Horological Meandering

4Js
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For me it can be the only way

I use one AD religiously and they have given me very gracious deals. But my first time I asked for a patek 5970 they laughed at me. Then I begged to see a 5070p. Again they said no way

Then one day I found a gray dealer by chance with a store front and takes credit cards too boot. I had looked for the VC 47101 platinum with the salmon dial for two years and voila a google search turned up this dealer. I go look at it for the first time in the flesh and take it on the spot.

Now I ask about the pateks. Out comes a 5070g. Great price too. Out comes the 5070p. Not so good price but the baby is in the box and I finally can see the beautiful blue in person. So I go how about that 5970p? Out it comes. I'm like a kid in a candy store.

So AD blows me off (ps so does the patek boutique). But the gray dealer has all the toys.

I was in Paris last summer and I'm walking down Rue de Faubourg saint honore and again at a gray dealer you find all the pateks 5070 5970 3970 5100 etc.

I bought a very limited VC 47100 skeleton chrono from another gray dealer and yes it stopped working afterva few months. But I sent it off to Switzerland. And basically got back a new watch. Decent time also. Yes I paid more but I look at it as at least you are buying what you want, seeing it in the flesh first. Got good service. Nice people. And no one is laughing at me.

So as others have said, if you be careful and establish relationships gray dealers can be a miracle in helping you get what you really want.