WatchFinder & Chrono24 - What do I think? PLUS some of your Watch questions answered
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ต.ค. 2020
- A lot of people ask me about WatchFinder and Chrono24. Here's my view plus I answer some of your questions. Please don't forget to view my MEMBERS video and I truly appreciate your support. With special thanks to my Friends, Patreon's, Channel Sponsors, Trusted Dealers & Partners:
Sonning Vintage Watches: www.sonningvintagewatches.com
BQ Watches: www.bqwatches.com
Sanderson & Son: www.sandersonandson.com
Edinburgh Watch Company: www.edinburghwatchcompany.co.uk
Watches of Distinction: www.watchesofdistinction.com
London Watch Show: thelondonwatchshow.com
Zero West Watches: zerowest.watch
Watch Collectors: watchcollectors.co.uk
#Watchfinder #Chrono24 #TudorWatches - บันเทิง
I appreciate your transparency, and levelheaded approach. Thank you for providing value in ways others can learn from. As a fellow TH-camr I profoundly appreciate it and respect your hustle. Keep dropping that all killer no filler content!
Paul another great video. Two comments:
1. Your place is exactly as I would have imagined. A lot of character and class with a great view.
2. You speak the truth whether good or bad. People have a difficult time stomaching the wrong perception of someone else making too much money. If you as an individual sell anything (watch or otherwise) directly to the consumer you should expect to receive retail minus risk (that the buyer is willing to absorb) and service (that the buyer is willing to forgo). When you sell to a middleman you have to understand that they have overhead and risk that you do not and that has a value.
Stay safe my friend.
This channel definitely gets more exciting as time goes on. Asking and answering some of the more difficult questions helps build trust in the voice that you bring.
I bought a milgauss from watchfinder here in Switzerland 🇨🇭, found the service very professional, personal and friendly. Went to their showroom in Zurich. Had the option of over the net or goto the showroom. I agree with the preference for the personal touch, ive bought several from smaller shops also.
Found this channel recently and really love the information. One of the few channels that get the subscribe and the bell. Thanks for your knowledge and letting us pick your brain!
I feel like Paul is a no nonsense no bull type of guy. He is honest as I can see it and is very sincere. Few people out there that deal in watches really have the courage, candor and transparency. I am proud to identify with him as a subscriber!
Your mate at Edinburgh offered me £9000 for my unworn full set - deep sea JC .. no wonder hes struggling for stock.. 👍
I enjoy the The Q & A style vids, always interesting and insightful, keep up the strong work!
I've used Chrono and can concur they are completely safe. I've also had an experience like Paul where the watch was advertised and when I inquired, the watch wasn't in their stock. Interesting video.
Another top video Paul, very interesting hearing your points of view, keep an coming please .
Great video Paul. Thanks for all the videos you’ve put up. I am looking to get my first Rolex next year and I’ve taken a lot of value from your content your create.
I concur 100% that Zero West produces very high quality timepieces. From design, fit and finish as well as service and movement preparation, it’s hard to beat. Four days now and it hasn’t gained or lost a minute. So glad you introduced them to us.
You are giving such a valuable insight into the market & what to look for when seeking to buy or sell a watch.
I used Chrono24 for a couple of watches after researching the sellers. I had zero problems apart from one seller taking too long to dispatch.
Only seen a couple of your videos Paul but I like your honest and open style. It's the difference between, say, a BMW dealer and an independent specialist and I know where I take my BM..Excellent stuff mate.
Liked this content Paul, what I personally like seeing. Seems like you have a spring in your step, good to see
Excellent you tube videos giving an enlightening inside view of the niche watch industry. Keep up the good work
You are exactly right Paul! It’s not Chrono24’s fault, I had a very bad experience with one of the dealer. Very informative video ❤️👍
Thanks for the transparency Paul (as always)
cheers mate
Hello Paul,Thanks for sharing even more priceless gems about the watch business.Very informative.Love the Tudor.They make some lovely watches and I look forward to your reviews of some of their range.
Have a good weekend and stay safe.
