NWA & a WTF-Department store moment in Frankfurt
Two essential lessons from my watch buying doctrine came together today:
1. Never underestimate department stores
2. Patience
We all know what a bad reputation department stores have among watch enthusiasts. That may be the case depending on the country and city, but fortunately in Germany we have numerous watch brands of our own that are inexpensive but still have good quality and reputation. And large department store chains have the advantage that they offer more frequent and larger discounts.
In Frankfurt Germany we have our “Galeria”. It actually feels like more Asian tourists shop there than locals. But the watch brand variation is currently not bad. I ignore the fashion watches now. There are the classic affordable brands such as Dugena, Victorinox, Wenger, Herbelin, Zeppelin, Casio, Citizen, but also Seiko, Maurice Lacroix, Bell & Ross, Frederique Constant, Mido, Tissot, Bruno Söhnle and Montblanc.
Since a few weeks some of their Montblancs have been in discounted sale. Usually they didn't offer discounts on Montblanc. It was around 30%.
Only the old models series. At that time I wasn't that interested, because I have already dress watches and I was looking for a diver (I decided actually for the Rado Captain Cook Bicolor Green and wanted to order next week).
Due to a lack of Russian and Asian tourists they couldn't sell that much watches, as the employee tolled me.
A few weeks later...to be exactly today...I happened to pass by again.
The Montblancs now apparently had to get out urgently. They have been reduced to half the price. My mouth was watering.
Including a 12,500 euro perpetual calendar.
I know the seller well and also the gaps in the system.
I am a member of the department store's loyalty program and I know that there is currently a 20% discount on watches.
I asked the seller if his system accepted the combination of both discounts. Because it worked once before with my Frederique Constant Classic.
YES...WTF...YES
So another 20% discount on the already discounted price.
So... long story short:
I chose the Montblanc Meisterstück 107113 (Star Chronograph UTC).
A UTC chronograph. I really like the guilloche pattern and the blued hands.
To be honest, there are two points that I like less.
1. Apart from the rotor and its stripes, the movement has no decoration. This watch originally cost 4,700 euros in the department store. Which was actually the outdated price. The last official price at jewelers is almost 5,500 euros. I would have expected more decoration on the movement from a watch that costs around 5,000 euros.
2. The engraving "Meisterstück" (eng.: Masterpiece) on the side of the case. I don't think that's fit an 80 euro Invicta or even with a 5K Montblanc.
But with such a steep discount, I simply didn't care.
I could live with that.
Overall, I got a discount of 60% (!!!) and paid 1,879 euros for the “Meisterstück”.
I know that there are other comrades from Frankfurt here.
So if you're interested, there are still a few pieces available.
The perpetual calendar model would come to around 5,000 euros with the extra member discount!
But I should point out something here.
I also tried on this model.
When the seller handed the watch over to me, I immediately noticed two small scratches on the connection between the glass and the case.
When I asked him about it, the situation was extremely embarrassing for the employee. It was the most expensive watch in the department store and then something like that.
But to be honest, at 60% off I could have lived with it.
So if you want a perpetual calendar watch from Montblanc, now would be your chance.
For now, I'm just enjoying my time with my "Meisterstück".
Chairman of Quarz Rights Watch Association, fighting for equal rights of Quarz Watches and reporting crimes against quarz watches by Mecascists (mecanical fascists) and abuses and missuses of Quarz-Or...
Excuse me while I go and pick up my brain. Seems to have been blown away...oh my.
Congratulations on your purchase, my friend. Now, you know the deal....WRUW it please? 🤓🥹
Congratulations, nice pickup. I love my Montblanc.
Wow, what a steal! Congratulations on a beautiful acquisition! 👍
I got a thing with the Meisterstuck emblem as well, I always relate it to the '5 star review' of the longines spirit (jokes). Glad I am not alone in this :) Anyhow Montblanc has always been pretty decent with the quality and finish , with that discount on top it's absolutely fantastic deal imho congrats on the ownership!
I find much of Montblanc's dresswatches too busy in their dial, and when they get simple they get a little bit too bland. But I love their heritage GMT - that on a discount would really tempt me. [And it needs to be on a discount because I'm cheap.] Over Xmas I'll be in Bremen - where there's also a Karstadt Galeria. Don't recall having seen Montblancs there in the past, but they do have a very decent watch selection as well.
Indeed, they have a surprisingly wide collection of good watches in there for a department store. I also noticed U-Boat selection in there.
Week ago I was surprised to actually see Montblanc Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon (if remember correctly) on display in there at around 40K €. Interesting if they put a discount of 50% on it 😅 Unfortunately, I am after few watches not currently available there.
