Just a general discussion about watch buying preference of members

[hanz079]

I guess since most members here stays in the KL area, most of u guys can hunt for a watch in the numerous pre owned shops, ADs and boutiques.
Me on the other hand, is from Kota Kinabalu.
Only 1 major AD, some smaller ADs and 1... yes... 1 pre own shop.
Choices and hunting is not so much fun as I will mostly get the standard "no stock" reply...

However, I am fortunate enough to travel maybe once or twice a year to a city with huge selections and ample stock.
But the problem is this.
Would you rather buy when there is ready stock? Even knowing that you can get a better deal at home (if there is stock)...
Or would you just pull the trigger irregardless?

I know there is such a thing as cost of enjoyment.
Some believe that if you buy a watch that you really REALLY wanted, the extra money spent is actually the cost of enjoying the moment that you wear the watch sooner rather than saving the money and wait for a better deal... you get to enjoy it later... or maybe never since crosshairs are always active.

So, I would like to hear some feedback from members.
Are stock availability for instant purchase worth the extra moolah spent?
Or waiting for a deal that might or might not mature when the waiting gets too long or after some price increases that offset whatever good deal that you think you might have becoming the exact deal that you can close a few months or a year ago?

[takashi78]

Well i can wait, nothing is as urgent as i have to buy it and wear it now.
Unless is a model i cant find anywhere else and have been searching for some time.

I can wait for models that i know will pop up sooner or later and when i have the funds.

Case in point:
1- Explorer1 was more than 10yrs since i wanted it and actually bought it.
2- Daytona was about 10yrs plus as well.
3- Speake Marin, few years since i knew bout the brand. And by chance i found out the price is "affordable" compared to other indie brands.

So i am sure my AP RO, Nautilus or whatever i would have my chance. Some day....

A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else. - George Savile

[Gabriel]

My opinion this is very subjective to personal, for me as example, when fall in love with my Laco pilot watch, I immediately order it online as that time I only have a g-shock as daily beater. But when I start notice PAM, I already a few watches in my watch box, I can wait and believe when time comes, one of the PAM must be mine, and this turn true after a year. I'm very enjoy the 1 year of searching and waiting, that is fun of hunting watch. 

[takashi78]

End of the for me is reality, want no use, cant afford at that point and time is the main factor 

[Empty Tree 8]

For me the anticipation is always much better than the eventuality.... so I take my time to enjoy the journey. 

[GMTmaster]

For me the anticipation is always much better than the eventuality.... so I take my time to enjoy the journey. 

 

[Gabriel]

GS poison widely spread here, it's time to start enjoy learning & hunting a nice GS 

[sean]

GS poison widely spread here, it's time to start enjoy learning & hunting a nice GS 

Perhaps we should organize a group buy to get a better price

[kukujiao]

Yes the poison is indeed very strong.

[dpkong]

I usually take my time to buy a piece. No matter how much I want it, I really need to feel the "GO for it" emotion before pulling out the cheque book. That said, my local dealer has mastered the trick to ask me to take the watch home and bank in the cheque later when I don't have it handy...

  

[Gabriel]

I usually take my time to buy a piece. No matter how much I want it, I really need to feel the "GO for it" emotion before pulling out the cheque book. That said, my local dealer has mastered the trick to ask me to take the watch home and bank in the cheque later when I don't have it handy...

  

That is cool, take 1st pay later. 

[kenixck]

Factors including the % of price diff, if below RM500 I wouldn't mind, more than than, dig deep

Some buying maybe can bundle with memories like when traveling .... (e.g. oh, i bought this in Swiss)
But usually I'm a must-have-it-now-if-i-have-the-money type of person.

- from a poor man  -

[STT1987]

...
So, I would like to hear some feedback from members.
Are stock availability for instant purchase worth the extra moolah spent?

To be honest, when I first started out in the hobby; I grabbed everything that caught my eye regardless (as long as my credit card can support). Now I regret that as I am stuck with a lot of low to mid-end watches that I hardly ever wear now. So now I am more cautious and tend to mull over the purchase. So the answer to your question for me now is: No, but with exceptions.

Or waiting for a deal that might or might not mature when the waiting gets too long or after some price increases that offset whatever good deal that you think you might have becoming the exact deal that you can close a few months or a year ago?

To balance out. There are exceptions:
If I find a good deal that I know I cannot find again, I grab ASAP; as evidenced by latest purchases through our MWF merchants.

