Where is the best place to buy a luxury watch? How to choose the right place to avoid regrets

Even if you decide to buy a luxury watch, do you worry about where to buy it? There are many places that sell watches, but if you don't know what kind of store it is or what kind of service you can receive , you may end up regretting your decision later.

In this article, we will tell you about some surprisingly unknown places to purchase luxury watches.

There are four main places to buy luxury watches!

There are four main types of places where you can purchase luxury watches. From the outside, they often look the same, but in fact there are big differences in the services and prices . Be sure to understand them so you don't regret your choice.

Official store

Authorized stores are shops that sell watches purchased through authorized agents that are officially imported from the headquarters of each luxury watch brand, such as department stores. All brand watches sold at these authorized stores are sold at the list price .

All authorized stores have the same selling price, and because they are close to the brand companies, the store staff are very knowledgeable. Therefore, you can receive a thorough explanation when you purchase. Another feature is that they have sufficient staff to handle maintenance and repairs, which are the lifeblood of luxury watches.

There is no need to worry about being tricked into buying fakes like you would find at unscrupulous stores. Even though the prices are higher at official stores, you can still receive reliable service.

In addition, you will receive information about new products faster than anywhere else. And if you purchase from a domestic authorized store, depending on the brand, you can receive membership services and discounts on maintenance fees, so even though the official store is more expensive, you can receive comprehensive support.

Parallel store

A parallel store is a store that sells watches that it has procured through its own channels. It does not go through an authorized dealer recognized by each brand company. The type of intermediary used depends on the parallel store, but a notable feature is that you can purchase watches at a discount from the list price .

The advantage of these parallel stores is that the prices are lower than the list price, and because they do not go through the official Japanese distributor, it is possible to obtain models that the brand company has not yet decided to sell in Japan . For example, "Tudor," which was officially distributed by Rolex Japan on October 31, was previously available at parallel stores, but is now unavailable at official stores. This is useful for obtaining models that are popular overseas but not yet released in Japan.

However, the downside of parallel stores is that they are "highly hit or miss." Specifically, there are differences in various aspects such as the product knowledge of the staff, service, price, and quality. Some stores sell second-hand and new old items, so it is necessary to not only receive an explanation before purchasing, but also to thoroughly inspect the product with your own eyes.

Also, some store clerks do not have sufficient product knowledge. In the case of parallel stores, it is essential to carefully examine the service content and quality of the store before making a selection.

Although there are many things to be aware of, parallel stores usually offer almost the same service as official stores, so if you can find a good store, you can get a better deal than the official store. However, please note that parallel imports may not be guaranteed sufficient support from the brand.

Mass retailer

It may be easier to imagine it as a consumer electronics retail store. Rather than being a watch store, they sell watches in a section that sells watches. Some of them sell luxury watches. The basic nature of these stores is the same as that of parallel stores, and you can purchase watches at a relatively low price. In addition, there may be special benefits and points that are unique to the store.

However, because they are not specialized stores, the knowledge of the staff and the quality of the service tend to be lower than at authorized stores or parallel stores that specialize in watches . Also, there is a high turnover of staff, so it is possible that there may be disputes regarding after-sales service for watches.

Generally speaking, mass retailers may not be able to answer simple questions or provide advice on minor repairs, so you need to make a careful decision when buying a luxury watch.

Stocking and purchasing store

This is a specialty store that handles reused goods. There are two types of stores: a store that acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers and a store that buys and sells watches.

Stores that specialize in used luxury watches have appraisers with the necessary skills on-site . They are familiar with all ages, so some stores have more expertise than inferior authorized stores. Because they have a wealth of knowledge, it is possible to obtain accurate information even on old watches.

The following are some advantages that the other three stores do not have:

• Simply cheap
• Discontinued models available
• High-value models available
• Popular models that are no longer available at authorized stores are also available.

If you don't mind that the items are reused, you can get very good deals and convenient deals.

Which one should you choose to avoid regrets?

So, which of these four main stores should you choose to shop at to avoid regrets?

If you are buying new products, we recommend buying from an authorized store.

If you are buying a new watch, we recommend buying from an authorized store, which is expensive but has almost no risk of failure . In addition, some brands offer extended maintenance fees and warranty periods when you buy from an authorized store. Tag Heuer and Hublot, for example, offer services that are unique to authorized stores.

This benefit applies only to authorized stores, and in some cases the life cycle costs may be lower than those of parallel stores.

However, many models, including Rolex, do not offer these services, so the lack of such services is not likely to be a decisive difference .

