Tourneau Brand Watches

[heresiarh]

Today I picked up a Tourneau watch at 80% off. It is the Safari series. Has anyone have had any experience with their watches? They seem very nice. I was debating between tourneau and tissot classic black strap watch.

I just want to know if they are worth the price .. I paid $220 for a $900 watch.

[Mosco]

Originally Posted by heresiarh

Today I picked up a Tourneau watch at 80% off. It is the Safari series. Has anyone have had any experience with their watches? They seem very nice. I was debating between tourneau and tissot classic black strap watch.

I just want to know if they are worth the price .. I paid $220 for a $900 watch.

No, you paid $220 for a $20 watch!

[heresiarh]

So I should return it for the tissot then?

[cody p]

Originally Posted by Mosco

No, you paid $220 for a $20 watch!

that was pretty funny. but if it makes the op feel any better - i once paid full retail (too embarrassed to say how much) for a quartz tag with a $15 eta movement inside it. so you're in good company.

[diablojota]

You seem to be buying a bunch of, how should I say, so-so watches. Tissot, Torneau, etc. I believe you bought a couple of Seikos, etc.

With all the money you've spent, you're half-way to that Rolex. ;-)

If you like the watch, then enjoy it and wear it. Tissot is a decent watch, but ultimately, they're only so-so. I prefer watches with automatic movements vs quartz movements anyway, even if it is a cheaper watch. I have an Alpha, that I love, that was about 40 dollars, but it has an automatic movement. I also have the Seiko's, pretty darn accurate watches. Now that I've got my Sub back, none of the watches other than the sub will get any wrist time.

[Mosco]

Originally Posted by heresiarh

So I should return it for the tissot then?

Well, that was mostly a joke - but you have to remember that Torneau does not produce watches, they just slap their name (under agreement, of course) on an existing watch. Does it make it a bad watch? Of course not, it probably has the same ETA movement that some of the high-end brands have. Now of you wish to compare apples to apples - Tag is a well-established brand that puts out excellent watches for the money.

I, personally, would just wait until I can spend about $1k and get a used Omega. If that is not an option - then I would go with the Tag. In my opinion, the Tourneau watch is sort of a store-brand product.

What it really boils down to is this: What are you happier with? What do YOU like the best?

I hope I didn't come across as an a$$ on my 1st post here, again, I was mostly joking... mostly!

[cody p]

Originally Posted by Mosco

Well, that was mostly a joke - but you have to remember that Torneau does not produce watches, they just slap their name (under agreement, of course) on an existing watch. Does it make it a bad watch? Of course not, it probably has the same ETA movement that some of the high-end brands have. Now of you wish to compare apples to apples - Tag is a well-established brand that puts out excellent watches for the money.

I, personally, would just wait until I can spend about $1k and get a used Omega. If that is not an option - then I would go with the Tag. In my opinion, the Tourneau watch is sort of a store-brand product.

What it really boils down to is this: What are you happier with? What do YOU like the best?

I hope I didn't come across as an a$$ on my 1st post here, again, I was mostly joking... mostly!

i think that was well said Greg. i agree that tag is a decent watch - i just wish i had known more about discounts back when i bought mine.
i also agree that a used omega in the $1000 range gets a person a lot of luxury watch for the money. but ultimately, it's about whatever floats your boat.

[PalmSpringsCaVault]

i had a tourneu gotham chrono with 18 k gold case i couldnt get out of for almost 2 years, the watch was greating looking but it was so soft second hand market, its discouraging. I ended up selling it retail, but no dealers would touch it. You have to say they are the biggest swiss watch retailer in the world .. not watch maker.

[gettocard]

Originally Posted by Mosco

No, you paid $220 for a $20 watch!

don't give money to thos suckers,they make enough by not discounting AT ALL high brands and the SELL FAKES...trust me I've been there....

[heresiarh]

I was actually looking for a cheap nice looking watch with black strap. And this fit the bill. I will see how I like it in the next couple of days before returning it.

[BigHat]

As you can see, not much love of store brand watches. As a heavy buyer from the Big T, I always get their catalogs to include ones for their branded models. They design (or someone does) some decent looking watches.

While they guarantee all of the purchase price back on their watches toward the purchase of another, I have not taken the bait, just not my thing.

Sounds like it may not have been a bad purchase for you though. It wasn't a multi-thousand purchase of a brand that won't hold value as well as others will. You were looking for a nice black strap watch for dress wear? If you're just going to wear it when you'd prefer not to wear a sport watch it seems like a few hundred bucks well spent. With that discount, you might even have gotten it for less than they paid for it and thus a decent value.

Good luck.

[heresiarh]

Originally Posted by BigHat

As you can see, not much love of store brand watches. As a heavy buyer from the Big T, I always get their catalogs to include ones for their branded models. They design (or someone does) some decent looking watches.

While they guarantee all of the purchase price back on their watches toward the purchase of another, I have not taken the bait, just not my thing.

