The Breitling Watch Source Forums

First time poster - long time lurker.

Shopping a Blue SA2 and inviting your thoughts on some questions I've been asking myself.

Does anyone expect to receive their watch in sealed box, or is it
typical to receive the display case model handled by the public?
Or does one insist on new wrapped in protective plastic.

2 Birks tell me there's no negotiation on price. It's retail or nothing.
Cold calling AD's for best prices hasn't been fruitful.
No discussing percentages on the board - PMs from connaseurs on typical margins of negotiations
with non-Birks are warmly welcomed.

Do ADs typically carry/offer Breitling merchandise to clients at the point of
of sale ie umbrellas bags etc.

Your experiences or "I wish I'd done this differently" is absolutely welcome.

I'm based in Ottawa. My nearest dealer is MTL.

There is no rule about not discussing discounts. Birks have recently taken over the Canadian retail rights for Breitling but they are blowing smoke, discounts are always available - at least the tax, generally a bit more. The large store in Toronto (Bloor Street) will be more accommodating, but don't expect anyone to quote you discounts just by cold calling because they aren't expecting to make a sale that way.

You will be buying the model on display if they have one that matches your wants, one from the safe if that's where the dial / strap combo is, or one that is ordered in if they have neither. In Canada the freebies are sent to ADs to distribute at their discretion - ask for a ball cap and you'll get one.

Welcome to BreitlingSource.

I have that watch, and am also Canadian. I bought mine grey market from Authentic Watches and it was a brand new watch sealed in plastic, and all was perfect.... with the watch. The box was the older one - the bakelite one, which some people would likely had issue with because it's not what the watch should be sold with... but that was no problem for me, it's better and I sold it. The manual was not for the SA II, so sold that too.. no problem. All that said, it often depends on personal opinion, but at the end of the day there's only two things that matter for me... getting a perfectly functioning new watch, and the price I pay. The rest I can deal with, and will actually sacrifice a little for a better deal, as stated above with how I made a little cash back. I love the watch and have no plans to part with it, so all good in my books.

As long as you have no need for the warranty.....

To date I've bought 5 new Breitlings, 4 grey & 1 AD, and none have needed service in any way. Well one needed a bracelet exchange because it came with the wrong one... and that was from the AD!

The Birks at the Rideau Center is scheduled to open next month and I am told they are going to be carrying Breitling this time around. The place is still boarded up but they do have the Breitling logo on the wooden panels on the outside of the store.

quote="Michael Breitling"]First time poster - long time lurker.

Shopping a Blue SA2 and inviting your thoughts on some questions I've been asking myself.

Does anyone expect to receive their watch in sealed box, or is it
typical to receive the display case model handled by the public?
Or does one insist on new wrapped in protective plastic.

2 Birks tell me there's no negotiation on price. It's retail or nothing.
Cold calling AD's for best prices hasn't been fruitful.
No discussing percentages on the board - PMs from connaseurs on typical margins of negotiations
with non-Birks are warmly welcomed.

Do ADs typically carry/offer Breitling merchandise to clients at the point of
of sale ie umbrellas bags etc.

Your experiences or "I wish I'd done this differently" is absolutely welcome.

I'm based in Ottawa. My nearest dealer is MTL.[/quote]

Great advice and info. I'll keep you updated on developments.
My memberships is already paying dividends, happy to have joined.

Some intel for locals.

Birks at Rideau Center says they expect to open tomorrow, and are expecting a "full line of Breitling" shipment anytime now.

Background - I originally drove to Carrefour Laval decided to buy a SA from La Swiss. This was 2 years ago.
I invited my sales lady to offer the Breitling product overview, with emphasis on the SA.
Following 10 seconds of silence, she held the watch up at the bracelet between her thumb and forefinger
then said "it goes really deep into the water.. And it's really big".
I drove home, having wasted time and petrol.

Happy to hear that the Birks store will carry a full line of Breitling. I am interested in acquiring a 46mm Navitimer if they can be somewhat realistic on the pricing, even the tax off as Roff mentioned would be a start.

Birks at Rideau is open. I just left.
One SA2 in black only.
The store is firm - no price negotiation.

Sales rep offers a hard sell, knows nothing of the brand, lots statements I know was guess work hoping I don't know any better and I deflected condescending observations of my TW Steel 50.

To the poster inquiring about navitimers, I counted 6 - I think.
Steel bracelets and leather bands.

It appears my next course of action is going independent for the tax off.
Stay tuned.

PS it may be the lighting, that watch SHINED.
It fit: perfectly.

Was not able to make it down to the store today but if they are not flexible at all on the price, will continue to look elsewhere. No negotiation equals no sale for me. Fine with that, will just save my money.

I returned after running errands, I needed confirmation directly from the store manager on this.
She appeared offended, defensive even mildly agitated that I suggest working with me on a price.
"Were a boutique, were brand new, were exclusive. I don't understand why you'd think we would".

That sort of attitude stinks and is completely uncalled for. Just as a matter of principle I would refuse to buy anything from them. I'm not from your part of the world but from my limited research they are not a breitling boutique and are therefore not exclusive.

If you're happy to pay full price then go to a proper breitling boutique where you well get treated extremely well. Even though you pay full price there they will usually throw in one or two additional straps. And at least they'll know something about what they're selling and will be more than happy to chat with you.

If you don't want to pay full price then keep looking. Maybe give the forum sponsor a call. Where I live discounts are easily had.

Good luck!

I drove 2.30 hours to Creation Paul H in Montreal.
The store is under renovations, so they're operating from upstairs in its 2 store building.
Like visiting a dusty pawn shop ran out of a basement.

I phoned in advance. The person i spoke to said she'd wouldn't be in, but salesperson X would know i might visit, and that "she is very knowledgable on Breitling watches".

The ranking staffperson (assumption) was buying gold scraps from a woman over the breitling case.. with 14 feet of counter space to work from, they didn't offer to move an inch while i had my head in her armpit peering at their display for 20 minutes. So i stood like a dolt, waiting for them to conclude their business.

Sales person X, (wife or relative of ownership, assumption) retrieves watch.
Gives form to fill my personal information.

What can you tell me about this watch salesperson X?
We can't keep them in stock. We sell one almost everyday to people from 20 to 40 years old. It's a nice watch. You can wear it in the shower or the bath because its waterproof.
Then walks away.

I call Salesperson X back to ask about her best price.
The tag read 5,838. But could let it go for 5,830. Plus taxes.
If i did buy it, i was eligible to receive a 250 dollar mystery gift.

She tells me if i show a discounted invoice to breitling, they'll lose the line.

I left.

Now i should have driven the 12 minutes to chateau d'ivoire down the street, but i was completely turned off, and turned off about the breitling brand that i didn't have it in me to deal with anymore.. of what i just experienced.

It's beyond me why anyone would spend money there, let alone want to set foot inside.
I felt like a fool for wasting my time and resources.

Is this expecting too much -
Hello Michael, thank you for coming. Here's the watch and I will tell you about it's features, warrantee and benefits of buying from our store because this is why we're unique. Followed by a reasonable discount would have closed the deal on sight for me.

Breitling invests a fortune in advertising and marketing, then has these unqualified incompetent front line people peddling their product. Why isn't there photos in their catalogue of someone wearing a breitling in a bathtub. Or washing their hands in a bucket with their $6,000 breitling wristwatch, displaying the joy from the return on his/her investment.
When i left, i felt like the watch was worth eighty dollars.
The teller at the McDonalds just before Rigaud had superior interpersonal ability.

I'm quite turned off the brand.