Hello all. I am writing as a collector asking advice from dealers (and/or collectors).
The context: I am currently seeking my first > 10k watch purchase: a Patek 6000G. I am buying to wear and enjoy, so am thinking more about what would please me than concerns about re-sale. (I have given away a few pieces but not ever sold one.) I prioritize a watch being in beautiful shape and running as accurately as possible, and hopefully not needing a service for a good while. I have some specific requirements in this case: black dial, earlier model with the Geneva seal, rhodium plating roughly intact.
In this context, I have five questions. I hope to be educated and that responses will also be helpful to other collectors.
- What is the best way to approach a conversation with a dealer to get the best price possible. Respecting that dealers need to make a profit, and I am looking for a fair deal, and I prefer a win-win.
- What kinds of things signal there is more room for negotiation vs. it being time to take or leave a dealer’s offer?
- What are the best ways for a collector to judge if a deal is a fair deal?
- How can I best convey to a dealer detailed requirements I have for a watch without taking up too much of their time/energy?
- How likely is it that a Patek 6000G will eventually show up here in the dealer’s market? Vs that would be a unicorn and it makes sense to just negotiate on Chrono24/Ebay/gray and specialty markets?
Thank you for any insights and reflections!