Buying watches in Europe

[watzisname]

My friend is going to Paris next month and I asked him to look at Sinn prices there;

My question is; is the VAT included in their list price or will they add on the VAT after we make the purchase?

[1to12]

Didn't manage to get one there but think you can ask them to show you the breakdown. I've seen some prices quoted with VAT and some before VAT.

Am going to London this weekend. Anyone knows if watch prices are better there? From my observation through internet, seems more expensive.

Cheers

[stevk]

Prices in london are definitely cheaper compare to some watches in Malaysia after excluding the VAT. All the watches in high street either in paris or london are inclusive of vat except you buy it from airport free tax shop. Just need to make sure (ask) the high street shop you going to buy from is offering tax free shopping on taxed products. They will pass you a form to fill.... bla bla bla.. they will tell you.

and don't forget to ask 'whats the best price you can give' as most of them don't display discount. They dont like haggling but asking a polite q about best offer is consider okay.

[STT1987]

I've always found London to be the most expensive of cities in Europe, especially the higher end High Street shops.
YMMV, I've never had much luck finding bargains on the watches I want in London.

Good luck!
 

[1to12]

Din really manage to check out watches in London as my trip was too short. Did see the brand new Heuer Silverstone on offer in Bicester Village for about GBP2.75k or RM12.8k. They had both the choc and blue LE.
Saw a dem nice PP with shiny sunburst-like dial in Bath but the price shown was like RM100k... 

[lowengen]

Hi all,

Going Swiss end of next month...

Generally, I learn that the watches there are relatively more expensive compared to M'sia...

However, was planning to get a CHEAP (below RM1,000) watch ORIGINALLY from Swiss...

any recommendations?

prefer Automatics... brand and movement dont really matter, as long as its Swiss Made...

[Yoda]

Hi all,

Going Swiss end of next month...

Generally, I learn that the watches there are relatively more expensive compared to M'sia...

However, was planning to get a CHEAP (below RM1,000) watch ORIGINALLY from Swiss...

any recommendations?

prefer Automatics... brand and movement dont really matter, as long as its Swiss Made...

RM1,000 is almost equivalent to Euro 250 I guess. With this you can get a Swatch

[lowengen]

Hi all,

Going Swiss end of next month...

Generally, I learn that the watches there are relatively more expensive compared to M'sia...

However, was planning to get a CHEAP (below RM1,000) watch ORIGINALLY from Swiss...

any recommendations?

prefer Automatics... brand and movement dont really matter, as long as its Swiss Made...

RM1,000 is almost equivalent to Euro 250 I guess. With this you can get a Swatch

Swatch... do they have Automatics? and does a Tissot fall within that range?

[ck77]

Hi all,

Going Swiss end of next month...

Generally, I learn that the watches there are relatively more expensive compared to M'sia...

However, was planning to get a CHEAP (below RM1,000) watch ORIGINALLY from Swiss...

any recommendations?

prefer Automatics... brand and movement dont really matter, as long as its Swiss Made...

RM1,000 is almost equivalent to Euro 250 I guess. With this you can get a Swatch

Swatch... do they have Automatics? and does a Tissot fall within that range?

Swatch automatic, of course.
http://www.swatch.com/zz_en/watches/wi2012_ironybigautomatic.html

[D'Andy]

I used to work in London few years back and from experience, the prices of Swiss watches did seem to be slightly better compared to locally. It was especially so during the economic downturn when high street boutiques were willing to sell at good prices, and I've seen Chinese tourists grabbing Swiss watches like they were free. The Brits don't like to haggle and would normally give you the lowest price that they could do the deal for, although they were likely to match the prices that you have obtained from a previous competitor. Just my 2 pence.

[1to12]

Haha... Chinese tourists grab everything expensive everywhere! 

[BBouvier]

<"does a Tissot fall within that range?">

Hello lowengen,

[Link to commercial site removed - Mod]

Took me just 7 seconds "Internet" to find out, by the way ...

Regards,
BB