Gem By Carati FTW!!
I've been meaning to write this, but I just haven't had the time lately.
My fiancee's parents wanted to buy me a watch as a wedding gift, but they decided to let me go out and pick something that I wanted, obviously within their budget. I'm not a picky guy, but they really wanted me to get something that I would use on a regular basis.
So off I went, learning about what makes a good watch, and what to look for when buying one. A coworker helped me out a little bit as well. Tissot was high on my list of brands, as I liked their watches, and because this was my first "real" watch, I didn't want to spend boatloads of money on a high-end Rolex or something.
My above-mentioned coworker also spoke very highly of Tissot, and even brought in his watch to show me. So at this point, Tissot was almost a foregone conclusion. Seeing Steven Stamkos' face plastered on their website might have helped a little.
I started doing a couple of searches online, especially on Beyond. Because well, ya know...Beyond knows all!
That led me to Justin and GEM by Carati. I had read about Justin and his business before, so it jogged my memory a bit.
I went shopping in the Tissot catalog, and shortlisted three watches that were pretty similar. Then I sent Justin an e-mail to introduce myself, ask about what he had in stock, and what he could get.
Justin replied in short order with answers on all three watches, including whether or not he had them, how long it would take to order them if he didn't, and the price, including the Beyond discount!
Justin's communication was amazing, and he didn't pressure me at all, or ask me to "come in and we'll discuss" like you might hear from a typical used car salesman.
One of the watches I had shortlisted was the 'special' IIHF edition of the Tissot PRS200. He said that he didn't have it, but he had the Steven Stamkos Limited Edition in stock. It's basically the same watch, but a slightly different style. I didn't even know that you could GET this watch, as I hadn't noticed it in the Tissot catalog.
My fiancee isn't a sports fan at all, so she was originally going to veto it, but after a few seconds, she relented and said "Alright, if you like it that much, buy it." I have a feeling that I'm going to have to pay for that one later though!
The very next day, I went to pick up the watch, and meet Justin for the first time. He was an awesome guy to deal with. His store was easy to find in a great location. His staff were very plesant and welcomed me immediately. When I asked to see Justin, he came out in a matter of seconds.
He showed me the watch, adjusted it to my wrist, had it packed up for me, and that was that. In 24 hours, I had picked a watch, found that I could get it in an even better style than I had imagined, and picked it up at a very decent price!!
I absolutely love the watch, and I will be going back to GEM by Carati for any future jewelry needs!!
Thanks, Justin!!
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