I politely told WatchFinder to do one, they offered me a ridiculously low offer for my steel Sky Dweller, the same watch they was selling at very high, got a much better offer from an independent trader. Didn't end up selling though love the watch too much. Love the content Paul, keep it up mate.
Just purchased a Zenith El Primero off chrono24 from a Swiss company. It was serviced and backed by a one year warranty. The staff was very
knowledgeable and accepted my offer. Payment and delivery was very smooth. I highly recommend chrono24. No complaints at all.
Awesome video. One take. Impressive! Great job Paul
Bought a JLC master comp Chrono and Omega SM gmt from Chrono24; painless process 👌
Great informative vid paul, as usual. Bought several watches on chrono, nice and safe but 9times out of 10 ive had to wait 3/4 weeks but i was told by email before I bought, plus always got a great deal, as long as you're willing to wait you can get some great deals
I worked in the motor trade in sales for 20yrs so a lot of these practices sound very familiar. Agree about Chrono24. Some very lazy dealers putting up blurry photos with big price tags. Only experienced Watchfinder in Maidstone when they serviced my Tudor Sub 79090. They were fine but they were muh smaller then. Great video mate 👌
Enjoying the content a little more again thanks Paul. Subscribed back in.
When i sort of used crono 24, i just contacted the seller, turned out to be a watch dealer only 13 miles from my home.
Bought the watch in the shop dealer pocketed the kickback to crono24 probably and i got a great deal, everybody happy.
I had a terrible experience with Chrono24 and Fairfield Prestige. The Cartier I bought was not in the condition claimed. Cartier examined the watch and confirmed that it was in very poor condition, yet Chrono24 and the dealer didn't want to know. I would warn buyers to keep away from Chrono24. I am a customer who has a serious problem with them.
Good to put the record straight. Sadly there will always be cynics and those that dislike the video after 3 seconds! As I always say, if you don’t like an offer, don’t accept it! As for watchfinder, there is scope to haggle from their first offer, but I have heard they offer very low.
Yes they offer very low 5500€ for my zenith defy el primero 21 nearly new
I’m from Singapore and I must admit I love your channel Paul. There’re tons of TH-cam channels on horology but yours is truly unique content wise. Great balance of earnest content on watches, the watch community , watch dealers, watch ownership experience etc and how these all come together to define our hobby. Learned a lot from your channel. Keep it up Paul!
Great video Paul, thanks for the insights.
Hi Paul thanks for all the videos really helpful and enjoy them incredible watches
I bought a couple of watches from Watchfinder back in 2016 and have been very happy with both of them. Excellent service at the time and even got a discount on one of them. I go back and browse the site fairly regularly but probably wouldn't buy again, not because I was unhappy with them in any way, but because nowadays their prices seem to be a bit on the high side. I'm not sure what's changed (it's possible the prices were always high but I'm just better informed these days although, if anything, I'm less into the hobby than I was a few years ago) but most watches I see on there that are of interest to me are either being sold close to, or even sometimes above, retail. I'm not a fan of buying brand new watches from ADs because I feel like you're often getting rinsed (or you certainly used to be), but when they're being priced like that on the used market you come to the conclusion that you may as well go the AD route.
Another outstanding video Paul, keep up the outstanding work 👍🏼 Wills
Glad you discussed Watchfinder in this video. I appreciate they are running a business they needs to generate a profit. However, I don’t agree with alienating your future clients by offering extremely low price for sought after professional sport watches.
Paul my brother and I popped up to Bond Street on Wednesday- as expected every Rolex boutique we visited ( Bond Street , Harrods, Selfridges- had no sports steel , )couldn’t give us any time , had a fuck off attitude .
The other brands were amazing , great service by the staff . Also went into the GS boutique and Panerai boutiques and the staff & service was amazing - panerai even let me try on a watch priced at £100k
They only bring steel sports out for their good clients and for walk ins that can also afford to buy more expensive pieces
@@MTbone7 if they create opinions of their customers before even talking to them - then the customer service non existent.
"As expected" says it all I'm afraid.
@@DaveMGmovies yep not a single sports model anywhere and none of the staff even started a conversation- the only ones who spoke to us where the geezers on security as we walked in . Panerai and GS on the other hand were amazing .
