Tourneau--how are these people still in business?

[mannyv11]

haha I have a few terrible stories but I won't get into them now. All I will say is I will never buy anything from them ever.

[Sweramic]

*Facepalm*

[rpryan55]

Tourneau. A Rolex boutique. Both the same - absolutely no discounts on anything they sell. No negotiations. No fun.

At least, that's the way they both were when I was last in one of the either of them.

[Rags]

I'll stay away from all these places & spend my $$$$ right here with our trusted sellers. The whole AD thing doesn't mean anything to me. The knowledge here is second to none & the prices are always fair.

[scarab007]

How is it that we are still surprised at these stores? Seems like sometimes that some of us like to go in just to bait them in watch knowledge talk only to drop the hammer on them. HAHA

Funny, we have a girl at my work who worked at Tourneau for a few years. Pretty funny the stuff she says about watches. She is still amazed how I got my SS Daytona and I was not a preferred buyer some place. She must think I am some mystical beast from a far land for having one.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by scarab007

. . . . She must think I am some mystical beast from a far land for having one.

Your are . . . no . . . ?

HAGOne ;-)

[scarab007]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Your are . . . no . . . ?

HAGOne ;-)

Ha, maybe just a little.

[ndsleep612]

Tourneau is for people with too little braincells and perhaps too much credit or debt. I suspect the reason why they push the financing program so hard is that they can sell the customers debt to GE Capital or whichever loan shark financial institute. Once sold they recover their cash and go at it again.

[jshepard]

Tourneau isn't usually one of places where you can just hang out and talk watches. Think of it as a department store for watches. Often times the dealers know bare minimum about the watches they sell, just enough to get through regular folks. Some sales lady there thought I was in the business cause I knew more than she did, and I've only been into watches for a few months. You really have to get to know the watch you want elsewhere if you plan on buying there. I got my rolex there purely because of the 18month 0% interest financing with 10% gift certificate. But I came to this forum for my watch advice needs, then went there to try it on and buy. Not really a whole lot of watch questions by that time cause its brand new so no need for questions regarding authenticity.

[mkw]

Before we piously poke too much more fun ( once again ) at the more " typical " luxury watch buyer, I'm sure there are fashion idiot savants, food idiot savants , car idiot savants , scrap booking idiot savants, and so on and so forth who look derisively upon every one of US here who has ever purchased one of their near and dear items or services that was not researched and reviewed , value analyzed and discussed on an internet board to the nth degree before taking action.

[4vCoupe]

I had a good experience there, sales people were nice and did a pressure test on my sub no charge.

[masterserg]

I never bought anything there but every time I walked in I had pleasant and very polite experiences, with knowledgeable (within reason) sales people. I can't expect to walk into a store and receive collector / WIS level of service. That would not be reasonable.

[jorgemussi]

i really like tourneau at least the last couple of times i've been there i was well received.

[submariner66]

Originally Posted by cross

actually , if one is secure enough and know that you've got a very reliable tool watch and not some fancy jewelry. who cares what other people think?

just take a look at financier/investor Arpad Busson , Tycoon Carlos Slim, Ferrari Chairman Montezemolo...they are not 'ashamed' of wearing Rolex...and these are people who have plenty of watches and know about watches.

actually for WIS ,there are many schools of thought regarding all things mechanical. Be they watches or cars, etc.

some would approach them from an aesthetic appreciation (patek & lange) while others would look at them from a reliability point of view (rolex, etc).

Rolex is neither too expensive nor too cheap, it is neither too detailed nor too shabby....but it is one tough, reliable watch. One that becomes more endearing as years go by because it is a faithful reliable and versatile 'companion'...a life long partner :)




just my opinion.

Exactly!

[DOW]

Originally Posted by FrankNYC

I hate to admit that I gave these people business, but the 0% 1-year interest-free plus 10% back (in form of a gift certificate) was the only reason why I got my sub here. Not that I couldn't afford to buy it outright, but 0% for 1-year

My wife got 20% when she bought my SubC a few months back. Not a bad deal actually, just make sure to pay the balance in full before that year is up!

I'll add this - the gentleman who my wife dealt with knew his stuff. I had an opportunity to speak with him after the sale and he definitely knows his Rolexes.

If my wife ever decides she wants a Rolex (can't convince her just yet) he'll be the man I go to.

This is in The Westchester Mall in White Plains incidentally. Gentleman's name is Hideki IIRC.

