Purchasing an expensive watch on ebay??

[Ambulance Chaser]

I went to timezone.com last night.  I saw the same watch I want there.  Just so happens, it is the same guy with the ebay auction.  Pictures look real.  He claims to have serial numbers, papers, box, etc.

Ask the seller for references (most sellers on Timezone are repeat sellers) and contact them.  Call the seller up to chat about the watch.  These steps will not guarantee a flawless transaction, but will go a long way toward giving you peace of mind.

 

[lisapop]

And, consider a scenario in which the watch malfunctions, as mechanical watches are prone to do, and the ebay seller disappears.  My advice is to buy from an authorized dealer, preferably a brick & morter dealer where you can closely inspect the merchandise, even if it means having to pay a few extra bucks.  In the long run, or maybe even the short run, you'll be happy you did knowing you can be assisted by the dealer.
Grayson

 

[lisapop]

There are many fakes companies out there selling fake Rolex etc with papers and boxes and serial numbers etc. Be careful.

If the brand name on the watch is spelled with two L's, as in Rollex, it's a dead give-away it's counterfeit

Grayson

 

[tsloop]

Quote:

There are many fakes companies out there selling fake Rolex etc with papers and boxes and serial numbers etc. Be careful.
If the brand name on the watch is spelled with two L's, as in Rollex, it's a dead give-away it's counterfeit

Grayson
Does this mean the RQLEX I just bought in Chinatown is fake too? Â I shoulda known it wasn't a rolex when the guy told me "if you can't tell what hour it is without an hour hand then you aren't worthy of owning a genuine rolex"

 

[imageWIS]

I concur with Jon. The only exceptions are a few B&M stores that have a presence on Ebay... the 2 most likely suspects are Jewels in Time and Proworth. The prices from those two companies aren't really that much better than most gray market retailers. For internet shopping, I recommend the Watchseller (AR) and Bernardwatch. The latter has better prices while the former usually stocks a fair number of mid-market luxury brands ($5-15k). I purchased both of my watches from private sellers I encountered on Timezone. For my last purchase, the seller and I actually met at a local Starbuck's about 15 minutes from my place. I think I lucked out.

NCT

JIT has a real store. You can buy from Peter w/o a prob.

Edit: he also has a watchmaker on the premises that can fix / clean your watch without having to send it away to the factory (as long as the watch is not very complex, of course...minute repeaters should only be handled by the factory IMHO).

Jon.


Jon.

 

[raurell]

I had a very bad experience. Was one of the first times that I bought anything and there was a rare rolex that I wanted. I should have used Pay Pal but instead wired him the money and never got the watch.

 

[Walter]

I used authenticwatches.com which I found about on Ebay had no problem.

 

[Stu]

So do you WIS types think this looks legit? It is the next watch on my to buy list, and is not a great price, but very competitive and a bit more than some of the too good to be true prices on Ebay.

 

[lisapop]

Stu, bubee, the old adage about thou shalt not pay retail really should not be applied to watches. Resist the temptation. First instance of a problem with your watch and you'll want to walk it back to the store, not have to rely on e-mailing or telephoning.
Grayson

 

[norcaltransplant]

Stu,
You might be able to find an authorized dealer who would be willing to deal at that price. I purchased my Portofino for considerably less than the price quoted at JIT and I bought mine with the S/S bracelet (the best thing about that particular model).

 

[montecristo#4]

I think Overstock.com has that Portofino at a good price.

 

[StreetLaw]

For lower-priced automatic watches, I've regularly heard recommendations for Oris.

What are people's feelings about Raymond Weil.

Any other thoughts on if a decent (10+ year) automatic watch can be had for $400-800? And if so, what brands should I look for?