2012
LUXURY WATCH GUIDE
48
SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE
U
NOVEMBER 2012
ticular -- we are talking about expensive
products for which a tax exemption can
represent significant savings,” says Jean-
Christophe Babin, president, TAG Heuer.
“
Obviously with the boom of tourism,
the growth of business travel and the in-
crease of highly professional distribution
such as the DFS stores in airports or Star-
board in major cruise ships, travel retail
is growing stronger than ever nowadays
and it’s a long-term trend.”
One of the benefits to buying in the
airport is the duty-free nature of the pur-
chase. Not having to pay local or national
taxes or duty is a clear advantage and can
result in a fantastic price.
AUTHORIZED RETAILERS
If you are planning to buy from a shop
in the airport, however, you have a finite
amount of time. A er all, your flight is
scheduled to depart at a particular time,
so you are already facing a deadline. Peo-
ple who know exactly what they want
and have done their homework will have
no problem with this scenario, but if you
are unsure or want to look at a number
of pieces, it might be hard to make a deci-
sion in the time available.
Don’t forget that you can find high-
end watch stores at just about any holi-
day destination. Visit these watch retail-
ers while you are on vacation or your
next business trip, and take your time,
seeing everything they have to offer, try-
ing on watches and asking all the ques-
tions you want to ask.
“
People have more time available (while
on holiday), and, depending on where they
live and where they are traveling, they can
o en findmore choices and be er service,”
explains Jean-Claude Biver, CEO, Hublot.
“
Also, buying a watch while traveling can
result in a fantastic memory.”
Make sure the retailer you are visit-
ing is an authorized retailer, meaning
that they work directly with the brand
to ensure quality goods and reliable
after-sales service.
“
Peace of mind is a key factor when
making a significant purchase froman au-
thorized retailer,” says Ruedeiger Albers,
president, American Wempe Corp. “Most
manufacturers do not honor the warran-
ty if the watch is purchased through an
unauthorized source, as the authenticity
can no longer be guaranteed.”
THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Before you go to the store, think about
what sort of watch you want, how you
want to use it, where you want to wear it
and, how much you want to spend.
Do you want a dress watch? A sporty
watch? A travel watch? A watch for work
and play? Something with diamonds?
A watch that is different from anything
else? The possibilities are endless; the only
limits are those on your imagination...and
your budget. But knowing just howmuch
you can spend can be quite empowering.
Before you even think about buying, how-
ever, do a li le research. Read this insert
and start making a list of the watches that
appeal to you. Go on the websites of the
manufacturers you like and read about
them, their history, their philosophy, their
approach to watchmaking, and then find
out where the brand’s authorized retailers
are located.
Choosing your next timepiece should
be really fun. “Shopping for a timepiece
should be an exciting experience no mat-
ter at what price-point,” says James C.
Seuss, president and CEO, Tourneau. “We
strive to educate our customers and to
show them a wide range of watches that
could express their personality.”
SERVICE AFTER SALE
If you are working with an autho-
rized retailer anywhere in the world,
you can buy with confidence, know-
ing that the warranty offered will be
honored by any authorized retailer
anywhere in the world. “For TAG Heu-
er watches, and in general for luxury
watches, it’s the same global two-year
warranty which will be honored at all
authorized TAG Heuer dealers world-
wide,” says TAG Heurer’s Babin.
So, now that you are traveling you may
want to create a new memory by pur-
chasing your next great watch. And have
a great time along the way!
Q
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
TIMELESS KEEPSAKES:
Beauti-
ful watches from Raymond Weil
and Maurice Lacroix