[submariner66]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

Sadly, it is the way with most big chains - the staff are disposable, and don't get the training needed to do the brand justice. Speaking from the point of view of someone who has "been there, done that," don't judge all salespeople based on one bad experience. With most jewellery chains, you get people who specialise in watches, and others who specialise in jewellery - I, obviously, was a watch guy, but I was still expected to sell jewellery. I admit right now that I didn't have a fraction of the depth of knowledge that some of my colleagues had on jewellery, but I made up for that by having a near encyclopaedic knowledge of watches. One of the most important things I learnt (and it seems quite a few salespeople need to learn this too) is to say "I'm sorry, I don't know, I'll find you someone who does know" - using BS to get a sale comes back to bite you.

To the OP, if you ever think that a salesperson doesn't know their stuff, ask to see the manager or the resident watch specialist. Sadly, your average salesperson won't care enough to build up the knowledge necessary to contend with us WIS types, but they should at least know the individual models if they are allowed to handle the stock. Maybe that's the issue of commission rearing it's ugly head again - it may inspire salespeople to get results, but far too often it is at the cost of good service

They only sell watches. They have been in business for a long time. They do have good people but lack more of them. But the lack of training across the board is really sad. Its like going into Starbucks and someone does not know the difference between a tea and coffee. At least know the basics!? And if you don't and are training, have the grace to bring in someone who does. Its ok not to know perhaps, but not to know that you don't know is something else entirely.

[submariner66]

Originally Posted by DOW

My wife got 20% when she bought my SubC a few months back.

Not a bad deal actually, just make sure to pay the balance in full before that year is up!

20% off a SS Sub at Tourneau!?.......... can I go shopping with you guys!!?

[submariner66]

Originally Posted by ndsleep612

Tourneau is for people with too little braincells and perhaps too much credit or debt. I suspect the reason why they push the financing program so hard is that they can sell the customers debt to GE Capital or whichever loan shark financial institute. Once sold they recover their cash and go at it again.

I have no regrets, and I think I got a good deal with the finance plan. Being in your own business, these types of credit plans always work out better- for me- better than paying in cash.........but then again I might not have enough brain cells to know the difference?

[Jim M]

The one person I know from Tourneau is on Madison around 57th and he knows vintage and modern Rolexes inside and out, backwards and forwards ...

[nauticajoe]

Tourneau is a nice place to go window shopping & to try out watches.....that's it! If you're looking for technical info, you're in the WRONG place.

[FrankNYC]

Originally Posted by submariner66

I have no regrets, and I think I got a good deal with the finance plan. Being in your own business, these types of credit plans always work out better- for me- better than paying in cash.........but then again I might not have enough brain cells to know the difference?

After getting the 10% certificate I tried paying off the balance via a credit card to get points (which, obviously, I would have paid off right away) but too bad they didn't allow this.

[submariner66]

I like getting the Tourneau magazine..

[gofore59]

Imagine what a Rolex would cost if places like Tourneau did not sell them to the masses!

[submariner66]

Originally Posted by gofore59

Imagine what a Rolex would cost if places like Tourneau did not sell them to the masses!

Yeah, maybe something like the rolex ad I just bought on ebay advertising "Rolex Submariner runs $210 complete with an authentic Rolex bracelet."

but then again that was 1966...so thats not really accurate. But I bet it still cost much less back then even in today's dollars or however you say that.

[FrankNYC]

Originally Posted by submariner66

Yeah, maybe something like the rolex ad I just bought on ebay advertising "Rolex Submariner runs $210 complete with an authentic Rolex bracelet."

but then again that was 1966...so thats not really accurate. But I bet it still cost much less back then even in today's dollars or however you say that.

According to the inflation calculator $210 in 1966 would be $1435 in 2011 (as high as the calculator goes).
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

[submariner66]

Originally Posted by FrankNYC

According to the inflation calculator $210 in 1966 would be $1435 in 2011 (as high as the calculator goes).
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

Well there you go, that's the answer, next time I walk into Tourneau this is going to be my negotiation tactic with the lady who cant tell a timex from a rolex.

[ismelllikepoop]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Tourneau. A Rolex boutique. Both the same - absolutely no discounts on anything they sell. No negotiations. No fun.

At least, that's the way they both were when I was last in one of the either of them.

I like checking out the watches, but when they tell me no discounts on a freakin breitling, gimme a break.

[Lrd2sea]

Originally Posted by masterserg

I never bought anything there but every time I walked in I had pleasant and very polite experiences, with knowledgeable (within reason) sales people. I can't expect to walk into a store and receive collector / WIS level of service. That would not be reasonable.

Same here. Except I expect the sales rep to tell me exactly what there is to know about Rolex. It's their products and they beter know that. Now if I expect the security guard to know that, that woul have been u reasonable.

[Bulldurham08]

Originally Posted by submariner66

20% off a SS Sub at Tourneau!?.......... can I go shopping with you guys!!?

I'm in! That and 1 yr financing and I will go tomorrow! Where do I buy a plane ticket to?

[77T]

Q: Tourneau--how are these people still in business?

A: Volume