What does “MSRP” mean?

MSRP stands for manufacturer's suggested retail price, the price a brand sets for a new watch at its authorised dealers. In the UK the same idea is usually called RRP (recommended retail price), and dealers also say 'retail', 'list' or 'sticker'. Retail prices differ by country because of taxes, duties and currency, and most major brands review them at least once a year, often at the start of the year.

Retail is the benchmark the secondary market is measured against. Dealers describe watches as trading over or under retail, and buyers use it to judge whether a pre-owned price makes sense. Make sure the retail figure you quote is the current one for the same reference and configuration: bracelet, dial and metal can each change the official price, and an older model may have cost much less new than its current replacement does today.

Example: 'Two years old, full set, priced a little under current retail for the same configuration.'