Caution is good but being too cautious will sometimes allow a nice fish to get away (or an extremely long wait and getting it at a higher price). For example: I am still waiting for the IWC Ingenieur Vintage Collection version to come along for a good price (used or LNIB). No luck yet and since it's a discontinued model - I can't seem to find it new anymore. So I may end up paying a much higher price than I intended due to my caution. Oh well, can't win em all.

For evergreen watches like Rolexes that hardly ever change; no rush - I'll get them when I'm old and richer. Probably in a few decades.

[ndtaan]

I usually take my time to buy a piece. No matter how much I want it, I really need to feel the "GO for it" emotion before pulling out the cheque book. That said, my local dealer has mastered the trick to ask me to take the watch home and bank in the cheque later when I don't have it handy...

  

It show your integrity,
Kudos to you,

[ndtaan]

...
So, I would like to hear some feedback from members.
Are stock availability for instant purchase worth the extra moolah spent?

To be honest, when I first started out in the hobby; I grabbed everything that caught my eye regardless (as long as my credit card can support). Now I regret that as I am stuck with a lot of low to mid-end watches that I hardly ever wear now. So now I am more cautious and tend to mull over the purchase. So the answer to your question for me now is: No, but with exceptions.

Or waiting for a deal that might or might not mature when the waiting gets too long or after some price increases that offset whatever good deal that you think you might have becoming the exact deal that you can close a few months or a year ago?

To balance out. There are exceptions:
If I find a good deal that I know I cannot find again, I grab ASAP; as evidenced by latest purchases through our MWF merchants.

Caution is good but being too cautious will sometimes allow a nice fish to get away (or an extremely long wait and getting it at a higher price). For example: I am still waiting for the IWC Ingenieur Vintage Collection version to come along for a good price (used or LNIB). No luck yet and since it's a discontinued model - I can't seem to find it new anymore. So I may end up paying a much higher price than I intended due to my caution. Oh well, can't win em all.

For evergreen watches like Rolexes that hardly ever change; no rush - I'll get them when I'm old and richer. Probably in a few decades.

You took the words right out of my mouth.
I'm very much like you in that aspect.

[JOS2012]

Most of us go through this stage.....painful but necessary in order to eventually be able to sift the wheat from the chaff.


Agree on some brands/models that retain their DNA where you can buy later but then their prices keep increasing YOY... its a matter of how much the increase

To be honest, when I first started out in the hobby; I grabbed everything that caught my eye regardless (as long as my credit card can support). Now I regret that as I am stuck with a lot of low to mid-end watches that I hardly ever wear now. So now I am more cautious and tend to mull over the purchase. So the answer to your question for me now is: No, but with exceptions.

To balance out. There are exceptions:
If I find a good deal that I know I cannot find again, I grab ASAP; as evidenced by latest purchases through our MWF merchants.

Caution is good but being too cautious will sometimes allow a nice fish to get away (or an extremely long wait and getting it at a higher price). For example: I am still waiting for the IWC Ingenieur Vintage Collection version to come along for a good price (used or LNIB). No luck yet and since it's a discontinued model - I can't seem to find it new anymore. So I may end up paying a much higher price than I intended due to my caution. Oh well, can't win em all.

For evergreen watches like Rolexes that hardly ever change; no rush - I'll get them when I'm old and richer. Probably in a few decades.

[amir1218]

I would rather take my time.. Look here and there and when a good deal comes by
And the funds permit it.. I'll get it. Better to think long and hard bout buying a watch as
its not exactly cheap..

I would prefer to buy watches here in KL as the price diff with other countries is just too huge.
There's their high VAT rate.. And no discount policy cause they're an AD..
So when I travel i just browse and look see. Better to go hunting in KL..

But then again I buy new models.. Maybe if someone was hunting for old or discontinued models.. Then hunting for it overseas might be more rewarding. 

[@tsw@]

Normally I would look at the bank balance, if got a certain amount can use for hobby and feeling restless, then will look at specific models within price range (in kl) and when overseas, (normally singapore and hong kong). So far the prices overseas and locally does not vary too much for new watches from ADs.

So end of day, always purchase locally. I prefer to support our local market even if it means paying that extra 3% to 5%. I have not tried pre-owed, not experienced enough.

The process takes about two to three months, from reading up on the desired models to getting prices from ADs before the purchase is made.

[ndtaan]

Normally I would look at the bank balance, if got a certain amount can use for hobby and feeling restless, then will look at specific models within price range (in kl) and when overseas, (normally singapore and hong kong). So far the prices overseas and locally does not vary too much for new watches from ADs.

