[geeks] Watches was: hub needed

[Chris Byrne]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: geeks-bounces at sunhelp.org 
> [mailto:geeks-bounces at sunhelp.org] On Behalf Of Dan Sikorski
> 
> Could you outline for me the advantages of an automatic over 
> a manual or
> quartz.  Is it an accuracy thing, is it a coolness factor, 
> reliability,
> sign of craftsmanship, all of the above?
>


Okay, basically all of the above minus the accuracy thing. The highest
quality quartz watches are slightly more accurate than the highest
quality automatic watches. But a good automatic watch is a joy. It's one
of the purest expressions of engineering elegance left in this world.
It's a demonstration that we don't need microprocessors and electricity
for everything.

The other thning is, a quartz movement cannot really be repaired
economically, and most wont even try. It can be replaced, but once the
warranty is out that's it. 

And of course I can't stress enough the advantage of not having to
change batteries as Michael Schillers post made abundantly clear. The
only way to get a watch recertified as water resistant is through a
factory authorized service center which can literally take months (6-8
week turnaround on some of them) if they'll do it at all. The exception
to this are Breitling and Omega who actually designe theur watches for
serviceability. 
 
> Would you recommend that someone like me should find a decent 
> brick and
> mortar store to shop at, since i don't really know what i want?
>

Absolutely. There is NO way to find what you really want here online.
Until you have actually worn the watch you can't tell what it might look
like on your wrist. How large the face is, how easy to read, how thick
the case and how far it sticks out. How the bracelet and clasp feel. And
very important, how heavy the watch is. Good watches can be very heavy
and very thick. As you climb in price the same feaures and quality of
watch tend to get thinner and lighter. 

>  Would there then be something to
> look for in a store?  (the whole jewelry industry in general makes me
> nervous.)
> 

And well it should. A large percentage of the jewelry stores out there
are worse than used car dealerships. My mother is a wholesale jewler.
She typically buys gold jewlery for between $4 and $10 a gram and then
sells it on for anywhere from $8 to $30 a gram. Retail jewlers are often
selling items at $100 a gram (enerally womens rings with throwaway
stones in them, and gold chains. They have the highest margins since
they cost basically nothing).

Shop around for a store that makes you feel comfortable. One where the
staff seem to really know their watches. If you can find a store that
doesn't work on comission and still has expert quality staff Id
certainly recommend those. 

If the store has a bunch of really expensive watches from brands you've
never heard of, then it's a good indication they've got a watch expert
or two on staff. 

So once you find the store, and ask a LOT of questions, and try every
style to see how they feel and look on your wrist you have a decision to
make. Do you buy it there, or get it from a broker, or online.

This here is an age old question. Personally I like to suppoert local
retailers, and ANY high quality establishment as a matter of principle,
but the markups at ANY jewlery store are ridiculous, and the higher
quality the place, often the higher the mark up. Its not uncommon to see
certain categories of jewlery marked up 10,000% (no typo. 100 times
their manufactuerers cost). Though the typical markup is of course far
far lower. 

And unfortunately for the retailer, you can often get the exact same
watch you saw at the specialty jewlery store for half of less at a
broker or online. 

So what I do is I try and build a relationship with a GOOD local guy.
Someone who will go out of their way to make sure I get a good piece, at
a good price. Yeah he's gonna make money off of me, but with the guy
that I use locally in phoenix for example, he'll crharge me half the
markup that he charges someone else. But that's because I've been
involved with my mothers business for years and have purchased a LOT of
stuff through him. He's also a custom manufacturer as well, and I know
what his costs are, so it keeps him honest. I know I can get some of
what he's selling me cheaper elsewhere, but I also know that I'm getting
his absolute best stuff at his best price, and every time I do Im
strengthening that reationship. So when I need something fast, or
special I know he's gonna go out of his way to get it for me.

Right now we have three rings commissioned with him. Three custom
claddagh rings with a special design that my mother worked on with him.
Each one will have a different stone in them, one is for me, one for my
brother, and one for my stepfather. Each of these rings is going to be
over one ounce of 18k gold with a total of over 1ct. Worth of stones (10
point chips set around the crown with one big stone of around .5ct set
in the heart). Were I to buy this same ring from a standard retail
jeweler he would charge me something like $3000-$5000 for it. As it is
we're gonna pay less than that for all three. Now remember, at retail
the gold in the rings alone is worth well over $1000 and the stones the
same. 

But if you arent going to be buying a lot of jewlery for your wife,
girlfriend, family, whatever, that relationship may not be worth the
cost to you. 

My recommendation is this. You find a good jeweler that you like, find
the exact watch you want and get his best price on it. Then search for
that same watch online and see what kind of prices they are offering,a
AND go around to other jewlers in the area and check the same thing.
Then go back to your guy and bargain a bit. Theres no way in hell he's
gonn a match or even come NEAR the onoine price, but he'll probably come
down, and the next time you want to buy some good jewlery you've got a
relationship you can build on. If he comes down enough for you, by it
from him. If nothing else if you ever have a problem with the watch you
know he'll e able to get it fixed for you quickly.

Chris Byrne