Frankfurt is a great place to buy watches of any budget I guess. I never saw so many stand-alone boutiques: Franck Muller, Rolexes, Tudor, Breitling (I think with restaurant experience), Cartier, Chopard, Patek, AP, Wempe and also less known brands like Cvstos and Gerald Charles at one jeweler.
Enjoy your recent purchase :)
I got a thing with the Meisterstuck emblem as well, I always relate it to the '5 star review' of the longines spirit (jokes). Glad I am not alone in this :) Anyhow Montblanc has always been pretty decent with the quality and finish , with that discount on top it's absolutely fantastic deal imho congrats on the ownership!
Yes, there is no doubt about the quality of Montblanc. When I see older models from over decade ago I can understand some critics about the design, but these days I can't complain about.
I find much of Montblanc's dresswatches too busy in their dial, and when they get simple they get a little bit too bland. But I love their heritage GMT - that on a discount would really tempt me. [And it needs to be on a discount because I'm cheap.] Over Xmas I'll be in Bremen - where there's also a Karstadt Galeria. Don't recall having seen Montblancs there in the past, but they do have a very decent watch selection as well.
I totally understand your point. Some designs are really to simple.
Unfortunately the Galerias are not standardized. The smaller the city or the galeria, the less variaty of watches they have.
Frankfurt has a higher purchase power than Bremen, it is very busy with masses of tourists and therefor they offer more brands.
For example the "KaDeWe" (Kaufhaus des Westens) department store in Berlin belongs also to the same company but is specialized on luxury goods only and the Watch section is runned by Bucherer and...oh boy...it's a badass Bucherer store. Actually more like a watch museum, presenting all fine watches you can imagine. And the staff is very cool and not as stiff as in other cities.
Indeed, they have a surprisingly wide collection of good watches in there for a department store. I also noticed U-Boat selection in there.
Week ago I was surprised to actually see Montblanc Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon (if remember correctly) on display in there at around 40K €. Interesting if they put a discount of 50% on it 😅 Unfortunately, I am after few watches not currently available there.
Frankfurt is a great place to buy watches of any budget I guess. I never saw so many stand-alone boutiques: Franck Muller, Rolexes, Tudor, Breitling (I think with restaurant experience), Cartier, Chopard, Patek, AP, Wempe and also less known brands like Cvstos and Gerald Charles at one jeweler.
Enjoy your recent purchase :)
Yes, the U-Boat section seems quite new there. I was very surprised to see them there.
Oh yes...now I remember. Yea they had also the Tourbillon. But it wasn't on discount :-). Haha...unfortunately.
I totally understand your point. Some designs are really to simple.
Unfortunately the Galerias are not standardized. The smaller the city or the galeria, the less variaty of watches they have.
Frankfurt has a higher purchase power than Bremen, it is very busy with masses of tourists and therefor they offer more brands.
For example the "KaDeWe" (Kaufhaus des Westens) department store in Berlin belongs also to the same company but is specialized on luxury goods only and the Watch section is runned by Bucherer and...oh boy...it's a badass Bucherer store. Actually more like a watch museum, presenting all fine watches you can imagine. And the staff is very cool and not as stiff as in other cities.
Well, Karstadt in Bremen is huge, nearly as big as their store in Munich, and they have a huge watch section too. But there are three watch stores within 2 minute walk from Karstadt that specialise in higher end stuff. One is a Wempe, one is the local AD for Rolex etc, and one has mid-range brands such as Union Glashuette etc.
Wow, great story and great purchase! Enjoy!
Well, Karstadt in Bremen is huge, nearly as big as their store in Munich, and they have a huge watch section too. But there are three watch stores within 2 minute walk from Karstadt that specialise in higher end stuff. One is a Wempe, one is the local AD for Rolex etc, and one has mid-range brands such as Union Glashuette etc.
Thanks for the information. I didn't know, as I've been never at Karstadt in Bremen before.
Wow, great story and great purchase! Enjoy!
Thanks ...I will. 😎
Wow amazing find! I was just thinking earlier today that I think the meisterstuck were some of the best looking Valjoux 7750s out there. Thats an incredible price.
Wow amazing find! I was just thinking earlier today that I think the meisterstuck were some of the best looking Valjoux 7750s out there. Thats an incredible price.
Yes I think also. I was actually about to buy another watch with the 7751 becuase of the moonphase. But I couldn't resist to this price and the UTC makes totally sense as I travel a lot. It will be a significant upgrade from my Casio AE1200 😂