In addition, popular models often sell out quickly, whether at official stores or parallel stores . Therefore, we recommend that you consider purchasing "unused" or "good condition" items from a store that sells and buys items in good condition, such as our store Commit Ginza.

If you are looking for a discontinued model, we recommend a store that will take care of it or buy it back.

Because luxury watches have limited display space, neither authorized stores, parallel stores, nor mass retailers handle old models. In the first place , popular models sell out in an instant, so no store can keep them in stock . This is especially true for models that are several years old.

If you want to get your hands on one of these masterpieces or classic models, we recommend a store that accepts and buys items .

There are auctions and, more recently, flea market apps, but generally they do not guarantee quality, such as whether the items are authentic.

Purchasing from a store with a clearly-located store and many staff with specialized knowledge will also help reduce future problems.

Commit Ginza operates with a philosophy of selling high quality watches at low prices, with a small profit margin and high volume. We have also opened a store in Ginza, which is convenient for easy visual inspection, which is essential when purchasing a watch.

Commit Ginza to move in November to become even more convenient and affordable

Commit Ginza aims to be the number one retailer of low-margin watches in Japan , and to change the way watches are distributed to make them even more affordable for customers. Therefore, to make it even more convenient for customers, we moved on November 5, 2018. We would like to briefly introduce the new and improved Commit Ginza.

Expanding sales space

We have traded over 1,500 luxury watches to date, and have built up a reputation and trust that has earned us repeat business from many customers.

As a result of the increase in the number of watches we handle, we have significantly expanded our sales space four times to 100 m2 so that customers can choose from a wide variety of watches at a glance. In the large showcase, we have prepared a large number of attractive and valuable brands and models.

Improved accessibility

To make it even easier to access, Commit Ginza has moved to a location that is just a simple walk from the station.

We are now conveniently located just a 3-minute walk from Exit C3 of Tokyo Metro Ginza Station (Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, and Hibiya Line), and a 7-minute walk from Exit 5 of JR Shinbashi Station and Tokyo Metro Shinbashi Station, so we hope you will visit us if you are in the area.

Large-scale campaign underway

Currently, Commit Ginza is offering 8 timepieces at a special price as part of our "Relocation Celebration!! Big Thanksgiving Festival." The right to purchase these timepieces will be decided by lottery, so please come along and participate.

We are also running a campaign where more than 300 people will have the chance to win luxury prizes. Only those who visit the store by November 23rd will be able to enter, so please take advantage of this great opportunity.

→Click here if you want to buy a special watch at a low price
→ Consult online about purchasing or depositing your old watch to Commit

summary

This time, we introduced the best places to buy luxury watches. There are four main places to buy watches:

• "Authorized stores" sell products at fixed prices and offer uniform services
• "Parallel stores" are cheap and have models that are not available at official stores, but you need to choose the quality and service.
• Mass retailers are cheap and offer unique services, but the service can be a bit questionable
• A store that handles reused products and handles popular and discontinued high-quality models.

We also mentioned that if you are buying for the first time, you are less likely to regret buying from an authorized store . Here are some reasons why:

• Authorized stores have deep ties to the brand and are therefore knowledgeable
• Some brands offer membership services that are only available at authorized stores.
• It is expensive because it is a fixed price, but the service is the most stable.

However, popular models often sell out even at official stores, so in such cases, we have introduced the option of turning to stores that handle high-quality items and sell or buy them .

If you are looking to get a high-quality watch at an affordable price, or if you want to get a popular or discontinued model , please feel free to contact Commit Ginza.

Thank you for reading.

If you are interested in luxury watches, be sure to check this out!

Also, if you have any luxury watches you would like to sell, please feel free to contact Commit Ginza!

If you want to sell your luxury watch for a high price in Tokyo, be sure to come to Commit Ginza!

• "I want to sell my unused vintage watch for as much as possible."
• "I want a thorough assessment."
• "I want to buy from a store with a good track record."

If you have these requirements, Commit Ginza is perfect for you !

Commit Ginza is a watch store that operates on the concept of " buy high, sell low " in the used watch market, where prices are said to be difficult to understand.

Our experienced watch appraisers assess the watches to determine the market value and set the appropriate price. We also strive to maximize the profit margins of our stores and improve customer satisfaction.

As a result, the commission rate for deposit sales is only 3% (industry average is 10%).

Please compare our store with other stores.

We put our heart and soul into offering high prices for your items, so we are confident that we can compete with other stores.