[JustWatchMe925]

I never understand grown adults who need large numbers on a minute or hour track to be able to tell the time.
The markers a more than sufficient to know that it's 3.42.

I know, it’s madness

 

[Bonzodog]

It would also be handy for sales to members. I’ve just practically given away a black bay Chrono. If I list it on WUS I tend to only get enquiries from the US and I don’t want to get involved with international shipping. The alternative is to let eBay authentication bash it to pieces and then sit out the 30 day return period.

A watch I was selling attracted enquiries from the US,Sadley I found international shipping to be very costly and depending on price difficult to insure.

 

[Bradjhomes]

So, a few members have mentioned GTGs in this thread.

I, along with a couple of others, have arranged many over the last 7 or 8 years. They have usually happened a couple of times a year, held in the upstairs room of a central London pub. They have generally taken place on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon for 3 or 4 hours - but due to the location people have often taken the opportunity to turn up early to grab lunch in the bar downstairs, or to stay for an extra pint or two afterwards.

Attendance has varied from 7 or 8 people, right up to 25.
People bring as few or as many watches as they are comfortable with. Cheap or expensive. All welcome. And everyone is just as enthusiastic about a £30 Sekonda as a Royal Oak.

After arranging over a dozen GTGs (and unsuccessfully trying for a few more), I would ideally like to pass this task on to someone else to arrange.

I would be more than happy to pass on the details of venues we have used, and a list of ‘regulars’ who would probably love to attend to get the ball rolling.

It sounds like we have the makings of a good London GTG here with some new and old faces…so, would anyone like to take up the mantle of organising a GTG for spring time?

 

[Bradjhomes]

A watch I was selling attracted enquiries from the US,Sadley I found international shipping to be very costly and depending on price difficult to insure.

I’ve tended to have good experience with DHL. Pricey (often £50), but insurance is fine up to a certain amount.

They do have different restrictions of coverage depending on service though, so always read carefully.

 

[catsteeth]

It would also be handy for sales to members. I’ve just practically given away a black bay Chrono. If I list it on WUS I tend to only get enquiries from the US and I don’t want to get involved with international shipping. The alternative is to let eBay authentication bash it to pieces and then sit out the 30 day return period.

You don't have to accept returns on ebay. You can have it stated it in your listing. (If it's broken - always the risk of course - you would have to refund or compensate).
But, with the Authentication Guarantee you have outside conformation the watch was fine and working when they received it. Its why I love it.
It makes selling pricier watches much less stressful. You still get battered by the 13% fees though.

I was coincidentally talking to a watchmaker today about a watch that needs attention. While chatting he mentioned that he knew the guy in charge of the Authentication Guarantee process, and that its all fairly centralised.
It's common on here for "experts" to claim that the AG is practically worthless. I'm sure there are some that slip through. But if it was as bad as people say, you would be hearing a lot more about it.

 

[PeteJ]

You don't have to accept returns on ebay. You can have it stated it in your listing. (If it's broken - always the risk of course - you would have to refund or compensate).
But, with the Authentication Guarantee you have outside conformation the watch was fine and working when they received it. Its why I love it.
It makes selling pricier watches much less stressful. You still get battered by the 13% fees though.

I was coincidentally talking to a watchmaker today about a watch that needs attention. While chatting he mentioned that he knew the guy in charge of the Authentication Guarantee process, and that its all fairly centralised.
It's common on here for "experts" to claim that the AG is practically worthless. I'm sure there are some that slip through. But if it was as bad as people say, you would be hearing a lot more about it.

As a much younger man, I used to buy and sell on eBay all the time. I was constantly turning watches over. Identifying auctions for watches I know well at poor prices, doing any restoration needed and then taking good, clear photos that made the watch pop, describing the watch fully and clearly and usually turning over a good 20-40% depending on the details. A tiny tidy up and some much, much better marketing usually worked wonders.

The fees now have absolutely slaughtered the viability of that, so has the proliferation of information about watches. People see what Watchfinder sells for and the benchmark is set. Sellers all think their watch is one coincidence away from being the star of the antiques roadshow and buyers all want to pay fifty quid for a two grand watch.

Shame, used to make a tidy few quid doing that back in the day.

Has anyone had any joy on Chrono24 selling? What are their fees like?

 

[bigclive2011]

As a much younger man, I used to buy and sell on eBay all the time. I was constantly turning watches over. Identifying auctions for watches I know well at poor prices, doing any restoration needed and then taking good, clear photos that made the watch pop, describing the watch fully and clearly and usually turning over a good 20-40% depending on the details. A tiny tidy up and some much, much better marketing usually worked wonders.

The fees now have absolutely slaughtered the viability of that, so has the proliferation of information about watches. People see what Watchfinder sells for and the benchmark is set. Sellers all think their watch is one coincidence away from being the star of the antiques roadshow and buyers all want to pay fifty quid for a two grand watch.

