I don’t know when this took place and I’m not sure what it means, but: The Ashford gray market watch website is now claiming to be an “Authorized Dealer” for a surprisingly large number of brands. This is what you see when you browse some watches there now (from their website):



They don’t say a lot about it, but here’s what I discovered by peeking around: Ashford now seemingly claims you get the manufacturer’s warranty from a whole bunch of brands. From the site:

BRANDS COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER
Avi-8
Blancpain
Bomberg
CCCP
Calvin Klein
Girard Perragaux
Glashutte
Glycine
Hamilton
Invicta
Jacques Lemans
Jaquet Droz
Luminox
Rado
Spinnaker
Technomarine
Thomas Earnshaw
Tissot

Please contact the manufacturer directly for assistance on these repairs.

In addition, Edox has an “Authorized Dealer” designation next to watches sold at Ashford. Other brands might be as well, based on recent products offered for sale.

All I know is this: If Ashford is offering full manufacturer warranties on items sold through their site, the place instantly goes up a peg in my eyes. I've had nothing but good luck with Ashford, tho I rarely buy online anymore.

https://www.ashford.com/

Tell you what: Given how Rolex and the biggest brands are selling like hotcakes, but everything under them is struggling to move pieces? I could see this happening - brands liquidate stock and offer full warranties just to develop brand loyalty. It's hard out there right now, and these kind of things - as well as leaning on online sales direct - might be here to stay.

Sounds like very good news

I bought an Edox moonphase from Ashford, and had to send it in for repair. They did a good job of it, too, with a quick turn-around.

Have been very happy with Ashford. Hope their stock increases. CK is a Swatch brand, if I recall correctly? Interesting.

biglove wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:08 pm

Have been very happy with Ashford. Hope their stock increases. CK is a Swatch brand, if I recall correctly? Interesting.

And, if I'm reading this right, Ashford is an online AD for Hamilton and Tissot? It would be become my first choice for picking up watches by those brands. No question about it.

^^^same!

temerityb wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:57 pm

biglove wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:08 pm

Have been very happy with Ashford. Hope their stock increases. CK is a Swatch brand, if I recall correctly? Interesting.

And, if I'm reading this right, Ashford is an online AD for Hamilton and Tissot? It would be become my first choice for picking up watches by those brands. No question about it.

If Ashford is indeed an online AD, that's probably going to piss Jared.com off something fierce. They're selling the same stock for both Tissot and Hammie, with not a percent off to be seen.

conjurer wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 6:41 pm

temerityb wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:57 pm

biglove wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:08 pm

Have been very happy with Ashford. Hope their stock increases. CK is a Swatch brand, if I recall correctly? Interesting.

And, if I'm reading this right, Ashford is an online AD for Hamilton and Tissot? It would be become my first choice for picking up watches by those brands. No question about it.

If Ashford is indeed an online AD, that's probably going to piss Jared.com off something fierce. They're selling the same stock for both Tissot and Hammie, with not a percent off to be seen.

I guess maybe you've figured out the reason I've never seen anyone claim to have purchased a watch at Jared - well, nobody I know, at the very least. One time I went in and talked to a saleslady. They had a sign for Citizen, I asked if they had anything from the Promaster line, and she hadn't the foggiest idea what I was talking about. I guess their watch crowd just basically likes shiny things.