Featured Jewellery - Watches

Watches

Around 70 percent of all watches sold on eBay are brand new. Indeed, eBay
is a great place to find a true bargain on a new watch. That said, watches are
one of those categories that is plagued by counterfeiting. Have you ever
been to New York City and seen the fake Rolexes for sale on Fifth Avenue?
It’s no better online, especially on eBay, which is why it’s important to be
aware of the danger and watch your step.
Assessing Quality
The inner workings of a watch can be a mystery to a buyer who doesn’t
understand the science behind watchmaking. That’s why you must rely on a
few true-blue guidelines to make sure you’re buying something that will last.
■ Brand name. Watches, like the one shown in Figure 4.10, are different
from other categories of jewelry because so much of the quality
is inherent in the name of the manufacturer. In fact, from a quality
standpoint, buying a watch is almost more like buying a car or a
stereo than buying a diamond! You want to go with a name you
trust. The other benefit of buying a well-known brand is that you
have a better chance of getting a good manufacturer’s warranty when
buying from an eBay seller. If the watch is made by a manufacturer
you’ve never heard of before, be sure to do a little digging on the
Internet for information about that company before taking the
plunge.
■ Watch mechanisms. How a watch works can play a big role in its
value. You can choose from watches that are mechanical, or wind-up;
automatic, or self-winding (usually fueled by the motion of the
wearer’s arm); and quartz, or battery-powered watches. Mechanical
and automatic watches use a tiny wheel and spring to keep time,
while quartz watches use a tiny quartz crystal to maintain time.
These mechanisms keep time by vibrating constantly. Quartz crystals
tend to vibrate faster and more steadily, so quartz watches tend to
keep time more accurately over a longer period. According to the
American Watch Association, quartz watches tend to lose or gain no
more than 10 seconds a month, while a mid-priced mechanical or
automatic watch might lose around five or 10 minutes a month.
■ Bells and whistles. You can buy a watch that just tells time, or you
can buy one that tracks the phases of the moon, the amount of distance
you travel over time, the distance you’re located from a train
whistle or a clap of thunder, and a variety of different time zones, all
on the face of your watch. These features, known as “complications”
in the watch world, don’t add to a watch’s ability to tell time, but
they are desirable additions for watch junkies, and can considerably
increase the value of a watch.
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Part 2 eBay for Buyers
Figure 4.10
Sophisticated watches from
international watch companies
are in demand by collectors on
eBay—and they can also be
yours, most likely for a bargain.
■ Durability. You can find watches that can withstand water a few
hundred feet below sea level, resist scratches, and keep on running
through electric shock, magnetic fields, and dust storms. If you lead
an active lifestyle, look for a watch that can stand the test of time.
■ Materials. Many watches are made of stainless steel, but if you’re
looking to spend more money, you can find solid gold watches or
watches with diamonds. Keep in mind how you plan to wear the
watch, of course, so your expensive gold watch doesn’t end up with
tons of scratches.
Red Flags
As with any category where brand names are hot, you have to make sure
you’re getting the real deal when you buy on eBay. And of course, you want
to ensure your new timepiece will last.
■ Counterfeits. Unless you’re a watch expert, it’s very hard to tell the
difference between an authentic watch and a counterfeit one, especially
when a digital photograph is all you have to go by. Especially
for watches that are infamous for being replicated with inexpensive
fakes—brands such as Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer, and Patek
Philippe—pay close attention to the discrepancy between the price
the watch is selling for and its actual retail price. Many thousands of
dollars’ difference can tell you a lot. Study the seller’s returns policy,
and be sure he or she promises a refund if it’s determined that the
watch isn’t authentic. Also, read the seller’s feedback carefully to see if
there are any previous complaints from buyers about receiving fakes.
■ Manufacturer’s warranty. If the watch is new, find out if it’s covered
under a manufacturer’s warranty. If the seller purchased the watch
from a closeout or liquidation sale, for example, a warranty might
not be available. You’re going to want to find out exactly how much
coverage you have in case your watch stops working in the first year
you own it.