Had a good mooch around and stumbled on Grays antique centre.....anyone been? was advised by David Duggan to "have a look but be careful" good advice- everything from brand new Rolex with 20% off, inc a blue dialled yachmaster at £6200 (seemed a good deal) to a knackered old GMT2 with no papers for £5500 from some arrogant prat with poor attitude!
Several DSSD Camerons about in Burlington arcade, WOS etc
On to wempe for a window shop and then Harrods watch room......
Highlights? probably a VC Overseas or excellent ,friendly service from the Lange & soehne sales rep who was really keen to show off his watches very enthusiastic guy.New model Blancpain 50 fathoms quite nice too.
Nice day out.
I spent Monday in London. Took my 19 Y/O daughter out for some Dad time and shopping, she is at UNI in Kingston. She always insists that we spend a hour or two looking at watches . We followed a similar route and included WOS in Regents St . Had a great day but didn't buy anything other than several bags of clothes for her. Very impressed with the range and presentation at WOS.
Sounds like you had an excellent time! I am hoping to go London again, any watch shops you would recommend in particular?Originally Posted by GOAT
Cheers
TRY,
Harrods watch room esp see Emily at the Vacheron Constantin section and the guys on Lange and Balncpain- very nice helpful guys.
Burlington arcade= David Duggan seem friendly and helpful and sensible prices for london if not exactly cheap
Grays antique centre (be careful, some great stuff with great sellers, some total tools) New old stock Aquatimer in steel on a bracelet at £3k was nice...
Wempe in bond street
New IWC boutique in bond street opening soon
watches of switzerland in Knightsbridge
Have fun!
I was in the West End yesterday, I always enjoy looking in at the Watch Club in the Royal Arcade. They always have interesting stuff.
I'm going to the watchfinders shop in the city tomorrow. First time for me. Anyone been? What should I expect?
The new WOS is superb, possibly the best service I've had from anywhere, and all I did was try stuff on.
Once I'd finished I left my details, and before I'd got to the front door I had received an email with all of the details of each of the watches that I'd tried on, maybe 10 or 12 models complete with model names/numbers and prices.
Brilliant, brilliant service. That's how it's done.
One watch guy that nobody ever visits is Anthony Green in the Silver Vaults near Chancery Lane. It's a bit out of the way, and the place isn't dripping in stock, but what he has is of impeccable quality. It's also highly proved, but then…it's of impeccable quality.
Last edited by Corporalsparrow; 8th October 2014 at 16:32.
I went to watchfinders last time i was in London at the royal exchange, and to be honest, i think they were really rude! I walked in and was taking a look at some of their rolex models and no one approached me to help out. I left the store soon after.
Just my experience.
Awesome! Thanks for that comprehensive itinerary! Absolutely brilliant and i shall endeavor to follow it to my best.
Regards
Sayub
An old thread but still usefull I hope...........
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...+norman+london
In same building there is also an omega boutique/WOS/Bremont/Boodles and Royal Exchnage jewellers who have a reasonable amount of used stock.
I really must sort out a time to go a see the new WoS store. I've friends who work there and they've promised me all kinds of 'try on' fun :)
[suppose I'll have to go soon and drop off my broken Pam 177 to be repaired anyway :( ]
Just out of interest what where the Cameron prices like?
thanks
pm sent
+1
Watchfinders in my experience are friendly and welcoming, although there has been an occasion or two where a snooty guy has worked in there and just snubbed me.
That wasn't my experience, a very impersonal space, staff with little/no knowledge and overly jittery security staff. I had no email follow up despite showing interest in a £6k 5513. No thanks, they can keep it, plenty of much better shops in London. Plus everyone has their own boutiques now anyway, most on Bond Street...I avoid regent street /oxford street at all costs. I'm sure WoS won't lose any sleep over losing my custom.
What sort of brands do the sell? I sometimes work next door!
Funny I quite being able to browse!
Burlington arcade is always good for a browse. Apart from Duggan there is another shop up the other end with a really good selection of second hand Rolex. Grays is good - the guys at Second Time Round are friendly and happy for you to try things on.
WoS on Regent street is impressive. I went into the Rolex area and the sales rep spotted my speedy pro straight away and we ended up talking for ages about different watches. Good genuine service.
I prefer to browse at my leisure and ask for help/assistance when I want to...
Have done similar wandering round London myself. Austin Kaye on the Strand has most of their stock on display in the window and are very helpful inside the store if you want to have a close look at anything.
Edit - When I re-read this post, thought I'd make clear that I'm just a customer of theirs and not associated with them...
Last edited by arcticpollen; 9th October 2014 at 07:41.
Agreed, but a greeting and friendly smile doesn't go amiss.
Burlington Arcade is very nice and The Watch Club is just round the corner. David Duggan's I've always found helpful, chatted to a nice guy called Tony there the other day, he was very helpful. Now, The Vintage Watch Company... this is a moan. I don't normally post or comment on other peoples experience of whether they were ignored or not taken 'seriously' enough, but when the owner of the shop comes downstairs and stops the sales person helping you because, and I quote, "You're asking a lot of questions" and then tells me to go away and come back tomorrow when someone who knows the answer can help, I get a bit p***ed off! To be more than fair he may have just been establishing if I was serious buyer or not, but that definitely isn't the way to do it! Even the assistant looked embarrassed.
I should have told him what I thought there and then but was in a state of mild shock. that could have just been their prices -£10k for a 1972 Pepsi GMT!
Outatime- I can also say that I've found Watchfinder an okay place, helpful but not pushy. With Bremont, Omega and Boodles in the RE as well it's time well spent
Is the vintage watch company the one across from Duggans with the select your birth year thing going on with all the Rolex in the window (tons of subs)?
If so ive also found them rude in the past.
I was in the Burlington Arcade last week but unfortunately got there late and they were just packing up the window displays. The new WoS on regent looked pretty impressive from the outside but I was in a rush grabbing shopping for the mrs so never popped in
My point exactly.
I was in London yesterday and always find Nino in Watches and Jewellery of Bond Street very affable. Some nice pieces in Burlington Arcade but the Vintage Rolex shop prices are absolutely crazy.
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