Right Questions To Ask When Entering A Watch Retailer’s Store
5 min read
To begin with, there are no wrong questions. But, ever walked into a watch retailer’s store and found yourself feeling overwhelmed with the watches on display and which you should buy? I mean, what should your first question be or is it even appropriate to ask these questions? Would the retailers help you make an informed decision?
Let me put your worries at bay. Retailers across the world would love to help you make the right decision when it comes to picking your watches. In fact, if not your next purchase, you would walk back home with more knowledge about different brands and their watches. We spoke to retailers across India and asked them “What are the right questions to ask a retailer?” and questions they suggest you should ask to make an informed decision. Here’s what they had to say.
What trends are you seeing right now in the watches people are buying?
I think the trends we are seeing in India are pretty much what is happening globally. Men are looking for sports watches as compared to classical dress watches and more importantly people are now preferring smaller sizes – as compared to the days when watches were getting bigger year on year. Women prefer dressier watches and watches that are designed with their sensibilities in mind – rather than small versions of men’s watches. Coloured dials have also become increasingly popular. Light Blue and Green are the colours of the season, says Karan Vaidya, Rose The Watch Bar.
Bharat Kapoor and Gaurav Bhatia from Art Of Time said, “The watch trends cycle, unlike fashion, is much slower. Despite that, every year we witness the introduction or re-emergence of several new styles, dial colors, sizes, and in some brands even movements. The different color dial trend is still very popular with a lot of interest in green dials. Mid-size dials are making a comeback for men and women alike. Also while disruptive watches (non-conventional dial shape or a funky dial) are really in the dress, watches have made a comeback this year. To sum it up, the watch industry has it covered for all. You think and you may have it.”
Waseem Khan from Zimson Watches from Bangalore said, “Current trends, in my opinion, are that people love watches with unique coloured dials. People are preferring more automatic watches than quartz.”
What is the first thing that people ask when they come in? Is it price/style/design?
“Well in some cases luxury watch shoppers do their research before actually visiting the boutique and have some sense of what they are looking for. Sometimes, it's exciting to educate customers about different brands and what they represent. The luxury watch industry is also about craftsmanship and history. Brands and watches have stories to tell, and it's important to understand them. However, primarily it is the style of each timepiece that speaks to the clients,” Bharat & Gaurav added.
Karan Vaidya also had a perspective on this. He said, “There are two different kinds of buyers. Buyers who come in with a budget in mind and are open to seeing multiple different designs. Whereas there are those buyers who come in researched with what model/collection they want to buy – and come to the physical outlet just to validate what they saw online and physically see the watch, its size, its design, and its different iterations once before narrowing down on what they want to buy. With the increased interest in the watch sector and the amount of information available on the internet, we are seeing more and more buyers in the second category who pretty much have decided what they want before they actually enter the store.”
Akriti Madan, Head of Marketing And Communications at Johnson Watch Co. Delhi said, “The first thing people usually ask is a watch related to a specific occasion and then the price point. After they set out a budget, we show them the watches accordingly. Later, the customer can choose on the design aspect.”
How often do you rotate new watch stock in the store? When are the best times to come to see new arrivals?
All the retailers had a common answer here. You can walk into their store and you’ll always get to see something new everytime. Though the time of the year does make a difference - around festive times, you will end up getting to see a larger collection of watches, especially the higher-end watches.
What kind of movement does a watch have? Which one should you opt for when starting out on your watch-collecting journey?
“We do get this question quite often, especially from watch collectors who definitely like to know about the technical specifications of the caliber, the power reserve, and the make, however, it’s actually interesting to know that this question actually plays a much larger part in a woman’s decision to buy a watch or not. There are two kinds of Indian women who buy watches – some who buy the watch as an accessory and do not want the difficulty of winding their watches and servicing their movements – they prefer quartz watches whereas there are other women who wear watches as pieces of art and cannot comprehend wearing a non-automatic watch,” said Karan Vaidya.
Bharat & Gaurav shared their thoughts on the same too. “Movements are micro-engineered marvels and different watches have different movements, mechanical or quartz. A mechanical can further be hand-wound or automatic. There is no right or wrong when buying your first watch. Watches speak of your style and personality and your first timepiece will always be special. When embarking on a collection journey, opt for unique and limited edition pieces. They will hold their value for a long time and, of course, exclusivity is a huge advantage.”
Waseem Khan from Zimson Watches said, “These days there are many brands in the industry, the most important point to look out for when starting a collection is that the brand is well established, makes use of good-quality watch elements and components, has a strong market presence and has good service backup.”
What is the most interesting question/ or what should one ask a retailer according to you?
Gaurav Bhatia and Bharat Kapoor from Art Of Time: It's thrilling to meet people with a passion for horology and inquisitive minds. People who are not only interested in the story and the legacy of the brands but also in the intricacy and the details of what makes them come to life.
Waseem Khan from Zimson Watches: Well, today the curiosity and inquisitiveness of customers towards a watch has drastically increased. There are many questions asked by customers while making a purchase. Points that I feel a customer should ask a retailer -
Is it a value-for-money product?
Is there an after-sales backup and good warranty coverage?
For automatic watches, how often should the watch be serviced or where should it be serviced?
Akriti Madan from Johnson Watch Co.- Buy something that resonates with you since a watch is always like an heirloom. What is the watch complication? Is there a watch for your daily wear or something festive?
Rachna Wadhwa from Time And Style India: Can you help me find a watch that suits my style and budget? Are there any limited edition or exclusive watches available? What materials are the watch bands and cases made of? Are watch batteries easily replaceable? Do you offer any discounts or promotions? Are there any special care instructions for these watches? Do you have any watches with specific features, like water resistance or automatic movements?
Karan Vaidya from Rose The Watch Bar: I think the best question a client can ask a retailer is what they think is the most interesting new watch of that year. Most retailers are watch geeks themselves and end up attending most watch trade shows and reading up about different new watches and brands in their spare time. So as retailers, we would be more than happy to give our opinions and knowledge to help the client understand what is new and help build their passion for the world of watches. I always find the most engaging conversations are the ones where the client is genuinely keen to learn more about watches and we at Rose the Watch Bar are more than happy to impart our knowledge to them.
So the next time you want to buy a watch, hope these questions help you make an informed decision and give you the confidence to ask the questions.
