kai.ohuchi
3
Patek newbie...question about deposit protocol...
I am very new to the world of high-end watches, and to date have only
purchased two watches that could be considered high-end; a Panerai
power reserve 171, and a white-face stainless steel Rolex
Daytona. I know, these are not in the same league as Patek, but I
really love my Panerai, and wear it nearly every day.
I recently was offered a position at the head of the line for a PP
5980/1A through my AD, a really nice guy who keeps me up to date on
watch news, along with collectors watches I should keep my eye out
for. My question is, what is the protocol regarding deposits on
such pieces? My AD is asking me to place a 50% deposit, or
$17,750 in order to secure my position at the front of the line.
He has told me that it could take up to a year for the watch to come
in, which I am fine with, but my only concern was with what if another
watch became available which I would prefer to buy over the 5980.
I asked if I could use cancel my position and use the deposit to
purchase another watch from them, and I was told that the deposit was
non-refundable.
Since I don't have much experience with this, I wanted to know if this
is normal. It seems somewhat unreasonable for them to be able to
hold onto so much of my money for an indefinite time period, with no
recourse for me but to wait and pray for the piece to come in.
Any suggestions or comments on my situation would be greatly
appreciated. Thank you! Kai
