Shreve & Co. — Local services in Palo Alto

TLDR - Go see Tony!

I think this review is long over due, so happy to share my thoughts on the awesome experiences I've had with Tony, Geoff, the team and Shreve & Co as a whole!

I've always wanted a luxury watch, it started when my dad got his and it sparked a fascination that has lasted approximately fifteen years for me. When I was ready to buy a watch, I did a lot of research on where to buy what I wanted. Being in the bay area, there are several options for the brand that I wanted. I visited several of them, gauged their friendliness, willingness to help and overall responsiveness. In the end, I ultimately decided that I thought Shreve & Co. would be the best fit for me.

Why?

I never felt pressure to buy something I didn't want. Ever. Every time I visited, I learned something new. I learned about brands I never knew about, I learned about stones I had never heard about and most importantly to me I learned a lot about watches. I made great friends who I know are willing to take care of me and help me in answering my questions honestly.

Reading through other people's reviews, I agree the wait for a watch is hard! I waited for many of the items that I eventually ended up purchasing and it can be painful! While instant gratification is great, I can tell you once you that the purchase after a long wait is even more amazing. In the grand scheme of things, if you've been waiting as long as I have an extra month or year only helps to build the anticipation.

Like many other people state on these reviews, many watches, specifically Rolex has a long wait list. Don't despair, enjoy the wait, make new friends, learn new things. If you're willing to go into their store, get to know their team, learn about the things you're passionate about and you will have a great time. I went in for watches, and what I've come away with is much much more. I've had several times where I went in just to ask questions and didn't end up buying anything and Tony showed me all the patience in the world.

To say the least, I've had nothing but amazing experiences. For all those who have made it this far in my review, I really do hope you go and have the same experience I've had because for me it has been awesome. Personally, I'd never recommend anything I wouldn't use or love, so I hope that comes across when I talk about how well I've been treated here.

For those of you who are getting ready to make your first purchase (watch or jewelry) one thing I'd share is a recent experience. After fifteen years of anticipation, approximately two years of talking and learning from Tony they helped make a dream come true. For a milestone birthday, they sent me a gift and I went in to go say thank you. As I was getting ready to leave after thanking them, they said they had "one more surprise." I was stunned, I really hadn't expected them to do what they did. In a moment it was just pure joy. All I can tell you is that I'm incredibly fortunate to be looked after by Tony, Geoff and the other members at Shreve & Co and hope you have the same...

This review is for my watch experience at Shreve and how it compares to my experience at the Rolex Boutique (J Licht) at Valley Fair. At both places, the experience is top-notch, but depending where you are on your watch journey you may prefer one or the other.

At Shreve, I was able to walk into the store on a Friday afternoon without a wait, and browse watches through the case. A sales rep approached me soon after and allowed me to try on a few pieces that they had in the store, noted my interests (up to 3), and explained how the process works. It wasn't too busy so we also had a casual pleasant conversation about watches in general. The experience felt very personal, and I left feeling like they're eager to find me a Rolex even though the stock is so low and demand is so high. On the downside, if the store were a little busier, you might be rubbing elbows with people next to you and may get divided attention from the sales rep. Tip is to go on a weekday so you get a better experience. I had a particularly good experience chatting with a sales rep named Roman who was very patient with all my questions and made me feel like my time in the store was valued.

At Valley Fair, on the other hand, there's usually a wait to get into the store, but that's because you get a concierge-style experience where a sales rep is dedicated to you and only you during your visit. They had more watches on display for you to try on, and the space felt more spacious with leather chairs for you to sit on while you try on watches. The process for expressing interest in a watch is more or less the same as Shreve, and both places felt very personal.

If you're interested in causually browsing watches to help narrow your preferences, I think Shreve is probably a better experience. Whereas if you roughly know what you want, are willing to wait a bit, and want undivided attention, I think Valley Fair would be better. That said, it sounds like Shreve is opening a second location and creating a dedicated Rolex boutique, so in the future the experience at Shreve may be very similar to Valley Fair. Also note that Rolex demand is quite high and so don't expect to be able to walk out with a watch during your visit at...

[Updated Review] A quick update, the friendly folks at Shreve & Co. never disappoint! Last week, Miguel and Brandon offered me a surprise just in time for my birthday celebration. They got me the Rolex from the top of my wishlist, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. After all, a year of waiting goes by quickly, just stop by and say hi every now and then :) While I was waiting for the transaction, Brandon was kind enough to show me a couple newly released timepieces they just received in the store, and also offered to clean the watch I was wearing. Miguel was so detail-oriented that he dialed in the exact sizing on the new watch for me. Again, what a memorable experience! If you're going through these reviews, I highly recommend stopping by Shreve & Co. The team there is fantastic, and I'm sure you'll have a delightful shopping experience!

[Previous Review] The crew at Shreve & Co. are top notch! We have heard so much great things about the store from our friends, and decided to make a walk-in visit. We were warmly welcomed and assisted by Allison (who is usually in the SF office) and Miguel. They have a beautiful selection of fine jewelry and timepieces, both of us got to try on several pieces of interest, and they were always more than happy to help. We had a such a great shopping experience that we went back again next morning to see Miguel for more shopping assistance. Miguel is a fun guy with a great sense of humor, he definitely made our shopping experience super enjoyable. I think their friendly service and vibe truly sets them apart from the many high end stores in the area. Needless to say, we are super excited for more future visits. A big shout-out to Miguel, Roman, Allison, and Lisa for helping us and chatting with us during...