Imagine the situation where you have just spent a lot of money buying a nice gent watch, only to discover that someone you know spent a lot less for the same watch, or perhaps the same type of watch. This scenario is not that uncommon, especially when dealing with higher-end merchandise such as watches and jewelry. The problem is that people do not shop around enough before deciding to purchase something very expensive.
It is surprising how many people do not go to different stores and venues before making a major decision to spend what could be a lot of money on a piece of jewelry, in this case, a watch. Watches, the finer ones, can run several thousand dollars each, and yet many of these watches are impulse purchases, with no consideration whatsoever given to the fact that there may be a cheaper source for the watch, such as an authorized vendor or the directions from the maker.
Many stores have a preferred line of products that they receive a better price break on and will mark up their less preferred items higher to discourage sales, or if they receive the sale, to cover their higher costs for that item. The preferred line of products may make them more money, even though it is cheaper. If you are looking for a Rolex watch in an Omega-themed store, you can guarantee that the Rolex will be more expensive than the same watch at a Rolex store. That is why it is important to shop at different stores before suddenly purchasing such a big ticket item.
If your friend has purchased a gents watch at a much better price than what you thought was possible or affordable, you might want to have them check the authenticity of their product. The problem with high-cost items like gents watches is that there are many rip-offs and counterfeit products out there. Of course, Rolex is notorious for very genuine counterfeit items available “on the street”, which is the black market.
It can be horrifying to realize you have spent several thousand dollars on a fake watch. What is worse, you may not even be able to tell it is a fake until you go to resell or trade the watch in, and the jeweler can tell. When this situation arises, it can be very embarrassing and frustrating. Calling this to the attention of your friend might make them angry at you and themselves, so you might want to handle it more subtlety if possible.
If your friend or colleague claims they bought the same or a similar gents watch as you, but for a much cheaper price, do not be alarmed. You might have bought the watch at a better store, but with a higher markup for the brand of watch, you got. Or, you may have purchased the real thing and they are wearing a counterfeit or rip-off version of the watch, which you can discreetly disclose to them without embarrassing them. Either way, you should be happy with your purchase and wear your new watch with pride.
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