If you have to bundle, to get a grail; what would you settle for?

Unfortunately, 2023 still sees a world where we have to “support” or “feel inspired “. Sometimes it beats the grey dealer pricing cos you walk away with another timepiece or two. So say you have a budget and it fits. Pay the grey dealer you walk away with one watch but no clout and you’ve literally helped him with his AD. So you walk away from that and your actual AD says get: A & B = Grail. What is your A&B? Based on price range.
283 votes ·
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Omega+Tudor

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Tudor plus Omega!

I had yo look yo Corum and they ate hideous! So I would immediately flip it if I was playing within your rules!

I like Omega but I'm a Tudor fan boy...

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E. Buy something else you actually want for a fair price.

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biglove

Omega+Tudor

I only wish. Apparently the world of ADs not all brands help you get there.

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Totally agree with some here. Omega + Tudor

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IWC plus Zenith is hardly a negative on either side of the equation. But honestly? If I truly wanted something that much, I'd buy at a grey market markup. It ends up being not too dissimilar price wise than getting something you want at the price you want and getting something you don't want at a wildly inflated price.

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This poll assumes my grail watch is hidden behind some fabricated paywall. Where's the option for, "I choose not to participate in this nonsense?"

I think you might get a lot more people in that category than the others.

A waiting list is one thing, but the concept of a company who sells watches telling me I can't hand them money for a watch unless I buy something else is extortion, and the only reason dealers get away with it is because people are stupid enough to fall for it.

If I actually got on a waiting list for a watch, and got tricked into buying watches that I didn't want in the meantime, just so the dealer would let me give them more money, I would be ashamed of myself, and that fancy new "grail" watch on my wrist would do nothing but remind me of how easily I get taken advantage of.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines that prohibit "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" in the marketplace, including tying/bundling arrangements that force customers to purchase a second product in order to obtain the first. Rolex themselves has a strict policy that prohibits authorized dealers from requiring customers to purchase other products or services in order to obtain a Rolex watch.

If you participate in this despicable game, you are the reason that this problem exists. If an AD asks you to do this, report them to the FTC, and never go back.

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If a business won't sell me what I want to buy, I go elsewhere.

When I was younger I wanted to buy a Saab 9-2X, which was essentially a Subaru Impreza with Saab badging and a nicer interior. The Saab dealer in my city was also a Saturn dealer, and the salesman refused to talk to me about the 9-2zx on their lot, instead was pushing the Saturn Vue(SUV). I walked out of the dealership, went directly across the street to the Subaru dealer, and bought a bright red Impreza.

All that to say, I didn't have patience for those games when I was 23 a buying a car, and I have far less patience for it now, particularly with something like a watch.

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bradleypariah

This poll assumes my grail watch is hidden behind some fabricated paywall. Where's the option for, "I choose not to participate in this nonsense?"

I think you might get a lot more people in that category than the others.

A waiting list is one thing, but the concept of a company who sells watches telling me I can't hand them money for a watch unless I buy something else is extortion, and the only reason dealers get away with it is because people are stupid enough to fall for it.

If I actually got on a waiting list for a watch, and got tricked into buying watches that I didn't want in the meantime, just so the dealer would let me give them more money, I would be ashamed of myself, and that fancy new "grail" watch on my wrist would do nothing but remind me of how easily I get taken advantage of.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines that prohibit "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" in the marketplace, including tying/bundling arrangements that force customers to purchase a second product in order to obtain the first. Rolex themselves has a strict policy that prohibits authorized dealers from requiring customers to purchase other products or services in order to obtain a Rolex watch.

If you participate in this despicable game, you are the reason that this problem exists. If an AD asks you to do this, report them to the FTC, and never go back.

Well said.

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Oh man, I'm going Omega + IWC

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KristianG

If a business won't sell me what I want to buy, I go elsewhere.

When I was younger I wanted to buy a Saab 9-2X, which was essentially a Subaru Impreza with Saab badging and a nicer interior. The Saab dealer in my city was also a Saturn dealer, and the salesman refused to talk to me about the 9-2zx on their lot, instead was pushing the Saturn Vue(SUV). I walked out of the dealership, went directly across the street to the Subaru dealer, and bought a bright red Impreza.

All that to say, I didn't have patience for those games when I was 23 a buying a car, and I have far less patience for it now, particularly with something like a watch.

That dealer made some wise franchise choices there…

What’s in that building now? Our Saab dealership became a large church, then a tech support place, and now it’s vacant.

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IWC+Zenith is the only pairing where I already know of watches that I like in both brands of the equation.

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bradleypariah

This poll assumes my grail watch is hidden behind some fabricated paywall. Where's the option for, "I choose not to participate in this nonsense?"

I think you might get a lot more people in that category than the others.

A waiting list is one thing, but the concept of a company who sells watches telling me I can't hand them money for a watch unless I buy something else is extortion, and the only reason dealers get away with it is because people are stupid enough to fall for it.

If I actually got on a waiting list for a watch, and got tricked into buying watches that I didn't want in the meantime, just so the dealer would let me give them more money, I would be ashamed of myself, and that fancy new "grail" watch on my wrist would do nothing but remind me of how easily I get taken advantage of.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines that prohibit "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" in the marketplace, including tying/bundling arrangements that force customers to purchase a second product in order to obtain the first. Rolex themselves has a strict policy that prohibits authorized dealers from requiring customers to purchase other products or services in order to obtain a Rolex watch.

