Rotary gold watches on ebay: bargain

Leif

I bought my second brand new Rotary watch on ebay at Christmas. The first cost £125, 9ct gold, and the high street price now is £500. The second cost £300, 18ct gold, and the high street price now is £1000. It really was brand new, with labels on and a strap that had not been buckled. What on earth is going on? Where do these people get watches so cheap? When I bought the first one, there were loads on ebay, probably the previous model, the new one being slightly different. How much mark up do shops such as H. Samuel make on these things? Given that the gold value in an 18ct watch is maybe £250, assuming 13 grammes at £20 per gramme, that means an unexplained £700 to cover the movement (a £50 watch has a good movement), the strap, and the profit to the retailer, the distributer, and the manufacturer.

Gleeful

Are you joking? You have definately bought 2 fake watches and have wasted your money............

Leif

Gleeful wrote: »

Are you joking? You have definately bought 2 fake watches and have wasted your money............

What makes you say that? 'Definately' is a strong word. I know the first is solid gold as the muppets in the jewellers who changed the battery scratched the case. High street jewellers are a joke.

I just think that gold watches in jewellers are a rip off when you look at the cost of a normal watch, and the additional cost of the gold content, it is not even 1/3 of the shop price.

C_Mababejive

Sorry...did you say your selling rotary watches on Ebay?

soolin

It's a brave soul that would buy a 'gold' watch on ebay

Enterprise_1701C

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Sorry...did you say your selling rotary watches on Ebay?

Have to admit, I was thinking the same thing.

The only way I buy any jewellery on Ebay is if it is EXTREMELY cheap, I mean dress jewellery price, then it does not matter. Would never spend that price on something purporting to be gold, or anything purporting to be genuine gemstones. Come to that, I do not buy decent jewellery without seeing it first anyway.

peter_the_piper

Leif wrote: »

What makes you say that? 'Definately' is a strong word. I know the first is solid gold as the muppets in the jewellers who changed the battery scratched the case. High street jewellers are a joke.

9crt gold is not solid gold, its barely 33% gold.

Leif

peter_the_piper wrote: »

9crt gold is not solid gold, its barely 33% gold.

Yes, of course. I think the other metals are Cu and silver. It is not plated would be a more accurate description.

forgotmyname

Possibly has the same gold content as an argos gold item. Im sure they have blow mould everything they
sell, I have never picked anything that weighs anywhere near what i expected it to.

All hollow with a think crusty shell?

Leif

Yes I wondered what is inside. The 18ct watch has a screw back, so when I change the battery, I will check to see if it is a thin shell on a plastic liner, or similar. The screw back means that thinner metal can be used, hence cheaper. A press on back needs to be thicker for obvious reasons.

Myyrrddyn

I can buy some great imitation watches from Turkey they look, feel and weigh about the same as the real ones.
I have a real Rolex and when I saw a copy of it in Turkey I thought I would have a good luck, first taking mine off and hiding it in my pocket.
To be honest it was spot on, on the whole a damn good copy.
So beware what you buy on ebay jewelery wise as you could get stung especially if the seller is in Turkey.