has anyone ever watched in Tourneau

[rolexconfuse]

wearing a rep watch? I mean were you brave enough to do so without fear that they might tell it's a rep and call you out or did you remove it before venturing in.

I like walking into high end watch stores from time to time but I'm also wearing my rep so I'm a little apprehensive cause I'm afraid that it might turn into some an embrassing situation.

[Sir-Lancelot]

Out of respect for the people trying to make a living working there, I put it in my pocket.

[rolexconfuse]

Out of respect for the people trying to make a living working there, I put it in my pocket.

what about other high end watch stores? Same approach as well i assume?

[anton]

I would never wear my rep, even in the big "T", where all they care about is selling and the upsell.

If you've ever been in the flagship over on 57th st (I'm sure may of you have) and unless you take the trip to the mezzanine and second floors, the ground and lower levels are not well-educated about the many intracacies that the mechanical watches they sell have.

Before I even knew that my first PAM was a rep, I wore it into there to buy a new watch (Super Avenger). Now either the salesperson wanted to save an embarrassing situation, or she may have genuinely loved the PAM on my wrist as she was letting me try on the Breitlings!

[hambone]

The 2nd largest Tourneau store is in the area where I work and have walked in there at least every week. The few times my rep came up was in passing converstaion and it is always complimented as a gen. Buying a gen has been a plan for awhile and I keep looking, but the staff there cannot tell the difference between gen and rep really at all. It all depends on how you carry yourself also, but never do I flaunt the rep being worn at the time. Removing it is not needed.

[pfran42]

I thought one of the most important rules to adhere to was: NEVER wear a rep to an AD!!!..At least that is what people from this as well as three other forums keep stating. There is no need to draw attention to our little hobby.

From the forum rules:

[25] - Do not visit an AD (Authentic Dealer) with your replica watch and show it of as the real thing. If you do so, we are not interested in hearing about it. Such post will be deleted.

[hambone]

I thought one of the most important rules to adhere to was: NEVER wear a rep to an AD!!!..At least that is what people from this as well as three other forums keep stating. There is no need to draw attention to our little hobby.

From the forum rules:

[25] - Do not visit an AD (Authentic Dealer) with your replica watch and show it of as the real thing. If you do so, we are not interested in hearing about it. Such post will be deleted.

Of course this is a rule that cannot be enforced in any way. The option that the admin and moderators have is to delete such posts as they deem apporopriate. To answer the question written by the author of this thread is another matter IMO.

[rolexconfuse]

i have never visited a authorized AD and tried to pass my rep as gen. I just wanted to know if I should take it off before going in or not. There's a number of dealers/stores around where I work in NYC and I'm just trying to get a feel to what is the most appropriate thing to do.

[deltatahoe]

i have never visited a authorized AD and tried to pass my rep as gen. I just wanted to know if I should take it off before going in or not. There's a number of dealers/stores around where I work in NYC and I'm just trying to get a feel to what is the most appropriate thing to do.

the most appropriate thing is to take it off.

the best advice i can give is to look (and act) the part of a guy who might actually buy one of the timepieces in those shiny cases. armed with the knowledge about the different models of watches in the AD's cases and the ability to speak intelligently about watches (movements, etc), it should become pretty clear very quickly to the AD that you know what you're talking about (and therefore, from the AD's perspective, you could legitimately be a real buyer he should spend time on). if you don't get treated as such, don't take it personally -- ADs in my experience have an uncanny ability of hiring people who come off as pompous jerks.

just my $0.02,

deltatahoe

[Shundi]

@ Deltatahoe:

Couldn't have said it better myself... I put it in my pocket or I wear a gen... being knowledgeable about watch movements, history, etc means (at least near me) that you're not one of the many people that walk in and throw down 30 grand for a PP just because it was advertised in the WSJ and it looks good with your Mercedes... I've been able to cut through a lot of the [censored] and negotiate some great deals on gens simply because I know what I'm talking about and I tend to buy 1-3 gens a year so the manager feels that dealing with me, taking my calls, shipping things, expedited repairs, etc are worth it because I give them my business... if they screw up...I simply mention that X jewelry store down the street has a very nice looking Oris, Omega, etc that I'm considering and things are usually fixed in a hurry... it's not arrogance so much as it is symbiosis.