Shame, used to make a tidy few quid doing that back in the day.

Has anyone had any joy on Chrono24 selling? What are their fees like?

Yep The eBay fees have gone crazy, which is a shame as I have always sold everything I listed.

I bought on Chrono 24 once, and I remember the seller saying 8%?

 

[catsteeth]

*Controversial opinions. So if you can't take a giggle, stop tickling.

I'm going to pick fights and upset everyone by saying that, though impressive, I don't get the Bel Canto.
I get the nature of a halo project, and that skeletonised diver with the SH21 and orange lumps on the dial was great. But a sports watch brand making a high end dress complication with a SW200 🤔
It's like, I don't care what the rest of the watch is like. I just want to pay a relative pittance for a complication that normally starts at multiple 5 figures. Am I being unfair?

I've loved CW since I bought my first C60 Trident Mk2 in 2016, and have owned several including the Jump Hour Mk2.
But now I'm finding that the Aquataine, Dune, and the latest C60 with massively over proportioned hands and indices leave me stone cold. Though I can see they're well designed and popular.
(It's nothing to do with the swish and rebranding, I can see that's clever).

Am I the only one who thinks this? Am I now not welcome on BigClives new thread and have become the equivalent of a social leper?

 

[PeteJ]

Yep The eBay fees have gone crazy, which is a shame as I have always sold everything I listed.

I bought on Chrono 24 once, and I remember the seller saying 8%?

Ouch. That’s still quite painful.

 

[Monkeynuts]

Most posters in the Bear Pit struggle with English... Or any form of coherent communication (best avoided).

If there was a UK section here, I'd check it out, but I come to WUS for a more international perspective.

M

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

lol that’s probably where I’m going wrong, one thread called sales corner is mind blowing

 

[catsteeth]

As a much younger man, I used to buy and sell on eBay all the time. I was constantly turning watches over. Identifying auctions for watches I know well at poor prices, doing any restoration needed and then taking good, clear photos that made the watch pop, describing the watch fully and clearly and usually turning over a good 20-40% depending on the details. A tiny tidy up and some much, much better marketing usually worked wonders.

The fees now have absolutely slaughtered the viability of that, so has the proliferation of information about watches. People see what Watchfinder sells for and the benchmark is set. Sellers all think their watch is one coincidence away from being the star of the antiques roadshow and buyers all want to pay fifty quid for a two grand watch.

Shame, used to make a tidy few quid doing that back in the day.

Has anyone had any joy on Chrono24 selling? What are their fees like?

I wouldn't disagree with any of that. Especially the swingeing fees.

I will just say, that its still possible if you spend enough time on there that you can get some astonishing deals.
Also, I take advantage of the regular 80% off seller fee deals.

I've not tried Chrono 24. But I do know that I've never seen as good a deal on there as I see on ebay. Then again its often just a case of communicating with the seller and getting a deal.

People also badly photograph and badly "sell" their watches. Its amazing how many people that puts off.

 

[PeteJ]

*Controversial opinions. So if you can't take a giggle, stop tickling.

I'm going to pick fights and upset everyone by saying that, though impressive, I don't get the Bel Canto.
I get the nature of a halo project, and that skeletonised diver with the SH21 and orange lumps on the dial was great. But a sports watch brand making a high end dress complication with a SW200 🤔
It's like, I don't care what the rest of the watch is like. I just want to pay a relative pittance for a complication that normally starts at multiple 5 figures. Is that fair?

I've loved CW since I bought my first C60 Trident Mk2 in 2016, and have owned several including the Jump Hour Mk2.
But now I'm finding that the Aquataine, Dune, and the latest C60 with massively over proportioned hands and indices leave me stone cold. Though I can see they're well designed and popular.
It's nothing to do with the swish and rebranding, I can see that's clever.

Am I the only one who thinks this? Am I now not welcome on BigClives new thread and have become the equivalent of a social leper?

My view might be even more controversial. CW does nothing for me. There isn’t a single model in the catalogue I like the look of (and I’ve had a good surf). Most of their designs look like a take on something else and they aren’t so interesting or different to my eye to get me excited. I understand the prices are keen and can be made even more keen with a bit of negotiation, but at that end of the market, there are so many other brands I think knock their socks off that I’m amazed at their proliferation.

That said, I’ve literally never seen one in the wild. Perhaps they’re amazing in the hand, but there hasn’t been one I’ve seen and thought ‘phwoooaaaar’.

What am I missing?

 

[bigclive2011]

*Controversial opinions. So if you can't take a giggle, stop tickling.

I'm going to pick fights and upset everyone by saying that, though impressive, I don't get the Bel Canto.
I get the nature of a halo project, and that skeletonised diver with the SH21 and orange lumps on the dial was great. But a sports watch brand making a high end dress complication with a SW200 🤔
It's like, I don't care what the rest of the watch is like. I just want to pay a relative pittance for a complication that normally starts at multiple 5 figures. Is that fair?

