Like you, I bought my watch from a gray market dealer who removed the serial number (wristwatch.com). They were very up front on their website about the fact that they remove serial numbers and I received my watch in excellent, brand new condition with everything but the warranty card and the serial number for between $400-$500 less than I would have paid from Ashford. The watch I got was the Seamaster Professional Chrono in Titanium- In short I've had the watch for 6 months now it looks great and is extremely accurate (it gains about a second per week so I am very happy with it!)
I was not aware of this forum until months after I made my purchase, If I was I might have gone through Ashford and had the serial number intact, but for an extra $400 it would have been a tough decision. My feelings as far as the other issues are as follows:
-As far as repair (and regardless of whether or not there was a serial number on the watch) I prefer to deal with a qualified local repair person who I trust, and who only repairs watches. I know this is not always easy to find if your in a less urban area. I want to be able to obtain references on and be able to personally deal with the individual who will be working on my watch. I do not want to have to mail it away to be worked on by somebody that I can't talk to if something is done wrong. Plus if your dealing with a local individual with good references that has been in business for a long time and makes his living repairing (rather than selling), he has got to be good at what he does. If you read this and other forums you will see enough stories from people who have gotten repairs through authorized repair centers to see that the experiences are sometimes disappointing.
-As far as the legal issue, I think that the with all the murderers and rapists running about I would hope that the police have more pressing matters than coming after me for my watch! I have my receipt and if someone ever really needed to trace it, the serial number is still on the inside of the case.
-As far as insurance, I got a 2 year extended warranty for $70.00 from wristwatch.com that covers everything including the watch being stolen. Once that is expired, I will put it on my standard insurance- I already have one wristwatch on there- a solid rose gold Omega Seamaster from about 1950 (no serial number)and nothing was ever mentioned to me about the fact that there was no serial number on the watch.
The choice comes down to personal preference and if you "need" to have a serial number on the watch for peace of mind. I'm satisfied with my choice and my watch, but I hope I've helped you to decide for yourself. Enjoy your watch and good luck to you!