[Stephane]

NEVER walk into an AD Store with a rep.

[FxrAndy]

Of course this is a rule that cannot be enforced in any way. The option that the admin and moderators have is to delete such posts as they deem apporopriate. To answer the question written by the author of this thread is another matter IMO.

So it cant be enforced!

if we dont bring this habit under control we wont have to enforce it, the powers that be will enforce it for us, look after what we have, treat it like we should the enviroment, Look after it, or soon it may be gone. sent under ground wont work because with out the dollar it will die but lets not give it any bad press with the ADs.

[freddy333]

You risk a far more insidious threat (assuming the rath of RWG management is itself insufficient cause) by wearing your rep into an AD -- Rolex issues frequent warnings to the dealers in their retail network to be aware of customers attempting to switch a gen watch out for a high quality (similar-looking) rep while trying on a watch. So that lady behind the counter who you think is ignorant of your rep's status may actually be sizing you up as a potential thief. This is a well known ruse that ADs worry about far more than whether you own a rep or not.

[Fidestro]

From my experience, the people at Tourneau know [censored] about watches. Yes, I have worn mine in and they never questioned it. This was before I knew better, your mileage may vary.

[hambone]

I really do not think that the people who work in the AD stores are worthy of the gesture of me removing my rep watch, so I will continue to do as I please

[anton]

Speaking of watch banter, banter is one of the reasons why I stopped shopping in Tourneau (except for the one on Madison and 52nd). No, it's not because they talk, it's because they don't talk watches enough and like I have said before, if you're not going to spend, you might as well not have walked in. That's the attitude (at least what I get from them) I sense there.

Then again, they must be commissioned salespeople. So they don't want to waste their time with a "potential" buyer when the next person walking in could be a "definite" buyer.

There are two ADs I always recommend to friends and others who I encounter when we talk watches: Wempe and Kenjo. Though most of us might know Wempe, many won't know Kenjo unless if you live in the City. Both ADs have a sort of "no pressure" approach and will spend time with you talking watches. Some may even show pieces they hold for other clients.

I can't explain it in simple terms, but when I walk into those two places, I feel like I am walking into a social club, not a store.

And oh yeah, though Kenjo might not be an AD for some manufacturers, they can get the pieces for you and still beat AD prices by a significant margin.

[Logan]

One reason we don't encourage taking reps into AD's in that the AD's have excellent channels of communication back to the manufactures, and of course their legal teams. If people keep walking into AD's with top quality reps and flaunting the them, and where they got them, then the AD is going to push the manufacturers to "Do something about it"

That means more legal threats to our dealers and soon enough legal pressure here.

[Corgi]

I like walking into high end watch stores from time to time but I'm also wearing my rep

You probably shouldn't be doing that. Ever.

[supermanx]

@ Deltatahoe:

Couldn't have said it better myself... I put it in my pocket or I wear a gen... being knowledgeable about watch movements, history, etc means (at least near me) that you're not one of the many people that walk in and throw down 30 grand for a PP just because it was advertised in the WSJ and it looks good with your Mercedes...

I found being knowledgable on watches is a kiss of death with some watch sales people at T and other large shops... If they think you know more then they do they dont want to help you cause they know you know that their "special" price is not that special, or that the movement isn't made from pixie dust by special rolex owned unicorns. They love the guys that walk in and want the flavor of the day, less hassle and faster sale.

As far as what I wear, I wear what im wearing. I rarely make special trips to the AD, its more like I pass an AD and want to stop in. Looks much stranger to walk in with a glaring white tan line where a watch should be then walking in with a rep.