Help purchasing SeaMaster Pro

[immigtc]

This looks like an awesome forum and I hope to get more involved. I am looking to make my first luxury watch purchase and have narrowed my search down to a Rolex Submariner or the Omega Seamaster Professional. The Rolex is a little more than I want to spend right now but will revisit in the future.

That being said I have been looking for a gently pre-owned 2531.80, 2220.80, or 212.30.41.20.03.001. I am new to this so my first question is what should I be looking for? Is Box and papers the best way? Is it really safe to buy from the forums as someone has suggested?

I was going through the awards offers available on my Amex and there was on offer for a $450 statement credit on a $1500 purchase from Gray and Sons in Miami. They have a watch that fits the bill but at $3300 seems very high. I contacted them and they are willing to reduce to $2950 so with the statement credit that's $2500. Is that reasonable? I haven't spoken to them yet so I am not sure what the watch comes with other than there 1 year warranty (I would think that Amex would extend that out another year as is their practice but will check since its pre-owned). Are they a reputable dealer (the affiliation with Amex makes me think so but figured this forum might be a great place to pass the smell test).

Thanks!

[flw]

I've never dealt with the dealer to whom you refer. I have seen references on this and other forums to positive experiences with them, however.

For a gently pre-owned Seamaster Diver (the current model), $2500 seems about right including your discount. Whether box and papers are important is really up to you. One thing you should remember: if you buy the current model, it may still have some time remaining on the manufacturer warranty. Omega has a three year warranty on any watch with a co-axial movement, which the newer model has. The warranty card should be included in the sale, if Gray and Sons has it. Otherwise, you may want to keep looking, or at least see if the dealer has a comparable warranty of their own.

[1William]

Just got the Gray & Sons new sales magazine in the mail. Nice watches and jewelry but the prices are 20-40% off what you can do elsewhere. I would think that they do a lot of business with customers who are not as informed as the average person on TRF. I would never buy from them based on the prices.

[Fleetlord]

I would PASS on this deal. It's never a good deal when you settle for a watch you don't really want.

Save the money for a ROLEX.

[immigtc]

so i think I am going to pass on G&S. I realized that for the price it wasn't really that great a deal. I am moving forward with one of the private dealers (seems to be very reputable with no negative feedback anywhere that I can find) for BNIB with warranty Seamaster. I want a ROLEX but just don't want to spend double the money right now to get a good example. I will though :) at some point