Watches

Hi r/watches, newbie collector (23M) here. Been in the watch collecting space for a decent amount of time now collecting lower-end watches (Casios, Seikos etc.) and on my latest overseas trip, made a big mistake.

See the cruise I was on for holiday this time had a watch shop on-board and one of the biggest selling points on the ship was the tax-free prices as well as further discounts. The piece that immediately caught my eye and pulled me in was one that I had admired from afar for a long time; the JLC Reverso.

Seeing such an iconic piece of horology for such a reasonable price had my impulses flaring up and as I was in the middle of the ocean with no internet and no way to research more on the specific reference, I sprung on the deal and purchased the piece. Trying on the piece at the boutique, I did notice that the strap was tight but I brushed it off as an issue that could be fixed with an aftermarket strap.

Coming back to land and scouring the market for straps that could fit my reference, I stumbled across my exact reference, REF. Q2618540 on the official JLC store and realised that it was under the Women’s category. The worst part was that it had a 15mm lug width which made strap hunting really really hard.

Since then, I’ve called the local JLC boutique and inquired about an exchange or return but got denied as the piece was not purchased in-house. The sales rep did, however, assure me that the piece was more unisex than women’s exclusively.

What would you guys do in this scenario? It was my first luxury purchase so this has definitely soured the experience for me but to be honest, the small sleek silhouette does fit me decently well. Should I sell the watch and buy a male reference or do I embrace unisexuality and rock that androgynous look? Please help!