Tissot watches are probably a bit easier to source than some of the other, more expensive and tightly distributed brands. It is my impression Mr. Lees two companies didn't/don't stock watches, as a rule, but rather source them when they receive a customer's order and payment. The more prestigious brands tend to run a tight ship regarding transshipping. Authorized dealers who violate their contract/dealer agreement (by transshipping to non-authorized dealers) are often terminated if caught, hence a smart reluctance for "high street" retailers to do so. That could account for why Mr. Lees previous company left so many customers waiting so long for watches they had prepaid for. They simply had difficulty sourcing them in a timely fashion. Maybe they had to wait for a "desparate retailer" who was overstocked and under funded regarding upcoming vendor invoices(?). That's why I would never buy from a non-authorized internet dealer. You run the risk of them "inadvertently" spending those payments way before they are ever able to source the customer a watch. Do that too often and such a business may run into the problem of insufficient cash flow. Maybe that's why it appears the BRW left so many people hanging with no watch and no refund when they folded up.
Tissot is more broadly distributed amongst upper and lower brow retailers (or jewelers) which opens the possibility of some risking their franchise by transshipping to make a fast buck or meet assigned dealer sales quotas. A Patek Phillippe dealer, for example, would be a fool to risk doing so since that brand offers them exclusivity and prestige as well as very high dollar margins. Same goes for many other brands. I'm not putting Tissot down, they make very fine watches and, in fact, I very much like their incredibly bargain priced PRS516 automatic watch, probably one of the all time best values in a Swiss watch in my opinion. In reality they (and others, too, you can fill in the middle tier brands) are simply not as valuable a franchise as say, Patek, AP, Ulysse Nardin, Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Chopard, Panerai, etc. Just my thoughts, folks!
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: I purchased a Tissot from them about a year ago . Delivery was good
: and staff helpful. I also took it to a local dealer for strap
: adjustment and confirmed genuine
: I am happy with the company on my experience
: Peter
A forum for identifying and avoiding wholly or partially non-authentic wristwatches --
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