Watch markets in Guangzhou & Shenzhen China?

[timer888]

Hey all,

 

I'll be travelling to China (Guangzhou & Shenzhen) for work in March and was wondering if someone could kindly tell me where the famous watch markets are? Would you love to check it all out.

 

I remember reading somewhere on these forums that these markets have hundreds of stores.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[offshore]

This may help-

 

http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/103944-a-foray-into-the-wilds-of-china/?hl=%20foray

 

The GuangZhou Watch Market is located on ZhanXi Road,Yue Xiu District in Guangzhou City (very close to the railway station).

The closest hotel is the Liuhua, about 5 minutes walk away.

If you are planning on buying watches you are best to have already made a contact to take you to the upstairs dealers, as the market stuff is basically rubbish.

It really is just as cheap to buy from the dealers here.

But it is a remarkable spectacle, to see 10,000 Chinese all trying to eke a living out of watch bits, none of whom earn a retainer!

 

 

Offshore

[whoever]

Simple. When you are with your back to the railway station, on the open space, head to your right. Follow the street and there is a huge shopping center in your right side, after the main bus station. The watch markets are behind that shopping tower.....but boy, you'll be disappointed......mainly crap!

[whoever]

And take the subway! Best subway I've seen in years! And everything is in English

[timer888]

Thanks 'offshore' and 'whoever'. Great reading about your adventure.

 

Whats the best way to try to pick something decent up or a 'good rep' at these markets? Is it just down to some good old fashion homework on the watch model that I want to buy etc?

[panerai153]

If you go back and do some research, you will have a lot of your questions answered. Several members have posted very comprehensive threads with lots of pictures from past "shopping Trips"

As others have said, the keys to the kingdom lie in finding someone local who is known to be your quide, otherwise you will never see the good stuff. General consensus of most who have been there, it's great to see and shop, but generally the prices are not any better than the trusted dealers, and the quality is usually worse.

[mastrmindalliance]

We were there mid December and it was interesting. A little disappointing on the watch front but otherwise an awesome trip. There were few fakes on display though we went to a few lockups/show rooms. We saw some dealer quality reps of obscure stuff (cartier, tag, Hublot etc) but the more popular stuff was a generation or two behind our dealers.

 

I think it would have been impossible to even get that far without strong Cantonese or rudimentary mandarin language skills.

 

The markets are very easy to find. I have two tips for you. Expect to order one day and pick up the next, and make sure you leave the market well before 5-6pm each day or find a good place to eat and leave well after. Those peak hour crowds are killer.

 

We had better luck and infinitely more fun over in Dong Guan

Edited February 3, 2013 by mastrmindalliance