A display model watch should be considered used, and a deep discount would be appropriate. I bought a Bulova divers watch that had been a display model, and got it for less than 50% of the asking price (which was already below MSRP). It was absolutely flawless, and came with all of the paperwork and had a factory warranty.

I almost never buy watches new. Not only because I like to hunt, I just have no emotional attachment to the idea that “nobody has ever held this XYZ” before. I really don’t understand the attraction in the slightest. If condition is new, and it has a warranty from the mfgr, it’s new.

Hmm discount can be reasonable. It’s true they have been tried many times but none for more than 3 minutes, so it’s in this thin line between new and used.

Do you think stores just have magical inventory sitting in the backroom closet somewhere? Most of their inventory is on display for customers like you to see in person. If they didn’t allow customers to handle the watches, people would still complain about elitism

Yes only if watch isnt displayed with crown open

Is it new? Yes. Is it BNIB? No. Can you expect to get a Discount? No. Otherwise People would start trying to only buy Display Watches in the Hope they could get a Rolex or a Breitling etc. with a Discount.

I would try to get a discount, but if they put it back in storage will you even know?

It depends on the shop.

As a general rule I would say that yes, the watch still counts as new - it is behind glass as standard, only taken out and handled in the presence of the staff, so it is not as if it is getting battered around by every sticky fingered child that walks past. You are also afforded time to fully inspect a piece you are interested in and check for any blemishes or issues that may have occurred due to handling - if there was even the slightest mark that would then be cause to discuss a discount due to it being a display model.

And realistically, when you are talking about higher end pieces most physical stores are not going to be keeping multiples of every piece to hand when they may only sell them occasionally. If you could expect a discount for every piece that has been taken out of its box then that means the shop would be selling their entire stock at a discount…

Yes, there are odd cases like Rolex who have started sending out dummy pieces for display purposes, but that is definitely not the normal situation, and is really just Rolex scrabbling to try and stop their shelves being left completely bare, not an attempt to preserve stock as untouched and unopened for prospective customers.

The location I do expect to be seeing discounts for display items is with higher volume goods that are on display for the general public to handle. If I am buying a TV I expect the store to have stock, and if the last one is the floor model that has been sitting out in the open being handled by customer’s, then a discount seems fair as that item is now noticeably used compared to the piece the previous customer received.