@@markdance574 It's so poor isn't it. Rolex make good watches but that kind of behaviour just drives me to rival brands. As you mention, I too don't get any of this nonsense with Omega or JLC. David Khalil has made the point on his channel that these steel sports watches aren't rare or exclusive. You can get one today if you don't mind paying the premium on the grey market. Oh well -- I guess there are more important things to worry about..
My experience with my Black Bay ‘Bronze’ is fantastic. In my opinion, the watch keeps great time and feels very smooth to wind. I think my 41mm Date Just is not quite as smooth.
You should mention that some dealers do on chrono 24 say that watch is sold, but you can buy the same model watch for more money that they have in stock. They try to fish you in with a lower price and try to sell you something thats in line at other high prices.
Spot on content Paul. Cheers from Chicago.
I’ve used Chrono24 and it was great 👍
The good thing about Chrono24 is that your are protected to an extent when buying from a private seller. I have never had a problem and got good prices:-)
Another very informative video Paul keep them coming
Great video. I’ve never understood why people get offended when a dealer offers them a low price, go and sell it for the higher offer you obviously got!
Thanks Paul, you answered my question on margins.
Great content and informative as always. Keep it up 👍🏻⌚
Great to see you wearing the Tudor Chrono in this video.
I really like Chrono given I live in a more rural area.
Thanks again Paul. Never heard of cr 24. Until I started listening to your channel. I also remember when w finder were not so great. However never needed there service. I have a friend who buys and sell from to them. He is a collector he has been happy. Personally I've learnt from you if I was to sell I'd sell to the gentleman up Scotland way or a recommendation from yourself. I trust you 100 percent
Thanks Paul for your opinions. I have used chrono 24 several times and made purchases and i have found them be honest, fair and reliable. You did not mention that in fact they offer a payment is escrow service to protect the buyer and seller. Your payment is kept in an escrow account until you receive your watch. There is no extra charge for this. In addition you can use their chat facility to directly talk to the seller via chrono 24 chat box and negotiate the price if you want to or confirm that the seller actually has the watch, etc. All these conversations will be part of record..
Nice one Paul. Great vid! 👍
I sold a gold watch through Chrono 24 and they were great. I felt safe and comfortable selling my watch.
Not to forget their offerings usually are more expensive than other sources. With cheers fm the Fareast.
Totally agreed!
I have bought and sold on chrono24 and had all positive experiences. One word of caution - import duties can add a good bit to the price, so be sure you understand what you might be paying as it is not included in the watch price.
Thanks Paul!! You are fantastic!!
dealers such as myself. I love dealing with the public. everyone that comes to me has their own story and the watch has its story. I love making customers happy and hopefully giving the best customer service rather than just seeing pound signs. If I can not get the money for my clients they need I always will help them find the watch they want at a better price so it balances expectations. lets face it the sale of a watch can be a 10 year saving journey for that customer so I like them to remember it.
Top man Paul always says it straight & love watching
Just a hess. up, In Chrono24 you can filter „available now“, so you can save the hustle of asking for something that is not sourced yet.
I put my name on Rolex list some 18 mths ago for a 116613 sub ,kept in contact with AD occasionally but as a popular model told it could be a while.So got the call from AD 2 weeks ago ,126613 arrived and available ,needless to say ,picked it up,No complaints with service from AD as were very helpful from first meeting.Enjoy your work Paul.🇦🇺
I'm sure the Zero West watches are nice. I commented after your posting on their watches being a little tongue in cheek describing their watches as "Bremont lite" however also stating that I very much liked the case designs. Within the hour I recieved a response from one of the owners of West One complimenting me for my remarks. That's how to build respect for a brand!!
Greetings from northen Sweden and a fellow watch entusiast,, and new subscriber. This video came up in the feed so I thought I would have a look. I rather liked the video.
The way you spoke, I like this organisation because,, and this one I don't like because..
Brutally honest.
Stay safe and take care.
I haven‘t bought on either site.
