The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[NakedYoga]

How careful do you have to be with the more established online sellers like Chrono24, Crown and Caliber, etc.? I've been starting to look at a Cartier Tank for my wife as an anniversary or birthday gift and have been browsing Chrono24 to get an idea of the market. I'm only considering new in box with papers for this, but I'm also seeing some Santos pieces I really like for myself, which I would be willing to buy pre-owned.

 

[clee1982]

I got my grey market JLC through Chrno24 with paper, but that wasn’t an “established” seller (and actually I think that account is gone now), though I did do some due diligence in terms of finding the guy find the jewelry store etc and request quite a lot pictures etc

 

[alpyigit]

Regrets, I've had a few - including this Piaget. Don't remember why I sold frankly..

 

[NakedYoga]

Regrets, I've had a few - including this Piaget. Don't remember why I sold frankly..

View attachment 1503017

I can't unsee an old bathroom scale with the date window at the top.

 

[Texasmade]

I can't unsee an old bathroom scale with the date window at the top.

May I introduce you to the Vacheron Constantin Saltarello?

 

[Dino944]

May I introduce you to the Vacheron Constantin Saltarello?

I was thinking the same thing...another bathroom scale.

 

[chrfi]

How careful do you have to be with the more established online sellers like Chrono24, Crown and Caliber, etc.? I've been starting to look at a Cartier Tank for my wife as an anniversary or birthday gift and have been browsing Chrono24 to get an idea of the market. I'm only considering new in box with papers for this, but I'm also seeing some Santos pieces I really like for myself, which I would be willing to buy pre-owned.

Chrono24 is not a seller, it's a platform for sellers so do your diligence and check the actual seller carefully. I have used Chrono24 many times, and I think their payment system with the escrow account offers good protection for the buyer.

 

[ValidusLA]

I was thinking the same thing...another bathroom scale.

View attachment 1503028

Yeesh

 

[Andy57]

Chrono24 is not a seller, it's a platform for sellers so do your diligence and check the actual seller carefully. I have used Chrono24 many times, and I think their payment system with the escrow account offers good protection for the buyer.

@NakedYoga this is good advice. I've purchased a couple of things from Chrono24 sellers using the escrow system. It works well, in my opinion.

 

[NakedYoga]

@NakedYoga this is good advice. I've purchased a couple of things from Chrono24 sellers using the escrow system. It works well, in my opinion.

Thanks. I do like the escrow system. How much diligence is reasonable for the buyer, and how much is approaching overkill? I guess I'm wondering how much diligence Chrono24 does before allowing a listing.

 

[razl]

Thanks. I do like the escrow system. How much diligence is reasonable for the buyer, and how much is approaching overkill? I guess I'm wondering how much diligence Chrono24 does before allowing a listing.

My recent Zenith acquisition was via chrono24 with escrow and worked out well. You get 14 days from receipt before you have to release funds.

In my case, the watch arrived as described and expected, however it stopped on me while fully wound once so I upped my schedule to take it to a good local shop. They had the same thing happen to them while it was in their care but believed it just needed a good cleaning/service (the seller wasn't sure of his most recent one). I was able to renegotiate with the seller during those 14days about 60% the cost of a servicing estimated at about $900 - they notified Chrono who refunded me the agreed amount and I released the rest of the funds.

I'd already planned on getting into the world expensive servicing, but just hadn't expected it on day 1. Al in all. I was very happy with how the whole process worked out.

 

[chrfi]

Thanks. I do like the escrow system. How much diligence is reasonable for the buyer, and how much is approaching overkill? I guess I'm wondering how much diligence Chrono24 does before allowing a listing.

I would feel confident if the dealer actually has a shop, proper website for the shop etc. If it's just an address in a residential area I would be wary.

 

[pmeis]

Had a situation on Chrono24 where I bought a preowned watch from a dealer in Germany. He was having issues on figuring out how to properly ship it, but the price was good, so I was willing to be patient. After three weeks and a variety of excuses (potentially legitimate), the same model appeared on ebay in the US for about the same price and had decided that I had given the dude enough time to get his **** together, so I politely requested through Chrono24 to void the transaction. I promptly received a refund from the escrow account.

So kind of a hassle, but at the same time feels like the system worked as it should have.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

A fine middle ground (for most watch brands at least) is buying grey market. I bought my omega from a grey market dealer for less than 70% of MSRP, and only slightly more than what the used market was for the same watch at that time.

It depends on the watch of course. Look at what the gray market is asking for those sought after SS sport watches from Rolex, AP and PP.

 

[mak1277]

It depends on the watch of course. Look at what the gray market is asking for those sought after SS sport watches from Rolex, AP and PP.

Oh of course, hence why I qualified it with "most brands".