16710s in Europe

[stlwx21]

Good morning,

I'll be heading to Europe in a couple of months with stops in Paris, London, Rome, and Barcelona. I'm interested in a GMT watch and would strongly consider a 16710 in great shape. I'm also considering a ceramic GMTs.

I'd kindly take suggestions on where I should focus my search. Which shops should I visit and on the flip side of the coin, avoid.

Kind regards!

[ryanpatrick]

Originally Posted by stlwx21

Good morning,



I'll be heading to Europe in a couple of months with stops in Paris, London, Rome, and Barcelona. I'm interested in a GMT watch and would strongly consider a 16710 in great shape. I'm also considering a ceramic GMTs.



I'd kindly take suggestions on where I should focus my search. Which shops should I visit and on the flip side of the coin, avoid.



Kind regards!

Watches in Rome (obviously in Rome) has AMAZING vintage Rolex. I mean incredible stuff. I doubt they'd have 16710s in inventory but I'd recommend a stop there just to see the incredible stuff they do have.
If you want a new GMTc, I've had good experiences buying (not a Rolex) from Wempe in Paris (corner of Rue Saint Honore and Rue Royal). There are multiple other Watch shops, both boutiques and independents, along the Rue Saint Honore.
There was a decent shop in Notting Hill in London. I don't recall the name but the staff was friendly and they had nice inventory. The pound was still strong against the USD when I was there so buying didn't make sense at the time.


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[tjbender]

You can probably find a much better deal Stateside. I take it you want to purchase abroad for sentimental reasons? I'm partial to the 16710, especially with solid end links and a no holes case. IMO that's the perfect Rolex. Extremely comfortable, useful complication/s (I regularly use the bezel as a timer) and I think it has the greatest room for appreciation in the years to come. If you're open to shopping in the states HQ Milton in San Francisco is top notch and has pretty consistent stock. good luck on your hunt.

[stlwx21]

Thanks for the feedback thus far! Will look into those places.

[Cru Jones]

Personally, I'd skip the watch shopping and enjoy the visits. :-)

[Fort Rolex]

Bought a watch (16700) at Brandizzi in Rome a couple years back, they had a pretty good selection. Worth checking out while you're there

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Personally, I'd skip the watch shopping and enjoy the visits. :-)

Yeah - that was my thought too. Why not pick one up from a trusted seller on this forum, and enjoy the sights?

[natosub]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Personally, I'd skip the watch shopping and enjoy the visits. :-)

Originally Posted by The Libertine

Yeah - that was my thought too. Why not pick one up from a trusted seller on this forum, and enjoy the sights?

Got to agree with these guys. Unless you specifically want the watch as a reminder of the trip, your time there can be better used doing things other than watch shopping

[stlwx21]

I probably worded that poorly in my first post. Of course, enjoying the cities and the various sites are first and foremost. I am not going over there to watch shop :) We are going there for our honeymoon.

[dba]

I'd get the watch here. I'd buy one from a trusted seller here. All done from the comfort of your home.

There are too many things to see and do over there. Spending a couple of hours at an AD isn't one of them.

Although I will admit to checking inside this place in Mykonos

[NKflyer]

If you are considering purchasing a new watch, the dealers in Italy and Spain are definitely willing to haggle. You can beat the "trusted seller" prices but there will be some time involved not only at the dealer but also at airport customs on both ends of your homebound flight. You will probably want to do some basic reading on the VAT refund situation and US customs before you leave so you sorta know what to expect. It has been discussed on this board many times.

As fas as used watches like a 16710, I'm pretty sure that secondhand goods, which is what the 16710 would be, are not subject to VAT refunds (15-20%) so finding a worthwhile bargain will be alot more difficult with having to pay full tax.