3. Where Are The Best Places In The World To Purchase Watches?
We are frequently asked by readers, “In terms of cities, where is a good place to buy a watch?” A short piece we stumbled upon in aBlogtoWatch (ABTW) this week might just provide some answers. The article identifies three main criterion to consider when choosing a purchase destination. The location should have “good prices, a great selection, and a safe buying environment where consumers can trust in the quality of what they are buying.”
Although the internet offers a good alternative to purchasing at a brick-and-mortar location, there are still many good reasons to buy in person, not least of which is the opportunity to touch and feel a watch and to check if it is authentic (though we know even the most experienced jewelers can be fooled).
The article briefly surveys seven potential watch-purchasing destinations; the U.S., Switzerland, mainland China, Hong Kong, the Caribbean, Japan, and Thailand, and discusses the pros and/or cons of each.
While ABTW doesn’t provide a definitive answer to the question, “Where is the best place to buy a watch?” (largely because there is no one answer), it does provide a good outline of things to consider when thinking about buying outside your home region. You can read the full article right here.
If you have any personal watch shopping experiences you’d like to share, please do so in the comments below.
4. The Smartwatch Battle at CES 2014
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has done some terrific reportage from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which ran though January 10. In the short video below, WSJ’s Ian Sherr provides the complete lowdown on how the smartwatch battle played out at the show.
According to Sherr, the problem with the fledgling smartwatch category is that most of the offerings have not served up any breakaway features. They are generally “bulky” and the batteries last about seven days. Sherr also points out that analysts who track the industry say the devices are all essentially selling the same thing; text messaging, email, and tweets to your wrist.
There are some notable exceptions; the Samsung Galaxy Gear has a color display and a camera “built-in to the wrist strap, while a smaller start-up, the PHTL HOT Smart Watch, has a touch screen and a flashlight. A few of the watches, such as the Pebble, have apps. (For our Watch Insider Alexander Linz’s take on the first crop of smartwatches, click here.)
Until next week, enjoy!
