SkyTurtle
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 90
I'm not a serious watch collector, but I recently decided to order a Poljot Strela because I was curious about the 3133 movement and I have wanted a black-dial chronograph for quite some time. Thought I would share my experience in hopes it might help others like me who were thinking of doing the same (photos below):
I had read good things about Julian Kampmann (www.poljot24.de) on TFL as well as watchuseek.com so I decided to place the order through him. As I was ordering from the USA I wasn't sure how long it would take to get an order confirmation, much less for delivery. The Website was easy to navigate, the pictures were clear and the descriptions were complete. Also, I was very pleased to find that the VAT tax was included in the price and automatically deducted at checkout for overseas customers. This is in stark contrast to the usual practice (at least for USA Websites) where additional charges are not included in the advertised price and added at checkout.
I only emailed a couple of times with questions but each time I received a prompt response from Julian himself.
Website: A+
Made the order and paid via PayPal late Tuesday evening (choosing the express shipping via DHL). Received an automated confirmation immediately, and the next morning received an email from Julian that my package had shipped with a scheduled delivery of Friday. By 11:00AM that morning I had active tracking information. And this may seem trivial to some, but there was one aspect of DHL's service I found particularly pleasing. I was notified by DHL that a signature would be required for my package. As I was usually not home during the day, and I felt secure having packages left at my door, I looked for a way to opt out of the requirement for a signature and an almost certain trip to a DHL office to pick up my package later when the courier couldn't find me. To my surprise I was able to opt out of the signature requirement without signing up for any additional DHL services (something I've never been able to do with UPS or FedEx). I was also able to leave the driver a note so I asked that they leave the package behind my front bushes. They did.
Shipping: A+
The watch was well packaged and included a pack of Russian biscuits which, unfortunately, were delicious and didn't last long. Inside the beautiful wooden box was the Strela "Cosmos" just as described. In addition to the Poljot instruction book (in English and German) Julian included several pages of description and instructions that were most helpful in learning to operate the new watch.
The watch itself was striking. The controls are a bit more "clunky" as compared to a Tag Aquaracer or Breightling Colt but they produce sure actions and prompt control of the watch movements. As a quick test I "hacked" it to my computer's clock and 24 hours later it seemed to be well within the 1-2 sec/day variance advertised.
Also included in the box were two additional Rios leather straps including a black buffalo strap with white stitching that is likely to become my favorite.
Poljot Strela Watch: A
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Julian's Website, attention to detail and high level of customer service for an overseas client. The watch was just as advertised and a few months of wear will help show how durable it is as a daily wear timepiece.
Overall Experience for a Newbie: A+
I had read good things about Julian Kampmann (www.poljot24.de) on TFL as well as watchuseek.com so I decided to place the order through him. As I was ordering from the USA I wasn't sure how long it would take to get an order confirmation, much less for delivery. The Website was easy to navigate, the pictures were clear and the descriptions were complete. Also, I was very pleased to find that the VAT tax was included in the price and automatically deducted at checkout for overseas customers. This is in stark contrast to the usual practice (at least for USA Websites) where additional charges are not included in the advertised price and added at checkout.
I only emailed a couple of times with questions but each time I received a prompt response from Julian himself.
Website: A+
Made the order and paid via PayPal late Tuesday evening (choosing the express shipping via DHL). Received an automated confirmation immediately, and the next morning received an email from Julian that my package had shipped with a scheduled delivery of Friday. By 11:00AM that morning I had active tracking information. And this may seem trivial to some, but there was one aspect of DHL's service I found particularly pleasing. I was notified by DHL that a signature would be required for my package. As I was usually not home during the day, and I felt secure having packages left at my door, I looked for a way to opt out of the requirement for a signature and an almost certain trip to a DHL office to pick up my package later when the courier couldn't find me. To my surprise I was able to opt out of the signature requirement without signing up for any additional DHL services (something I've never been able to do with UPS or FedEx). I was also able to leave the driver a note so I asked that they leave the package behind my front bushes. They did.
Shipping: A+
The watch was well packaged and included a pack of Russian biscuits which, unfortunately, were delicious and didn't last long. Inside the beautiful wooden box was the Strela "Cosmos" just as described. In addition to the Poljot instruction book (in English and German) Julian included several pages of description and instructions that were most helpful in learning to operate the new watch.
The watch itself was striking. The controls are a bit more "clunky" as compared to a Tag Aquaracer or Breightling Colt but they produce sure actions and prompt control of the watch movements. As a quick test I "hacked" it to my computer's clock and 24 hours later it seemed to be well within the 1-2 sec/day variance advertised.
Also included in the box were two additional Rios leather straps including a black buffalo strap with white stitching that is likely to become my favorite.
Poljot Strela Watch: A
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Julian's Website, attention to detail and high level of customer service for an overseas client. The watch was just as advertised and a few months of wear will help show how durable it is as a daily wear timepiece.
Overall Experience for a Newbie: A+
