Joined
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8 Posts
First off, thank you all for your useful and entertaining discussions I've been lurking around enjoying for a few months now. I am rapidly approaching my first fine watch purchase and my plight has brought me here to the Omega forum. I have appreciated horology my whole life but never until now had the resources to participate in your world. When my wife, who had a baby four months ago, followed one week later by a glossed-over birthday and now a giftless holiday announced she wanted a nice watch to mark the event(s) as combined push, b-day and $-mas present I started looking around. She said she liked a friend's Tag, but I soon pulled the rug out from that idea. She wants a daily wear, sporty but capable of dressing up, and has more or less settled to either AT 28mm, or the smallest Railmaster with a metal bracelet. She has a slim wrist with long fingers, so could pull off a larger face, esp since that makes available the automatic movement (AT only comes quartz in that size, I believe). Larger watches are a fad now with women, will this look hold up over time, or at least until our 25th anniversary brings her next Omega? Do you guys (or any ladies out there) have experience with ladies' satisfaction with either of these watches?
We live in NYC and went to the Omega boutique last week so she could try them on. I also wanted to bring in a ca. 1940s omega watch (poss railmaster, unmarked) that was sitting in a drawer--my great grandpa worked for the railroad and I have a bunch of non-running watches, Studebaker pocket watch, etc. When I get the results from them about restoring it, I'll post separately to seek your advice on that;-).
She likes the AT a lot, but just before we were going to try on the Railmaster I mentioned, the new one with the metal bracelet in the smallest case size, lo and behold the real James Bond, Daniel Craig, slides up next to us at the counter and demands to have it, the last one in-store. He is shorter than I thought (aren't all movie-stars) and was tweaked out a bit...but he knew what he wanted. He comes in there all the time, said the salesperson, I guess I would too if I could just get my girl-du-jour a $4k watch. He was with a girl who he had try on the watch for him, but said it was for another girl. I wish my wife could have at least tried it on, but we have to wait til this week when they get another one. Well, that added to the experience, but it didn't make our decision any easier. While we were there I thought I might as well try something on, too, and my God, now her gift has turned into a very expensive proposition because now I *have* to get a SMPO, black with orange numbers. I hadn't really considered it before, I never buy myself anything, but in doing research for her on the boards and seeing it in person makes it inevitable. Question for you with experience: I have a 7.5" wrist--do I go for the 42 or 45mm?
Now it comes down to the money. I have a stack of hard cash for the watches, and the fact that I'm buying two at once should be attractive to somebody... But the salesperson said they do not offer discounts at this store, and discourage grey market purchases for all the reasons that will scare me into paying MSRP. In my city, they don't even let Tourneau sell Omegas. However, I have read reviews of grey market dealers who have hundreds of positive reviews, good exchange policy on defective watches, their own 3-year warranty and definitely sell authentic watches. I have read on here that the forum has a Favorite Authorized Dealer, can someone steer me this way? Or relate their own grey market success- or horror-story? Would like the factory warranty, but can't pass up that $1000+ price spread, plus the at least $500 in sales tax.
One last tip for you guys, I spoke to the store manager and he said that this week there would be about a dozen SMP 2254.50 in the store--jump on it!
Thanks again for everything! All advice greatly appreciated, and I'll post all the pics once the two new additions land, including the requisite "does this look too big on my (baby's) wrist" gag shot. :thanks
We live in NYC and went to the Omega boutique last week so she could try them on. I also wanted to bring in a ca. 1940s omega watch (poss railmaster, unmarked) that was sitting in a drawer--my great grandpa worked for the railroad and I have a bunch of non-running watches, Studebaker pocket watch, etc. When I get the results from them about restoring it, I'll post separately to seek your advice on that;-).
She likes the AT a lot, but just before we were going to try on the Railmaster I mentioned, the new one with the metal bracelet in the smallest case size, lo and behold the real James Bond, Daniel Craig, slides up next to us at the counter and demands to have it, the last one in-store. He is shorter than I thought (aren't all movie-stars) and was tweaked out a bit...but he knew what he wanted. He comes in there all the time, said the salesperson, I guess I would too if I could just get my girl-du-jour a $4k watch. He was with a girl who he had try on the watch for him, but said it was for another girl. I wish my wife could have at least tried it on, but we have to wait til this week when they get another one. Well, that added to the experience, but it didn't make our decision any easier. While we were there I thought I might as well try something on, too, and my God, now her gift has turned into a very expensive proposition because now I *have* to get a SMPO, black with orange numbers. I hadn't really considered it before, I never buy myself anything, but in doing research for her on the boards and seeing it in person makes it inevitable. Question for you with experience: I have a 7.5" wrist--do I go for the 42 or 45mm?
Now it comes down to the money. I have a stack of hard cash for the watches, and the fact that I'm buying two at once should be attractive to somebody... But the salesperson said they do not offer discounts at this store, and discourage grey market purchases for all the reasons that will scare me into paying MSRP. In my city, they don't even let Tourneau sell Omegas. However, I have read reviews of grey market dealers who have hundreds of positive reviews, good exchange policy on defective watches, their own 3-year warranty and definitely sell authentic watches. I have read on here that the forum has a Favorite Authorized Dealer, can someone steer me this way? Or relate their own grey market success- or horror-story? Would like the factory warranty, but can't pass up that $1000+ price spread, plus the at least $500 in sales tax.
One last tip for you guys, I spoke to the store manager and he said that this week there would be about a dozen SMP 2254.50 in the store--jump on it!
Thanks again for everything! All advice greatly appreciated, and I'll post all the pics once the two new additions land, including the requisite "does this look too big on my (baby's) wrist" gag shot. :thanks
