CAV518K.FC6268
I've already written about part of my visit to Bicester Village yesterday (you can read my thoughts about the Yellow Dial Calibre S Aquaracer HERE) and I thought I'd combine the rest of my visit into one post.
For the third time I tried on the CAV518K Grand Carrera with the orange highlights and... I have to say, in light of the £4200 price tag, I found it wanting. It's still a nice watch, but at that price I'm not sure. I still have grave reservations about the strap. It looks so delicate and again even though this wasn't the same piece I tried on last time there is definite signs of wear to the strap. Indeed, where the strap ends meet the case there was some imperfection, as if the strap was bunched up and it looked like the top layer could peel away.
This wouldn't be quite so bad if spare straps were available, but I'm betting they aren't. At least not with the limited edition orange stitching, and as I've said before, replacing the strap with a plain black one (or worse, the wrong colour stitching) is going to seriously compromise the overall aesthetic.
The other thing that bothered me somewhat, was that when the watch was going the second hand wheel seemed rather juddery. I don't remember the steel version I tried on not that long ago having that issue, so maybe it's just that one watch?
CAV511A.BA0902
Speaking of which, also available was the steel CAV511A. Second hand this is selling for anywhere from £2100-2800, and here it was on offer for £3800. I didn't realise the list price was nigh on £5000! That makes the second hand prices look very attractive indeed. I do still rather like this watch, but I'm conscious that my next purchase will probably be my last 'major' acquisition for some time, so I'm hesitant to jump into buying one, especially when there are lots of these available.
CAJ2180.FT6023
God knows why, but I tried on the CAJ2180 again (previous review HERE), reading that again most of my opinions have remained constant. I do like the dial (except the horrible cyclops), I think the vertical lines look great as do the green lumed hands. The case and strap not so much. The case is very thick, which is not a deal breaker in itself, but the backplate is quite pronounced and makes the watch stand 'off' the wrist quite a bit. So not only is it thick, but it doesn't quite look as if it's sitting properly either.
So all in all, the yellow Aquaracer aside, this was quite a disappointing visit. There were some other very nice pieces in the outlet, such as the Monaco 24 in both blue/white and grey/orange (but not the black version I really love) and the Flyback Carreras (great deals on those, but still a lot of money), but I have kind of accepted that the Monaco 24's in particular are probably a step too far money wise. Undoubtedly I 'could' save up the required cash, but whether I would feel comfortable dropping that amount on a single watch is thoroughly debatable.
One thing I will say about this particular visit to the outlet, I did feel kind of like I was being shepherded towards the 'cheap' watches. Admittedly I went from work with a colleague and we didn't look that smart in our branded polo shirts, but he was wearing his Tudor Pelagos LHD (a £3000 watch) and I did have my everyday TAG on (sadly not my skeleton).
Usually the staff in there are fairly hands off, but the lady in there was offering a bit of a running commentary, which was a bit off-putting, especially as I'm pretty sure I know a lot more about the watches in her store than she does. Actually once I spoke to her a bit I think she realised and her attitude changed a little, then she was okay, but it's bad sales etiquette to make judgements about people's financial standing based on their appearance.
Inevitably, today I was still mulling over my visit and wondering if maybe I should have gone for the yellow Calibre S Aquaracer (don't think so).... when I got an email from Watchfinder telling me about their SALE! (Incidentally, before you rush off to Watchfinder, the sale is only open to email subscribers and if you visit the site normally you will not see the sale prices.)
CAV518B.FC6237
Most interestingly, Watchfinder had dropped the price of a five year old Grand Carrera CAV518B.FC6237 from £3250 to a very attractive £2550. This gave me pause for thought, but within minutes of me seeing it the watch had been sold (hardly surprising really, that's a ridiculous price). There are three other examples on the site, albeit not as competitively priced, and bizarrely another piece is a lot older yet £500 more expensive. I will never understand Watchfinder's pricing structure.
So the upshot of all that is of course... my TAG fund remains intact, ready for another day and whatever comes my way. I've been informed by my wife that she wants to visit Bicester in the next few weeks so we'll see what opportunities present themselves I guess...
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