Tag Huer watch on Equinox

[madmedic]

Hi

DH will be celebrating his retirement/birthday next year whilst on Equinox. He thinks he would like to purchase Tag Huer any thoughts on prices and selection.

[Lady Arwen]

Do your homework! Check out prices where you live and other trustworthy online shopping sites. Take these prices with you. Remember, if something is not to your liking when you get home, it's a challenge getting it fixed or replaced. If the price is so substantially cheaper than any on your list, then go for it. Ask questions as to what warranty or guarantee the ship will provide.

 

Honestly, I have never seen jewelry prices onboard that were so good, I couldn't turn it down. Just make sure you know exactly what you want and how much you want to pay. Do not get sweet talked into spending more than you have planned. Good luck!

[cruisinsusin]

Agree that you need to do your homework and research prices and models but we were able to buy one for our soninlaw 4 or 5 years ago while aboard at a better price than we could find at home. It came with factory warranty and he has worn it since without issue. I haven't checked prices on recent cruises however.

[lovescarborough]

Hi

DH will be celebrating his retirement/birthday next year whilst on Equinox. He thinks he would like to purchase Tag Huer any thoughts on prices and selection.

They don't have a very big selection. My husband was looking for a particular model Tag and the price from a reliable internet site was cheaper than onboard. The £/$ exchange rate doesn't help much either.

[JFontaine]

Make sure you get it in the original box and it comes with the original manufacturer warranty. You don't want a grey market watch.

[markeb]

As others have said, the selection is likely to be limited, and the pricing OK at best.

 

With an established relationship with a dealer (excluding department stores and fixed price retailers like Tournea), I'd expect pricing at retail to be 15-20% below suggested retail (which TAG Heuer lists on its web page.

 

The new watches sold onboard will come with box and papers; they are not grey market.

 

What model is he considering?

[txflood33]

Celebrity...or the company the use to run their stores...will be an authorized seller of Tag so there is no worry about getting a grey market watch.

 

I have one that I bought not on the ship. While I was on the Reflection a few years ago, I looked at them and the prices are comparable. The benefit is duty free. There will be little discount in the price of the watch.

[Schmoe38]

Hi

 

DH will be celebrating his retirement/birthday next year whilst on Equinox. He thinks he would like to purchase Tag Huer any thoughts on prices and selection.

 

 

 

Pricing homework is certainly the key as others have mentioned. If you find a watch that you like on board and you are comfortable with the price, purchase it on board sooner rather than later. Remember, there is often 1 of each particular watch for sale at the higher end price point. If someone comes along and buys that watch, you could lose your opportunity to buy that watch on board.

 

Remember, if you buy the watch on board, you can still check pricing in your ports of call.

 

I bought a Tag watch on Equinox in 2016. It was the only one of its kind on board. We subsequently found the same watch for less money in Barbados. We had the store write the watch model and price on one of their business cards. We took the card into the store on board and they matched the price by refunding us the difference.

 

I’m not sure if they are still doing the price matching game but it would certainly be worthwhile asking on board before giving serious consideration to purchase.

 

Randy.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Cirdan]

BTW at airports you may see also good deals (compared to celebrity).

[miched]

Make sure that you buy it from a authorized dealer. Little Switzerland is one. I am a almost horologist. I subscribe to magazines, websites and etc. Just can’t afford to buy many or all that I like but is is fun to look and read about them.

 

TAG is not considered to be a high end watch. It would be considered the equivalent of Celebrity in the cruise world. The dealers are restricted to offering no more than a 20% discount. If they give more they will lose their dealership rights. Don’t fall for getting one with the serial numbers ground off because It will be hard to find someone to service it that isn’t also a con artists.

 

Places like Little Switzerland will get around the 20% max by offering you a better deal on something else like throwing in a $200 Movato watch, or a necklace and etc.

