ajoesmith Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I have cut down on rep purchases due to the much higher prices of reps, yes they are better reps, more accurate thats true but they still have the same movements if not worse e.g the copy ETA movements. I know this isnt exactly legal but gone are the days when reps were disposable. Now were dropping anywhere from $300 - $600 these days for watches. If it breaks in maybe 1 month then the dealer may replace it, not sure about any longer. To give an example, i bought a fry pan from Kmart here in Oz for $10, yes $10, i only bought it to see how long it would last and if it was any good. IT HAS A 1 YEAR WARRANTY. 1 year for a $10 product - excellent Again i want to say i know its not exactly legal but $600 is $600 and i dont want a paperweight watch after 2 months So should we be getting any kind of warranty from these dealers? e.g. 6 months to 1 year What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedo Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I agree, stop by the cosmetics section of Kmart and get a quartz watch for $10 too, and a years warranty comes with that too. Should be too hard on a $600 watch you would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windyzz Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 (edited) I reckon the price are raising up because of fuel rises etc, and China is undergoing into developing country i think(labour, material are all increasing too) . Everything in oz raises pretty bad too, but I do agree if dealer should give some sort of warranty to our watch ! I have cut down on rep purchases due to the much higher prices of reps, yes they are better reps, more accurate thats true but they still have the same movements if not worse e.g the copy ETA movements. I know this isnt exactly legal but gone are the days when reps were disposable. Now were dropping anywhere from $300 - $600 these days for watches. If it breaks in maybe 1 month then the dealer may replace it, not sure about any longer. To give an example, i bought a fry pan from Kmart here in Oz for $10, yes $10, i only bought it to see how long it would last and if it was any good. IT HAS A 1 YEAR WARRANTY. 1 year for a $10 product - excellent Again i want to say i know its not exactly legal but $600 is $600 and i dont want a paperweight watch after 2 months So should we be getting any kind of warranty from these dealers? e.g. 6 months to 1 year What do you think? Edited July 25, 2008 by windyzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 AJS, I think you already know the answer to that You absolutely must have access to a watchsmith, or willingness to learn how to de-case and replace a movement. You also need access to replacement movements (that'd be you ). Beyond movement problems, the only other real issue with these reps is crown stripping, which can be an easy fix or impossible depending on the brand. I can see how this hobby could be frustrating for the "average Joe" though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermanx Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I reckon the price are raising up because of fuel rises etc, and China is undergoing into developing country i think(labour, material are all increasing too) . Everything in oz raises pretty bad too, but I do agree if dealer should give some sort of warranty to our watch ! I don't think it has anything to do with fuel... Shipping charges are a pass through from the dealer. It's market dynamics, makers/dealers have spent the last 6 months determining what the market will tollerate. And except for cases where 2 makers come out with the same model in a short period of time you will continue to see high prices as long as there is demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chino Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Anything that may bring the business down in China for our dealers will a definite NO from them... imagine the margins they make with our purchases, we KNOW that the fabrication process isn't even near of what we pay for these watches... That's a great idea, but I don't think we'll get an afirmative answer... are we as a board in a position that will let us demand warranty? a poll would say 100% yes from members but a probably 100% not from dealers... a dealer's point of view would be very constructive here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 Correct me but doesn't Ruby offer a 6 month warranty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllergyDoc Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 I've read, many time, where both Josh and Andrew have replaced watches that stopped working up to a year after purchase. I once read a post by a member who said the watch was over a year old when Andrew replaced it. He said he hadn't worn it very much and so Andrew replaced it. Stated warranty periods and actual service sometimes differ. And, although it's not really the topic here, don't but the damn thing if you think it's priced too high. You can still get Asian 21J watches for less than $100. If that's your budget, buy them instead. Too much bitching about high prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 i gotta say, since i got access to a real watchsmith locally who is also very inexpensive - i use him ALOT lume falls out - movement issues, popping off crystals - quick polishing of bracelets warranty is tuff - i guess it depends on if the profit is coming from dealer margins or factory prices driving up. it is frankly too expensive to send watches back to china - i almost always work out a deal where i can sell the watch - if its the wrong model or has an issue - for whatever its new and reduced value is and have a new one sent. the likleyhood of small problems - lume marker falling off, bezel insert is loose ect ect is pretty high - i'd say 30% its not likely they would warranty that - but i think a mov't should be backed for at least 6 months most mov't problems can be fixed - it really only gets tuff in the wierd mov'ts with transfer gears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