I've loved CW since I bought my first C60 Trident Mk2 in 2016, and have owned several including the Jump Hour Mk2.
But now I'm finding that the Aquataine, Dune, and the latest C60 with massively over proportioned hands and indices leave me stone cold. Though I can see they're well designed and popular.
It's nothing to do with the swish and rebranding, I can see that's clever.

Am I the only one who thinks this? Am I now not welcome on BigClives new thread and have become the equivalent of a social leper?

Pick up your bell on the way through…your tent is the far one with the leaky roof 😉

 

[bigclive2011]

My view might be even more controversial. CW does nothing for me. There isn’t a single model in the catalogue I like the look of (and I’ve had a good surf). Most of their designs look like a take on something else and they aren’t so interesting or different to my eye to get me excited. I understand the prices are keen and can be made even more keen with a bit of negotiation, but at that end of the market, there are so many other brands I think knock their socks off that I’m amazed at their proliferation.

That said, I’ve literally never seen one in the wild. Perhaps they’re amazing in the hand, but there hasn’t been one I’ve seen and thought ‘phwoooaaaar’.

What am I missing?

If we ever meet at a GTG I will bring my CW Trident MK3 for you to have a play with, then you will know just what you are missing 😂

 

[catsteeth]

My view might be even more controversial. CW does nothing for me. There isn’t a single model in the catalogue I like the look of (and I’ve had a good surf). Most of their designs look like a take on something else and they aren’t so interesting or different to my eye to get me excited. I understand the prices are keen and can be made even more keen with a bit of negotiation, but at that end of the market, there are so many other brands I think knock their socks off that I’m amazed at their proliferation.

That said, I’ve literally never seen one in the wild. Perhaps they’re amazing in the hand, but there hasn’t been one I’ve seen and thought ‘phwoooaaaar’.

What am I missing?

That's totally reasonable. We all like, what we like. Taste is relative, (except mine which is fact).....

I'll just defend them a little first. You're correct, the quality has been very good. The finish particularly, is very good for the price. Though anybody who follows the CW forum and FB groups will know QC has been a real issue lately.

However, I have two big problems with them lately.
First - What happened to all those fantastic dressier style watches? So attractive, and gobsmackingly good value.
Secondly - Though I preferred the knife, fork, and spoon hands. As @bigclive2011 said, the C60 Mk3 is very good. But that's last thing they released that I liked and impressed me. They've changed their house style, or to put it another way, their language of design. It's all just gobbledygook now.

As for them looking like other watches. We've all seen the Aquataine advert on the telly. (It runs constantly on Sky News). When I first saw it, all I could think off was how blatantly they were chasing the Rolex GMT style.

 

[bigclive2011]

That's totally reasonable. We all like,what we like.

I'll just defend them a little first. You're correct, the quality has been very good. The finish particularly, is very good for the price. Though anybody who follows the CW forum and FB groups will know QC has been a real issue lately.

However, I have two big problems with them lately.
First - What happened to all those fantastic dressier style watches? So attractive, and gobsmackingly good value.
Secondly - Though I preferred the knife, fork, and spoon hands. As @bigclive2011 said, the C60 Mk3 is very good. But that's last thing they released that I liked and impressed me. They've changed their house style, or to put it another way, their language of design. It's all just gobbledygook now.

As for them looking like other watches. We've all seen the Aquataine advert on the telly. (It runs constantly on Sky News). When I first saw it, all I could think off was how blatantly they were chasing the Rolex GMT style.

Havnt bought one since my Trident, which was £695 on a bracelet….they ain’t half gone up mum….chest out luverly boy 👨🏻‍🦳

 

[Bradjhomes]

Those 595s were incredible. Great value too.

I think they suffered from the branding at the time being shifted to the left hand side and a slightly quirky font.

I imagine they didn’t sell well, but I think that’s as much due to branding as the desire for the watch itself.

 

[catsteeth]

Havnt bought one since my Trident, which was £695 on a bracelet….they ain’t half gone up mum….chest out luverly boy 👨🏻‍🦳

Lol ...that's going back!
Yes. I wondered about mentioning the price. I got my first C60 in the summer sale for £375 🤯

 

[bigclive2011]

Those 595s were incredible. Great value too.

I think they suffered from the branding at the time being shifted to the left hand side and a slightly quirky font.

I imagine they didn’t sell well, but I think that’s as much due to branding as the desire for the watch itself.

I had one of those….now that was a bargain watch…..

 

[Jt33301]

If you're patient with eBay you can sell for very little. You just need to wait for the periodic "80% off seller fee" periods, they crop up regularly. Example of my last sale below, about 2.6% total fee.