So end of day, always purchase locally. I prefer to support our local market even if it means paying that extra 3% to 5%. I have not tried pre-owed, not experienced enough.

The process takes about two to three months, from reading up on the desired models to getting prices from ADs before the purchase is made.

Sometimes getting a pre own one is the fun part.
You have to really get down to it and do some serious research otherwise you'll end up with a bummer.
  

[el118]

Ideally should go for pre-owned for maximum bang on available fund. but sometimes for certain rare or new model that u like, to wait for pre-owned is an "opened-ended" wait which may test your patient and need some luck. may be next month one is available or may need to wait for 5 years or longer. (especially in our country where good pre-owned is very limited, except of Rolex)

Even if one did appear,

i) price may not be cheap. i.e. savings not substantial compared to new
ii) others may act faster to grab than u.

an example would be trying to get a good pre-owned Patek at good price. sometime the savings just mere 10% which i think is too low to justify a used one. ( so i am still waiting.......  )

[ndtaan]

Ideally should go for pre-owned for maximum bang on available fund. but sometimes for certain rare or new model that u like, to wait for pre-owned is an "opened-ended" wait which may test your patient and need some luck. may be next month one is available or may need to wait for 5 years or longer. (especially in our country where good pre-owned is very limited, except of Rolex)

Even if one did appear,

i) price may not be cheap. i.e. savings not substantial compared to new
ii) others may act faster to grab than u.

an example would be trying to get a good pre-owned Patek at good price. sometime the savings just mere 10% which i think is too low to justify a used one. ( so i am still waiting.......  )

I think Patek would not be a good example to compare weather or not to get a preown vs a new one as you know that Patek is not in the "radar" of most watch enthusiast.
And sometimes even a savings of 10% for a Patek would be quite substantial.

I remember getting my first Patek in an auction where the 8% I got less form the auction price is enough to get a brand new Omega Speedmaster.

And I definitely agreed with you that ideally you should go for preown to get a maximum bang for your available funds irrespective of any brands. 

[Kennypane]

I will never buy a watch which the price has been inflated due to goreng and limited supply cos demand is so hot. That's BS to me, no matter how much I wanted that particular watch. Anything can wait, including watches. To date so far all my watches no longer in production or were bought reasonably. We have to be practical. Speedy pro transparent caseback still in production. And err maybe ORIS pointer date.

[el118]

I think Patek would not be a good example to compare weather or not to get a preown vs a new one as you know that Patek is not in the "radar" of most watch enthusiast.
And sometimes even a savings of 10% for a Patek would be quite substantial.

I remember getting my first Patek in an auction where the 8% I got less form the auction price is enough to get a brand new Omega Speedmaster.

And I definitely agreed with you that ideally you should go for preown to get a maximum bang for your available funds irrespective of any brands.

I didn't know Malaysia has auction for watch, or u got it from oversea?

[ndtaan]

I think Patek would not be a good example to compare weather or not to get a preown vs a new one as you know that Patek is not in the "radar" of most watch enthusiast.
And sometimes even a savings of 10% for a Patek would be quite substantial.

I remember getting my first Patek in an auction where the 8% I got less form the auction price is enough to get a brand new Omega Speedmaster.

And I definitely agreed with you that ideally you should go for preown to get a maximum bang for your available funds irrespective of any brands.

I didn't know Malaysia has auction for watch, or u got it from oversea?

Yes, I got it from a UK auction.

[sidestreaker]

Some believe that if you buy a watch that you really REALLY wanted, the extra money spent is actually the cost of enjoying the moment that you wear the watch sooner rather than saving the money and wait for a better deal...

I fall into this category...

My rule for that must have watch(es); You only live once, buy what you love now!! Any additional time spend on wearing it is a gain!! I apply this rule to other things (and people) in life that I love as well 

I must admit, I am a deeply shallow person when it comes to buying watches. I like to be pampered in a boutique (AD only if I can't find it in a boutique). It makes me feel good especially when I'm spending that kind of money on one object, which I am (almost) going to wear for life. I expect them to provide the best service the the lifespan of my watch for the premium I'm paying. So there, guilty as charge.

I'm focusing on small amount of watches from reputed and reliable companies (reliable means that they'll most likely will be around till the next century). This allows me to focus my budget on not just the watch but the cost of the life-cycle of maintaining it throughout.