Guide to buying pre-owned luxury watches online

When buying any luxury watch it is important that you that you do your research, you're purchasing not only a fine timepiece but also an investment for the future. It is also important that your transaction is as hassle free as possible. The online world we live in today is unavoidable and constantly growing all around us, it's become the first 'point of call' when researching most things in today's life. Although this is extremely convenient, it can sometimes be daunting especially when making a high-value purchase such as a pre-owned Rolex watch.

In this online guide we will look at 2 important points you should consider before purchasing a watch online - price and trust. We will talk about what you should consider before, during and after your purchase ensuring that your transaction is hassle free.

Whether you are purchasing online or in store there are many factors involved that may influence your decision as to where to make the purchase of your luxury watch. Pre-owned watches are a fantastic option versus new due to the simple fact of value for money. You are far more likely to find a better deal with a pre-owned watch, so where do you go to find your watch? Of course you can visit your local jeweller but not before determining roughly what it is that you are looking for. So we search online. Where do we start? Google, Amazon? Well these are a good option but personally I would go direct to ebay. Now you may not think of Rolex, Cartier and Omega as brands associated with ebay. However, times have changed and ebay has rapidly evolved over the years to be a hosting platform for many luxury jewellers and watch dealers.

You have decided to search ebay for your 'Rolex Stainless Steel Submariner' for example, your search returns a great number of matches to you desired timepiece. Now what? The answer might seem straight forward enough. The cheapest model is the most attractive and the one I should purchase right? Wrong!

Of course price is important when making a decision to purchase such an expensive investment but price is not everything. I would much rather purchase a watch for a couple of hundred extra pounds if I was getting a better after sales service such as a 12 month warranty. Now, on ebay you obviously have your private sellers as well as your business sellers. If you take one thing away from this guide let it be 'do not purchase a luxury timepiece from a private seller on ebay.' Although ebay protects the buyer to a certain degree there are no guarantees as to the authenticity of the item which you are purchasing. That is not to say that there are not private sellers out there who are honourable and sell only genuine products because there are, but we want to eradicate all risk. One way to do this is make sure that you are buying from a company and one which has a bricks and mortar shop. There are so many companies that have come and gone over the years. They open an office to obtain a business address and work online only. Some have succeeded but many have failed. I feel it is far more important to visit the shop if need be and talk face to face with your chosen seller. Now that you have chosen the Rolex Submariner linked to a business seller who also have a physical shop, assuming that you are happy with the price, you need to now establish a bit more trust.

Three words for you, Feedback, Feedback, Feedback. I cannot stress enough how important this is on ebay and those familiar with the site will know this all too well. Click on the name of the business seller and you will find all feedback related to them. You will very quickly determine as to whether or not this seller can be trusted. Feedback cannot be faked or exaggerated. This is the beauty of eBay. Many pre-owned watch websites have a testimonial page but this can easily be manipulated by the owner of the site because they have complete control as to what is and isn't allowed there. Take a look at all the most recent feedback. Is there any negative feedback? If so why and what was it for? The negative feedback may have been a complete one off over something minor. Google the company and find their website. Are they a registered company? Do they belong to any trade associations etc? Take your time with your research to satisfy yourself that you are dealing with a reputable company. Do not be afraid to ask any questions that you might have about both the seller and the product being sold. Send them an eBay message, email them through their website or alternatively why not just pick up the telephone? It is a good idea to speak to the person that you are about to hand over thousands of pounds to. If you have done some or all of these things you should be satisfied that everything is going to run smoothly when you purchase. So to summarise the main points before purchase we can say;

* Check eBay for your desired watch
* Ensure the seller is a business with a physical shop
* Check their feedback
* Check their website
* Make contact with them for reassurance
* Purchase your timepeice

So congratulations on your purchase. Now what? Your watch should be being sent out to you via a next day delivery service and you should receive all tracking numbers on dispatch. This is standard procedure and you must check that this is the case with your particular transaction preferably before purchase. You must also enquire about the after sales service offered. There are many watch dealers who offer only a 6 month warranty or none at all. Do not accept this. Insist on a 12 month warranty if it is not already standard procedure for your chosen company. A 12 month warranty will cover you for any mechanical issues that you may encounter with your new watch in that period. It is normal for certain issues to occasionally arise as remember you are buying a complicated mechanical item but you should not have to foot the bill. Be sure to visit the companies website so that you are clear about their terms and conditions so that you know what is covered and what is not covered. Generally water damage will not be covered if the fault lies with the owner of the watch. For example if you did not screw the crown down properly.

If you follow this guide I am sure that you will be very happy with both your new pre-owned watch and the level of service that you receive. Once you are satisfied with the company that you have chosen then you should have confidence to purchase direct from their website. This can potentially save you some money as the seller will not have to pay any eBay fees. You may be able to negotiate a better price on your next purchase. Happy shopping.