I think, Chrono24 for instance has a huge offer on timepieces (I rarely check out WatchfinderI. But I would say, that you can get a reasonable discount on a new watch at an AD, if you want to buy right away and offer cash. You probably pay a little more than buying online, but in my opinion, it is worth it.
Chrono24 especially offers a wide range of used watches, many with box and papers. As Paul Thorpe has said, importing a timepiece increases the price quite significantly, so that is something a potential buyer has to keep in mind.
WF are difficult to deal with, they have a bad habit of keeping hold of the extra links when you asked them to size the bracelet (I made the mistake of asking them to do this). Had a bit of hassle asking them to send the extra links, as they initially told me that they only sell watches 'to size' which is ridiculous. Otherwise, everything else was fine with my WF purchase, just don't ask them to size the bracelet!
@@j.burgess4459 , they actually sell the individual links on eBay as I have on occasion bought a couple of spares from them. They also sell the used leather straps that they replace on watches, some of which are in poor condition and quite expensive. The links though are reasonable. They certainly know how to squeeze every penny from their stock lol
Bloody link pinchers!
Great video Paul👍
I love how you also review g-shocks! 😎👍 It is obvious that you are just a watch lover! Cheers!
Great and informative as always. I had thought that green dot on Chrono meant that they actually had that watch and now I se that may not be the case. One thing I have heard about Watchfinder is that yes, their asking prices on the website are quite high, but that most people get a substantial discount off that price if they make an offer. Has anyone had that experience with them?
On Chrono24 you have to post two photos of the watch with the hands set to certain times they give you. I also think that after the three months the watch has to be listed for, you have to prove that you still own the watch. This is for private sellers, don’t know if it applies to dealers.
I have this Tudor you have on your wrist, love the watch, just the winding could be smoother. other than that, the reserve is so good that I hardly have to use that function ]==.
i appreciate all your videos cheers
Sir, love your content. from singapore!
At an AD for patek, rolex, AP how much would you generally need to spend before they'd consider you more of a priority customer in terms of the more popular stainless steel models? if you have another video, or a link on this topic I'd be very interested. Cheers new subscriber, really enjoying your informative content.
Chrono24 make you take photos of the watch with the current time you place the ad , to ensure you actually have it. Not sure if this applies to dealers or not. They definitely do for private sellers.
Private sellers only.
Straight up geezer, if I ever have enough cash to buy a quality watch I'll be in touch ⌚💪
Thanks great video. I did not know that the Richemont Group owns Watchfinder.
Hi thanks for another informative video. I was thinking about a Tudor for a 21st birthday present-In my opinion, I wasn’t impressed by the finish eg faux rivets on the band and the noise.
Paul there is a Montoya AP listed for auction in an upcoming Christie’s auction, just thought I’d mention it.
Good and fair comments in my opinion 👍🏻
interesting and always great to know the thoughts of someone that was in the industry.
as for selling a used watch, first thing that came to mind for value is watch auctions, why not?
what about wanting to find the value of watches one inherits, where would I go or talk to?
Hi Paul great video as usual , it would be great to get your thoughts on box and papers or no box and papers .
👍 Stevie
I tried to sell a Rolex watch to Watchfinder. It would retail for 3800-4000. They wanted to give me 1500. We all understand a markup and the need for dealers to make money. But 1500 to sell for 4000 is a bit too ripe. Thanks for video Paul
Yep that happened to me on chrono24 purchasing a hamilton psr gold. Annoyingly 2 dealers bragged having it but never actually bagged the watch and dropped out. Got one in the end for a reasonable price.
I haven't bought anything from watchfinder but I do like their TH-cam videos 👌
Paul I have the same watch as you the Tudor chronograph S/G my watch doesn’t rattle it’s a brilliant watch. It’s a man’s watch and the movement is brilliant for the money.
Watchfinder--found them professional, streamlined, quick payment. Prices on some pieces very steep though. Used price on some would be more money than new from my local AD after discount.
Love your TH-cam videos I’m getting my first Rolex in December hopefully sea-dweller James Cameron
@Paul Thorpe Watch Dealer - Is the Tudor Black Bay Chrono gold or gold-plated? On the website it has a variant that allegedly has a gold bezel and a steel bracelet with gold center links, yet it doesn’t specify a specific karat, such as what I am accustomed to seeing with other watch makers.