 

Get a mechanical movement self winding instead of a quartz. A step up would be amazing something called Zenith. It is in the same LVMH group and one of their premier brands

 

Now if it is really special and you really love him and your children get him the watch with this slogan: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation”.

 

Whatever you decide you are supposed to declare it and pay the duty. That may offset any savings on the TAG as many US stores will give you the max discount

 

On the higher end watches you will pay full retail in the US unless you are a very regular customer. So it will be worth buying for the discount.

 

I always declare my purchases as I don’t want to get caught, pay a fine and lose my purchase.

 

As other have mentioned do your homework.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Cirdan]

From the true little cheesy Switzerland: here it is forbidden to limit discount (or to put any restriction of freedom of traders/resellers), and so in many countries. So ships could have better deals (like wines): they could choose the wholesale trader around the world. But not idea it Celebrity uses an US or European wholesale trader.

 

 

But I agree with Miched, do your homework. The advantage with cruises: you have more choices to look for good deals. Check on board about services. It is possibly that you have a yearly service on board (and on other shops). A good motive to go frequently on cruises.

[jobryan56]

Might find a better price on amazon.com, just make sure that the seller is amazon.com or amazon, llc and not some third party seller! Just a thought!

[AUPilot14]

Hi

DH will be celebrating his retirement/birthday next year whilst on Equinox. He thinks he would like to purchase Tag Huer any thoughts on prices and selection.

 

I was watch shopping on our July cruise for a Tag as well. I actually got a good offer on-board and the gentleman in the shop threw in a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label. Diamonds International in Mexico is a better deal though with the kickbacks from the Mexican government.

[madmedic]

Thanks for all the thoughts. One thing I hadn't factored was the exchange rate. :(Will be doing the homework first in any case.

[madmedic]

I like the idea of more cruises to do the research!:D

[bboop51]

Hi

DH will be celebrating his retirement/birthday next year whilst on Equinox. He thinks he would like to purchase Tag Huer any thoughts on prices and selection.

 

I have no opinion on the price, selection etc. However here is my tip... IF you purchase make sure the ship jewelry store registers your Tag. Also save everything. My friend bought one and the ship neglected to register it. The Tag needed work (during the warranty period) and it was heck getting it registered after the fact. One of the hold ups was they did not have the receipt, which may (may not have made it go a little faster.) Her husband was not going to give up (a lesser person would have lol.) He prevailed but it took hours and hours on the phone. It is on it's way to Tag in NJ for repair. Hopefully it will work when it returns.

[Essiesmom]

Before you buy a higher end watch, look into what it will cost to have it serviced, when the time comes. I have two Rolex watches, one is 45 years old, the other 35 yrs. The older one is a stainless steel oyster. Original cost was $312.70, probably cost 10 times that now. To service it now starts at $1000, plus parts, etc. They both sit in a drawer. I should sell them. EM

[Baron Barracuda]

Bought a Tag on X many years ago. Still running fine.

 

Buying watches on a cruise is a piece of cake because they are so easy to comparison shop. By all means do your pre-cruise homework, identifying possible models and prices. Once aboard check out what X has to offer. If you have internet package you can determine how competitive their pricing is (remember no sales tax onboard or in foreign ports). Don't buy yet though. If you will be visiting a big shopping port like St Thomas or St Martin, see if you can find a better deal. If not, you can always buy on ship later in the cruise.

[miched]

One thing that I learned cruising is if you have your heart set on a particular item and have done your homework knowing the prices and see it in a store buy it, wear it and don’t continue shopping for it after the purchase looking to see if there was a better deal.

 

If it is a common watch and model many places will stock it but chances are if it is a popular model that is in limited supply it will be harder to find and may not be available later during the cruise.

 

You have to value your time and make use of it instead of shopping all day trying to save a few dollars.