client9 Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 (edited) The amount of money the dealers are making off this and other boards is staggering. According to a friend of mine who worked for a Citizen watch distributor, the wholesale price of a Citizen Nighthawk is about $15 to $20. This watch often sells in stores for $450. This is an amazing profit margin despite the costs of marketing, quality control, and warranties. The cost of making a fake in China is much cheaper than the cost of making a Citizen watch. They don't do QC, they don't do marketing, they don't have customer support, they don't use quality materials. It must cost them $3 at the most, yet they often sell for over $400. The time has come for we as a community to begin demanding more from our dealers. The days of simply getting a watch in the mail and then calling the dealer "a good guy" are over. If dealers are going to charge $400 for a watch, they should manually inspect it and deliver the ultimate in customer service. Remember, we are providing them with a wage that few in China can even imagine having. They should be bending over backwards to get our business. Edited July 26, 2008 by client9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOB Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 . The cost of making a fake in China is much cheaper than the cost of making a Citizen watch. They don't do QC, they don't do marketing, they don't have customer support, they don't use quality materials. It must cost them $3 at the most, yet they often sell for over $400. whilst i believe a warranty would be nice you cant seriously think these things cost 3 bucks to make,.... thats just plain nieve... how much would it cost you to tool up the cases, obviously the price would drop per watch but even the movements purchased individually cost more than that.... yes they are making a profit, but just for a second have a look at any single article of clothing in your wardrobe and work out the COST of that, and the % markup on that.... people complain about the profit on a replica watch yet have no issues wearing a tshirt that may have cost 20 bucks yet a wholesale cost from china of under $1...business's are designed to make profit, customers should work out wether or not the price is fair and decide from there, arguing over the profit of a business without knowing the underlying costs and risks is a little bit silly..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 It must cost them $3 at the most, yet they often sell for over $400. Real ETA movements in a stainless steel watertight case with genuine saphire for $3? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 Real ETA movements in a stainless steel watertight case with genuine saphire for $3? That's the retail price....you can buy it in bulk for 50 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 That's the retail price....you can buy it in bulk for 50 cents I'll smoke what your smoking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 I'll smoke what your smoking Oh....did I mention?.... a pack of smokes comes free with it as well.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vric Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 I reckon the price are raising up because of fuel rises etc, and China is undergoing into developing country i think(labour, material are all increasing too) . Everything in oz raises pretty bad too, but I do agree if dealer should give some sort of warranty to our watch ! Don't forget the US Dollar worth less than before too. My first rep a bit over 3 years ago, I paid $250Us for an Omega SMP from Josh.. That was about $320 CND... Today, a Rep of $320Us cost me $330CND. In the end, it's not "that" bad for us But That doesn't explain the $1k HBB, the $700 ugly Hublot, $550 Concord etc etc.. Damn my Tourbillon watch with 2 years warranty at $600 is such a great value Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 If you add a warranty you increase the price you cover the risk of a return. One has to ask themselves would they rather pay more money for a watch that at the end o the day is a replica, or pay less and do without a 6 month guarantee of sorts......Im for the latter...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
client9 Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 Real ETA movements in a stainless steel watertight case with genuine saphire for $3? Actually yes, all that for $3. The watch business is a cash cow. Watches, except for the hand made ones requiring high levels of skill, are very cheap to make. Despite all the marketing hoopla, they are noting more than mass-produced trinkets. Even the glorified ETA movements are mass-produced. You have to ask yourself: "How does Rolex, Breitling, et al. afford all those million dollar television commercials and full page advertisements?" It's smoke and mirrors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 The amount of money the dealers are making off this and other boards is staggering. According to a friend of mine who worked for a Citizen watch distributor, the wholesale price of a Citizen Nighthawk is about $15 to $20. This watch often sells in stores for $450. This is an amazing profit margin despite the costs of marketing, quality control, and warranties. The cost of making a fake in China is much cheaper than the cost of making a Citizen watch. They don't do QC, they don't do marketing, they don't have customer support, they don't use quality materials. It must cost them $3 at the most, yet they often sell for over $400. The time has come for we as a community to begin demanding more from our dealers. The days of simply getting a watch in the mail and then calling the dealer "a good guy" are over. If dealers are going to charge $400 for a watch, they should manually inspect it and deliver the ultimate in customer service. Remember, we are providing them with a wage that few in China can even imagine having. They should be bending over backwards to get our business. Hate to say it, but that statement that it costs $3 causes me to loser all confidence in anything you have to say. The goddamn movement cost a hell of a lot more. And how nice of you to to provide them with a better wage than their lower paid chinese counterparts. They should be so grateful to us westerners. Yes, Massuh! Whoever said "Ignorance is bliss"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hk45ca Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 as far as i know ruby is the only one to put it in writing that her watches have a 6 month warranty. it is on her web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
client9 Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 Hate to say it, but that statement that it costs $3 causes me to loser all confidence in anything you have to say. The goddamn movement cost a hell of a lot more. And how nice of you to to provide them with a better wage than their lower paid chinese counterparts. They should be so grateful to us westerners. Yes, Massuh! Whoever said "Ignorance is bliss"? If ignorance is bliss, you must be in heaven right now, Robert. The retail price of a movement, like any other good, is indeed expensive, but the wholesale price is dirt cheap. For example, did you know Nike shoes only cost $5 to make? This is called economies of scale - look into it. The dealers don't have to say, "Yes, Massuh!" They only have to reply to emails promptly and deliver what they promise. That means not charging $100 for "waterproofing" that never gets done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakemaster Posted July 27, 2008 Report Share Posted July 27, 2008 In short no. Most people don't treat their reps with the same love and care as a gen. Even so they are not built to the same standards. The markers don't usually pop off on Gen Rollies. Besides, warranties have been discussed before. They'd be an extra charge and none of you would be willing to pay for it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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