Okay, so I’ve been eyeing this Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet for ages, you know, the one with the little clovers? But it’s crazy expensive here in the States. So, I got to thinking, “Maybe it’s cheaper somewhere else?”
I remembered I had a trip coming up to Japan, and I started digging around online. I saw some people talking about how luxury goods might be less pricey there because of the weak yen thing.
First, I checked out Van Cleef & Arpels’ official website, but I switched the region to Japan to see the prices in yen. It took a bit of figuring out with the currency conversion and all, but it did seem like the prices were a little lower.
Then, in March 2024, I finally made it to Tokyo! One of the first things I did was hit up the Van Cleef & Arpels store in Ginza, which is like their fancy shopping district. And guess what? The prices were indeed lower than back home!
I talked to the sales associate, a super nice lady who spoke English, and she confirmed that the prices had been stable for a while. But then she dropped this little hint that there might be a price increase coming in the summer. Yikes!
- I ended up snagging the bracelet I wanted.
- I compared the price I paid in yen to what it would have cost in dollars back in the US, and I saved around 25%!
- I also made sure to get the tax refund at the airport before I left, which saved me even more.
So, if you’re thinking about getting some Van Cleef & Arpels bling and you happen to be going to Japan, it’s definitely worth checking out. Just keep in mind that prices might change, and it’s always a good idea to do your research beforehand. But in my experience, I scored a pretty sweet deal!