 

I don’t know what the cost is but running thru all the shops looking for the best price may not be worth the time. All of the shops are basically owned by the same companies on every island. The prices won’t vary much. The only place to avoid buying anything is Puerto Rico they will charge their sales tax.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[ShonaTay56]

I'm not in the Tag Heur bracket but have bought 2 Citizen Eco watches, coincidentally both on the Equinox in the Caribbean, and in my opinion I got a good deal on both of them. The first watch I bought was a gold coloured one with a face that was about the right size for my wrist and I did like it. However, while trawling around St Thomas or St Martins I came across it in the ladies section and it was dearer than I paid. When I got back to the ship I went to the store and told them what I had discovered and they tried to tell me it was a unisex watch. They could see that I was not convinced so they agreed to change it for me. I have been wearing the replacement ever since. The watch was on offer at about $450 but with their special promotion I got it for $265.

The second one I bought was a dress watch and it was on offer at $1000 dollars less 35% so got it for $650. We then bought a future cruise and got $300 dollars on board credit. In my mind that means I got it for $350 as I would have been spending this on the next cruise anyway.

Keep an eye on what the future cruise promotion is as we have had on board credit for both the future cruise and the cruise that we were currently on so that could make any purchase on board cheaper.

Good luck with the shopping

Alan

[bobndee]

As miched said, make sure you declare the watch to Customs when you return. Otherwise they could confiscate it as smuggled contraband.

 

It is a common misconception that purchases in a duty free shop are exempt from US Customs duty. All duty free means is that no customs duty was paid to the country in which the shop was located. They are still subject to US Customs duty on your return to the US.

 

If the duty free purchase total is less than your (and your significant other's) combined personal exemption, you're home free. If the duty free purchase total exceeds the personal exemption you MUST declare it and pay any duty. Luckily, the duty you'd pay is a low flat rate rather than the higher itemized rate.

 

This explains it all:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/454/~/duty-free-exemption%2C-gifts

[Zenica]

I once purchased a TAG onboard. The price was about $200 less than local retail and I avoided taxes which saves another $180 give or take.

I don't buy jewelry often enough to have any leverage with a jeweler. I have the Brietling I always wanted, a few TAGs for daily use but like when I buy cars, I price around so it isn't always the same store. If you have non refundable OBC, the TAG is priced right....it might make sense. If you have an internet package, you can verify the price right away.

[riclop]

Hi

DH will be celebrating his retirement/birthday next year whilst on Equinox. He thinks he would like to purchase Tag Huer any thoughts on prices and selection.

NEVER but a watch on a ship.

[markeb]

NEVER but a watch on a ship.

 

Why?

 

The OP is from the UK. The typical UK pricing on most watches seems to approximate the US pricing, only in GBP, so significantly higher. A TAG Heuer purchased on board will come with an international warranty from LVMH, and will be honored in the UK. If memory serves, as an in transit passenger, they're not subject to US duty, but will be subject to duty in the UK. So if they find what they want on the ship, it could be a good deal. I would not make the same recommendation to a US resident willing to invest a little time and effort, as they'll likely do as well or better on pricing from most dealers. There will likely be a better selection in their ports of call, assuming they're cruising the Caribbean.

[aruzinski]

Celebrity...or the company the use to run their stores...will be an authorized seller of Tag so there is no worry about getting a grey market watch.

 

I have one that I bought not on the ship. While I was on the Reflection a few years ago, I looked at them and the prices are comparable. The benefit is duty free. There will be little discount in the price of the watch.

Be careful when you say something is duty free. We bought a Breitling on board. The largest discount they can give you is 15% by the manufacturer. However, they could offer us credit in the other stores on board as an added discount, so don’t settle. We found out when we got off the ship in Florida, that the stores on board have an agreement to inform customs of anyone who made a major purchase of watch or jewelry of over $900. They never told us and we were pulled out of line getting off ship and told it was a “random check”. We have global entry so we knew that wasn’t it. Had to fill out custom form and pay duty tax because the watch was not made in the USA. We got the 15% off and extra purchases at other shops, but ended up paying the tax. Would have been better if they just told us up front.