact i do buy watches online a lot more often these days, in particular on anything around $2000 more or less, which i do enjoy very much. 

It is only when i an checking out watches with a higher priced bracket, thats the time i really need to make sure everything is spot on. Always best being able to see the actual thing, especially a seiko 😂

Heck, i have only bought two seikos from ad, both were pretty much an impulse buy lol, and yes, i did make sure they were spot on. 

Yeah I've definitely felt this. 

I once walked into a watch shop in a mall trying to see if they can help me adjust the hour hand alignment on my Orient Mako 1. When I approached the rep, I immediately sensed her judging me, as if she was purposely flashing her Rolex Ladies Datejust at me. She even had the audacity to say to me "you should get a better watch". I will never forget that. 

It's unfortunate that people judge how much you're willing spend by what you've already spent /wearing, and I think in a way, that's just how luxury retail is for the longest time. From a sales-rep's POV, if they see someone wearing a $5k watch vs someone wearing a $150 watch, they can't help but judge because to them, that may be the difference between a sale and a waste of time. That said, I don't think giving a potential buyer attitude or passing judgement is okay at all; it contributes to this "snobbery" that we're all so sick of. 

Don't get me wrong, I've also had great experiences with reps who are genuine watch nerds willing to just talk shop with you, let you try on multiple pieces, and without ever making you feel intimidated. That's the real way to sell. Sell the long term experience. Make me think of you when I want to buy that grail watch. 

"I was wearing sweats, a gray T shirt, a gray fleece jacket, and a pair of K Swiss tennis shoes." 

Did you lift this from a Stephen King novel??

When I bought my Hamilton "Cooper" (my first nice watch), the sales guy at the AD admonished me for disparaging the SNK809 I was wearing. 🤣

In hindsight, I should have given it to him, since it hasn't been on my wrist since that day. 

I thought my Ugg slippers would get me mistaken for a mental patient.

Foghorn beat me to the punch. Like him, I'd rather be ignored than have someone literally crawl up my leg trying to make a sale. And if I need help, this always works: "Hi, I'm seriously considering buying (state the model)."

I love brick and mortar. No, I'm serious. I still consider it the best way to buy a watch, particularly if you're spending larger amounts.

I guess it’s because ADs are basically jewellers and Sinn are definitely not jewellery. I often think I could get a few Sinn and be done. Love them. 

I hope this is not turning into too long of an answer. I've been wearing a watch for about 40 years now, from the entry-level digital, to what the mid-market has to offer. I still don't own a luxury watch. I could see myself getting something from Glashütte, but it would still take some convincing.

At this point I'm pretty good at telling how a watch of different dimensions will fit my wrist, how the dial diameter is probably more important than the case diameter, yet still being dwarfed by the lug-to-lug distance, and how they are angled.

If I buy a watch of an established pattern with certain dimensions, then there is little a macro shot won't tell me. Things might be different if I developed a taste for Panerai or Bell & Ross, I might want indeed try them on, but that is currently not the case.

Otherwise I can say that I have probably made my best purchasing decisions at home, not in a boutique, and definitely not at a car dealership, which would be another topic. My experience with buying watches online has simple been very positive. The selection is huge, and it makes it very easy not to get locked into a particular watch. There is always somebody else who will put a beautiful watch on your wrist.

As far as being judged, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I once heard a luxury dealer say that he checks whether the person is already wearing a mechanical watch, as it is unlikely that the first watch purchase will be a luxury watch. The rest didn't matter.

I have no problem with SA looking at my wrist.....I do it all the time. I make wrist contact before I make eye contact, lol

I'm sure some do it to judge, while others do it because they are watch people

The latter happened to me in Vegas as I was doing a watch crawl and the SA in the ALS boutique was great, he plopped down and we talked watches from several brands while he showed off a few ALS pieces. Just a couple of WIS talking (or he was bored, lol) 

This sounds great, i wish i can spend time in ALS boutique like that, even for a tool watch guy and would probably never get any dressier piece than op😅

Still their watches are no doubt something to behold of, pure art. 

If Bill Gates walked into an AD he’d be wearing a  Casio Quartz Diver 200m

I walk into shops all the time with my modest hamilton or my vintage lord elgin. With the elgin I never feel self conscious because vintage is usually a collectors thing that doesn't scream "cheap". At least that's how I see it. But I would definitely feel judged going into a luxury AD with a gshock on my wrist.

Interesting that people judge like that. I was in a Rolex AD this month and they had two attendants. I was trying on all the exhibition SS they had. But the other guy was doing service requests. 

The first guy was in high vis, literally looked like he just walked off a building site. They were talking about the progress of his Daytona repair. 

The person after him was wearing a very old polo and kakhi shorts. He looked like he doesn't buy clothes often, he just wears his favorites all the time. He was getting his sub serviced after 8 years of ownership. 

So I guess you never know who your customers will be. 

I was in a popular high street AD a few months ago simply window shopping. Whilst idly staring at the displays an assistant wandered up, glanced at my wrist and congratulated me on being a Tudor enthusiast.

He was correct, except that the Tudor was at home and I was wearing a Casio Duro on a nato at the time. Figured he must be new!