Paul show us the view out of your house to the sea looks great 👍🏼
Paul, I've been a CHRONO24 DEALER for a few years, And I only post what I have on hand ... I have a 5 Star Rating .. as usual a few bad apples ruin it for the honest ones.. always trust the DEALER your doing biz with.. love your vids Brother !
Nearly bought a watch from Chrono24 a couple of months ago. However, the dealer who had it didn't take offers. Without wanting to appear greedy, I had been hoping for about 8 to 10%. However, I completed the on-line form to express an interest at their asking price. Shortly afterwards I received an email saying that particular watch had "been sold by a colleague " and I would have to wait 3 to 4 weeks. Needless to say this came as a bit of a blow. After a day or so of deliberation, I emailed the dealer advising that I had no further interest. Whilst I was going to use the Escrow service, and had no worries about any financial jiggery-pokery, I wonder if this was a case of "fishing" by the dealer concerned?? As for your suggestion of using an established and/or family business, I have just done so, a well-established business in Notts/Derbyshire. Longines did have a wee delay actually getting the watch to the dealer, but they were right on the ball, Royal Mail got it at 1834 on the Friday, and the parcel was in my hands at exactly 0900 on the Saturday. I gave them 5 stars 🌟 on Trustpilot, and as they were very good on price, with a discount
off the RRP, I will most definitely consider contacting them once I have saved a few more pennies! (Dreams of Omega Speedmaster Snoopy 50th Anniversary Edition, seeing as I am not prepared to pay over the odds for a James Cameron) Thanks again for an informative, straight-talking video. Stay safe.
Keep the videos coming! Awesome
What was the AP you were looking for and did you get it?
More often than not you can figure out the dealers on Chrono 24 that don't have the actual model in stock. Multiple listings using stock photos etc.
How do you know beforehand how much import duty you would have to pay if you purchase a watch abroad from Chrono24?
I got the exact same jumper, talk about good taste 😆
Watchfinder currently offer around 40-50% of what they’ll sell it for, unless it’s a hot reference Rolex which they’ve recently had to reduce margins because of all the new ‘one man bands’ paying top prices just to make a quick £500-£1k. Watchfinder have actually got far worse since they went with Richemont. Many of the watches have short bracelets, missing straps( VC Overseas 3rd gen) and have the wrong boxes / manuals. Latest experience was requesting to look at an AP 15400 rose gold that I was trading a new sub in for, took a week to get it to the Leeds branch, booked an appointment as soon as it arrived which I needed to take the day off work for only to be told on arriving that they have just sold it sorry. Not the first time this has happened, they will not hold a watch for you. As for Chrono24 you are right, a good percentage of watches are already sold or they want a deposit/ full payment then they’ll try and source one.
Love the sea view 😎
I used to work retail, in the outdoor industry, and your comments about dealing with the public brought back lots of memories about why I was happy to move on. “Geez Louise, is the Reverend hard to please? You’re telling me!” I love the Watchfinder videos, but when I’ve browsed the wares on the sales site the prices seemed pretty premium to me. I’ve never bought anything from Chrono24 but it sure is a good reference site.
I hate the fishing aspect. It's something I've been wondering about, after looking at Audemars Piguet Double Balance Wheel Openworked. According to Chrono24 there are 10 available in the UK, and 7 are being sold by "Official Watches". The listings have no details on them, stock photos, and don't even have the year of manufacture despite claiming to have box and papers. They clearly don't have these watches, and I understand AP only make 50 of them a year. Thanks for the enlightenment Paul. I do like Watchfinder though, but understand they overcharge.
should I buy a second hand Pepsi(NEW) with papers and box for 17.5k USD to resell it?
I have purchased a number of pieces from Chrono24 and live in Cape Town southernmost town in Africa - the platform works for me as I can purchase pieces which are unavailable here and from my perspective the pricing is way better & competitive. The tracking system & escrow service make it work well. Great channel Paul.