Sounds like it may not have been a bad purchase for you though. It wasn't a multi-thousand purchase of a brand that won't hold value as well as others will. You were looking for a nice black strap watch for dress wear? If you're just going to wear it when you'd prefer not to wear a sport watch it seems like a few hundred bucks well spent. With that discount, you might even have gotten it for less than they paid for it and thus a decent value.

Good luck.

Yes I'm really enjoying the look. I'm two months away from a Rolex:)

[Mort]

I had a Tourneau watch for about a year. It actually was a very nice watch. It was one of the watches you have to buy because you like it not because of its pedigree like most of the brands on this forum. Plus, a lot of the folks here hate or have a severe disliking for the big "T". Still for the money there watches are a lot of bang for the buck.

If you decide to get rid of it down the line, you will do best trading it back at tourneau because they will give you more in trade in than you will ever get trying to sell it on the secondary market.

Enjoy your new watch and post some pictures.

Here is the one I had that I ended up trading back in about a year later.

[heresiarh]

Originally Posted by Mort

I had a Tourneau watch for about a year. It actually was a very nice watch. It was one of the watches you have to buy because you like it not because of its pedigree like most of the brands on this forum. Plus, a lot of the folks here hate or have a severe disliking for the big "T". Still for the money there watches are a lot of bang for the buck.

If you decide to get rid of it down the line, you will do best trading it back at tourneau because they will give you more in trade in than you will ever get trying to sell it on the secondary market.

Enjoy your new watch and post some pictures.

Here is the one I had that I ended up trading back in about a year later.

Pretty nice looking watch. I know I will get tired of the look in a year so I'll just end up trading it in or something. It really wasn't bought as an investment but something 'cheap' to wear.

[Welshwatchman]

$220 is pin money so no worries about it being a bad buy.

If it's an auto then it's a blinking bargain.

Now get me a picture of it to look at !

[Blimms]

Originally Posted by heresiarh

Yes I'm really enjoying the look. I'm two months away from a Rolex:)

I also own the Safari. It has served me well and still looks as new. It gets a little wrist time, as the PAM 104 and Santos 100 has knocked it down. I considered selling it, but realized their wasn't a market for them. Even if you trade it back to Tourneau, you will only get what you paid. I paid $600 for mine and I'm considering Bell & Ross, which Tourneau carries. Maybe the 6 can go towards the B&R.
Enjoy the watch, it is a nice looking piece.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by Blimms

I also own the Safari. It has served me well and still looks as new. It gets a little wrist time, as the PAM 104 and Santos 100 has knocked it down. I considered selling it, but realized their wasn't a market for them. Even if you trade it back to Tourneau, you will only get what you paid. I paid $600 for mine and I'm considering Bell & Ross, which Tourneau carries. Maybe the 6 can go towards the B&R.
Enjoy the watch, it is a nice looking piece.

It may have changed but last time I looked you only get full price back toward the purchase of ANOTHER Tourneau model.

[Blimms]

Originally Posted by BigHat

It may have changed but last time I looked you only get full price back toward the purchase of ANOTHER Tourneau model.

Matt,

Tourneau will give you what you paid towards any timepiece they carry EXCEPT for Rolex. They will only take a Rolex towards another Rolex. Needless to say, I didn't purchase my SS/PL Yachtmaster from them. But they do carry B&R and I would get $600 towards the purchase of it. I'm close to pulling the trigger.

[CKLinLA]

Originally Posted by Blimms

Matt,

Tourneau will give you what you paid towards any timepiece they carry EXCEPT for Rolex. They will only take a Rolex towards another Rolex. Needless to say, I didn't purchase my SS/PL Yachtmaster from them. But they do carry B&R and I would get $600 towards the purchase of it. I'm close to pulling the trigger.

That is good to know - that it does not have to be another Tourneau (Rolex excepted).

Isn't there also a restriction that the watch you buy must be at least double the price of the watch you are trading in?

[Blimms]

Originally Posted by CKLinLA

That is good to know - that it does not have to be another Tourneau (Rolex excepted).

Isn't there also a restriction that the watch you buy must be at least double the price of the watch you are trading in?

That would be correct. At least double the price.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by Blimms

Matt,

Tourneau will give you what you paid towards any timepiece they carry EXCEPT for Rolex. They will only take a Rolex towards another Rolex. Needless to say, I didn't purchase my SS/PL Yachtmaster from them. But they do carry B&R and I would get $600 towards the purchase of it. I'm close to pulling the trigger.

Thanks for correcting me and the update regarding 2x the price. It has been a couple of years since I had the discussion and if it's always been that way, I forgot or the salesperson didn't share all the details.

[heresiarh]

Its not an automatic actually. I will post pictures later on. Something weird I noticed about the watch .. the leather strap it came with makes squeaky noises!? Really really weird.

[beemreatr]

Originally Posted by heresiarh

Its not an automatic actually. I will post pictures later on. Something weird I noticed about the watch .. the leather strap it came with makes squeaky noises!? Really really weird.

Are the squeaks coming from where the band meets the case? I once put a 22mm band on a 20mm case and had the problem till it broke in.