do people really pay these prices? (A Baden-Baden reverie)

[KennethRSloan]

I've just spent the morning walking the streets of the old-town section of Baden-Baden. You want to buy a watch? You can't walk 20 meters without passing yet-another-watch-shop. Everything from Skagen to Rolex (and beyond...WAY BEYOND!)

It was very early, so I was mostly looking at window displays. It was also unusual (in my limited experience) because price tags were easily visible in MOST (not all) displays.

I was astounded. Now, granted - I don't pay a lot of attention to "brand new, retail, MSRP" numbers. But still - the numbers struck me as completely beyond belief.

By comparison, the prices shown for the smallish cuckoo clocks were very sane. Which reminds me...time to go acquire a souvenir before my meeting starts in earnest tomorrow. When I arrived, I had this foolish idea of purchasing a distinctly "German" watch while I was here. But...not at these prices! A bit of Black Forest kitsch will have to do.

The shopkeeper filling the outside display case with Skagen's (for some reason the Sinn display remains in place overnight) did nod appreciatively at my "around town" watch for this week - my new Ebel La Carree. I might have bought a Sinn from him - if he had had the copper dial in stock. I even contemplated a Skagen - but those are not particularly *German*, are they?

I drooled over a very nice selection of Nomos - but just couldn't bring myself to consider one at those prices. And, I get the feeling that not a lot of discounting happens here in Baden-Baden - at least in this part of town.

From the looks of the scaffolding going up, a big time Pop Music festival is about to start up this evening. Could be fun.

[Rdenney]

It was the same in Switzerland. But we bought watches anyway.

Rick "note to self: Self, do NOT look those up on the gray market!" Denney

[Nokie]

Everyone should buy what they want, price is purely personal, IMHO.

[geoffbot]

2 things: 1 - people aren't aware that you can haggle in most industries, and certainly not in retail. Ever tried it in a chain clothes store?! I paid mrsp on TAG that started me down this road. Error.

2 - discount rates vary between brands - you're lucky if you get 5% off a hot model rolex (like a sub, you can probs get more off a cellini) but 20% off TAG is commonplace. And anything less than 90% off invicta is silly.

[KennethRSloan]

I hold out for 110% on an Invicta

[KennethRSloan]

It was the same in Switzerland. But we bought watches anyway.

Rick "note to self: Self, do NOT look those up on the gray market!" Denney

My tax dollars at work?

[Raza]

I just took a look at what my Omega and my brother's cost now. Wow. $8200 for a PO chrono!?

[Rdenney]

My tax dollars at work?

No. That was not a work trip.

Rick "where are you this week?" Denney

[Ryanpatrick]

I drooled over a very nice selection of Nomos - but just couldn't bring myself to consider one at those prices. And, I get the feeling that not a lot of discounting happens here in Baden-Baden - at least in this part of town.

From the looks of the scaffolding going up, a big time Pop Music festival is about to start up this evening. Could be fun.

Nomos is actually very affordable in Europe compared to US prices. I'm heading to Italy and France next week and hope to come home with a Nomos Zurich World Timer blue dial. It's $6100 in the U.S., after VAT refund it's about $4300 in France, and that's before any discount they might be willing to give.



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[skywatch]

I'm such a cheapskate, I buy my more pricey watches used, and always bargain-hunting. If a watch isn't unobtainium-rare, I figure there may be a future chance to find a flipper. Nomos is a bit more tricky - best purchased used in my opinion, yet some of their limited editions are so rare that they need to be purchased new from an AD. I think they design it that way, don't they? (I like Nomos, just saying')