Watches - another OCD problem

[Snowy]

WOW! Let me pick my mouth up off the ground. I assumed they'd have to be fake to have so many there. WOW!

I think @Graeme was mentioning picking watches up for a mate in Asia recently as he couldn't source locally, sounds spot on with what you say. The Asian Tiger rises again, or mega loans?

[babyknight]

It's very interesting @Sugar Mountain .  Obviously the vintage Rolex market has taken off in recent years, particularly in the US I think… one often hears questions as to where the top dealers get their pieces.  I think HK accounts for a significant portion of their finds.

[Graeme]

@Snowy watches are priced very high in China, due to taxes. I think that there's a 30% luxury tax on them, on top of their GST equivalent. If you bought a watch in the UK, and reclaimed the VAT, then it's 40% or 50% less.

I believe that sales taxes are lower in Hong Kong, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the Chinese pop over there for shopping. You certainly see a large number in British boutiques, and the London dealers all employ a number of Mandarin speakers!

I was looking into sourcing an IWC Portuguese for a friend-of-a-friend over there (currently suggesting that the black dial model I posted above would be a good choice).

[Chris]

Dear Lord, that Minute Repeater is astonishing.  Too bad the cost is astonishing as well.

[Chiba J.]

Don't know about Hong Kong, but every time I pop over to a watch shop in Ginza, all Chinese.

[Sugar Mountain]

Rest assured, the client base at the luxury watch boutiques in Hong Kong is entirely mainland Chinese. I've mentioned in this thread before that these shops (and the gold/jewellery retailers) have taken a big hit in the wake of Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign because the bulk of sales were for ''gifts'', rather than personal use!

[vaya con dios]

[Anesthetist]

Big ass chunk of Germany steel!

[Graeme]

Not a watch, but this seemed like the closest place to post it. It's a Nixie tube clock being sold by MB & F.

More details at the MAD Gallery. Want!

[louisbosco]

damn. now i really need a trip to hk. but for the many times i've been there, i've known places in mongkok that sells the high quality fakes that snowy mentioned. but i've never really come across any shop like what babyknight has posted..

[Sugar Mountain]

@louisbosco If you get yourself up here, I'm happy to help with pointing you towards the best watch shops.

[Giles]

Who's a lucky boy then?  @Winchy is "given" a bronze Axis on condition he beats the living crap out of it for test purposes…....

[Graeme]

I am definitely applying to the wrong companies!

Looking forward to seeing the evo on this one.

[rocket]

^true

so are we now en route to a "fading" watch comp…. enjoy it @Winchy (small hint, let the little one play with it and you will fill the masters request)

[Graeme]

Sounds like a plan @rocket. We'll have to get @Megatron1505 to add it to the DWC.

And don't pick a ceramic, non-scratch watch for it.

[rocket]

@Graeme

[Megatron1505]

with a chromexcel strap 

WWC coming up @Graeme

[Winchy]

I truly am a necky sod!

Here's hoping my watch wrecking capabilities are better than my jean fading ones….

[ben2t]

[Cutlasshound]

Customised my mates old Bape G-shock for him this morning.

Removed the plastic straps and replaced with strap adaptors and time factors Nato strap.

Removed the branded case and replaced with a plain matte black case and added bull bars.

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