If you participate in this despicable game, you are the reason that this problem exists. If an AD asks you to do this, report them to the FTC, and never go back.

I completely agree, but the sad truth is it’s happening. I also think the grey market is part of the issue also. Anyway, this poll is just for fun and getting a kick out of how we deal with 2023.

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KristianG

If a business won't sell me what I want to buy, I go elsewhere.

When I was younger I wanted to buy a Saab 9-2X, which was essentially a Subaru Impreza with Saab badging and a nicer interior. The Saab dealer in my city was also a Saturn dealer, and the salesman refused to talk to me about the 9-2zx on their lot, instead was pushing the Saturn Vue(SUV). I walked out of the dealership, went directly across the street to the Subaru dealer, and bought a bright red Impreza.

All that to say, I didn't have patience for those games when I was 23 a buying a car, and I have far less patience for it now, particularly with something like a watch.

Completely agree. Hopefully this poll sets the watch world on fire and we are able to purchase things the way it’s supposed to be. And not jump through hoops.

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TickyBurden

That dealer made some wise franchise choices there…

What’s in that building now? Our Saab dealership became a large church, then a tech support place, and now it’s vacant.

I'm not sure, I moved out of that city. Looking back, I'm not surprised that that particular dealership went under, and if that was the attitude of the dealer network overall, I'm not surprised Saab and Saturn are no more.

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Omega and Zenith

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If I had to get something dreadful with something awesome as a grail I'd get a Rolex DJ and a Casio F91W. Then I'd flip the Rolex 😁

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I don't have a grail watch, let alone something that expensive. It strikes me that most people who are watch enthusiasts seem to be wealthy. ( everyone has a different perception of wealth)

What is AD?

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I always forget that Ulysse Nardin has "lower end" watches b/c I always associate that name with their higher end astronomical offerings.

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I mean sense we're talking fantasy land. Both IWC and Zenith make watches I would be happy to have

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I'd have to go Tudor +Zenith.

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While the listed brands have some watches I'd be happy to own (less happy for the list prices) - these are not grail watches of mine. So, it's a no from the start.

Other than that, "play stupid games win stupid prizes" - even if these brands had my grail watches I would not play. Watches, even my grails, are not that important to me.

Also, the price bracket in which most of the proposed options reside is not interesting to me. If I interpreted the question as what I would ever realistically pay for a watch - these are out of reach. I could see myself paying £2000 for a Citizen Chronomaster, but that's the limit. If, on the other hand, I viewed the grail question with unlimited funds, then the watches that would interest me start at about £40,000, like a PP Calatrava or a Lange Odysseus.

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mainreasontostay

IWC + Zenith, ez

I love the both brands))))))

Totally! Thanks for sharing

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biglove

Omega+Tudor

Have to agree! Omega and Tudor all the way!

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Tudor & Zenith

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uhrensohn

While the listed brands have some watches I'd be happy to own (less happy for the list prices) - these are not grail watches of mine. So, it's a no from the start.

Other than that, "play stupid games win stupid prizes" - even if these brands had my grail watches I would not play. Watches, even my grails, are not that important to me.

Also, the price bracket in which most of the proposed options reside is not interesting to me. If I interpreted the question as what I would ever realistically pay for a watch - these are out of reach. I could see myself paying £2000 for a Citizen Chronomaster, but that's the limit. If, on the other hand, I viewed the grail question with unlimited funds, then the watches that would interest me start at about £40,000, like a PP Calatrava or a Lange Odysseus.

Being in the community for a bit i've realised that my 'grails' are very accessible, pretty basic and moderately priced, compared to an insane watches i've seen around here or in discord groups. And i'm not seeing myself actually getting one of those watches in a near future. I can justify spending over 5k on a Moog synths, or on a nice PRS guitars, or on a collection of a boutique pedals, but with watches, i'm not there yet.

I mean, my 'grails' are:

Tudor Day-Date with linen dial (which is less than a 5k),

DJ 1601 with a rose gold,

Pepsi 16710,

GS SBGA413

And i'm actually unable to imagine going further even with unlimited funds. I mean, i'm really into Longines Spirit 37 and in theory i can afford this watch without any financial troubles, but somehow using a 2.5k laptop is just fine by me, but wearing a 2.5k watch already feels like overkill.

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Glashutte original and JLC Burgundy duo face Reverso

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peapodesque

Glashutte original and JLC Burgundy duo face Reverso

Love it!

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And God appeared unto Arthur and commanded him to quest for the Holy Grail.

And thus Arthur journeyed far to the Authorized Relic Dealer (you know there's no HG AD anywhere close to a backwater like Mercia) and paid 500 dinars for a Consecrated Spork, 1000 staters for a Venerated Sippy Cup and then gaveth unto them 2000 florins for a Divine Tureen and thus bypassed the Sanctified Waiting List and was finally allowed to complete his quest for the Holy Grail... at retail... as long as he purchased a ladies Hallowed Grail for Guinevere as well.

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I omega they make such an awesome watch and I own a seamaster 300m. UN freak would also be one of my grail picks. I was lucky enough to get my peasant hands on one pretty early on in my YouTube channel to review so I got to play around with it and try it on wrist. I think this is def the best bundle