Many buyers are looking for an opportunity to buy a luxury pre-owned watch for a fraction of the price. Why pay more when you can get the same watch for half the price? Counterfeiters know this and, now, make watches that can even fool the manufacturer. As a result, a significant part of the pre-owned buying community is unknowingly wearing fake watches.

Buying a stolen watch will result in you losing both the watch and the money you paid for it. WatchFacts coordinates with the manufacturers and various law enforcement agencies to collect information on whether a watch was reported as lost or stolen.

A cloned watch is a watch that is given the identity of a legitimate watch to help disguise the fact it is stolen or inauthentic. This is the watch equivalent of identity fraud. A cloned watch could have an authentic case of a brand, such as stainless, but be represented as a two tone or have fake diamonds to command a higher price.

Buying a stolen watch will result in you losing both the watch and the money you paid for it. WatchFacts coordinates with the manufacturers and various law enforcement agencies to collect information on whether a watch was reported as lost or stolen.

A watch without a service history could be very expensive. It reflects negligence and / or ignorance. Nonetheless, most watches need to be serviced every three years. Depending on the complication, movement, and type of the watch, the cost of service could be at least a thousand dollars. Similar to cars, mechanical failures could occur if the correct servicing schedule has not been maintained. That begs the question, would you buy a car from someone that never had an oil change?

Some watch owners are focused on price not quality. As a result, they send their watches for repair to service centers that may use inauthentic parts. This could create further damage to the watch and cost you more money in the long run. Without the proper inspection, it could be years before you discover the truth.

Some watches could have mechanical problems. For example, a water resistant watch that is submerged beyond its authorized limit may leak and encounter internal destruction, and in turn, this may cost you more than the watch is worth.

Styles rarely change materially and therefore, finding the watch you have always wanted becomes more economical and realistic. The attraction of pre-owned is that you can get really great deals on watches in excellent condition than, if you buy a new or, out of your price range. You can also find legacy and vintage pieces that are hard to find or may be discontinued. Pretty much any brand you can think of is available in the pre-owned market.

Usually, prices are below the retail price of the same watch sold new. If it is a rare or limited watch that is hard to find, it may command a premium above normal retail. There are several prices you should be aware of: Trade in price - This is the cash value for your watch and could range from $0.10 to $0.30 of the original retail value (some collectable pieces or hard to find watches will be priced differently). Wholesale - This is the price dealers sell to each other. Pre-owned retail - This is the price sellers (private and commercial) offer to the public Retail as new - This is the price offered when the watch was new.

Pre-owned watches usually come with an original box and papers, but without the original warranty. These watches are considered "unworn" NOT "new." Only dealers authorized by the brands can sell new watches. For pre-owned watches, the original manufacturer's warranty usually is expired or has been filled out with the previous owner's details and is NOT transferable to prospective secondary buyers. Most pre-owned watches are sold AS IS by sellers. Some dealers and jewelry stores provide a warranty which is backed by the good faith and trust of the store.

Many retailers define Certified Pre-Owned differently, however, Certified Pre-Owned or "CPO" is becoming more standard and generally includes a warranty backed by the seller and a complete watch overhaul. CPO watches tend to command a higher price compared to standard pre-owned watches for these reasons. Make sure you inquire about genuine parts and warranty.

Professional sellers: There are several types of professional sellers. Authorized sellers and Independent sellers.

Authorized Dealers: These retailers are authorized by the brands to sell their watches. Advantage: the warranty is backed by the brand and you know what you are getting is authentic. Examples include Bucherer, Tourneau and Hamilton Jewelers.

Independents Dealers: Grey Market Watches "unworn". These dealers acquire new watches directly from the brands or Authorized Dealers and re-sell them. These watches are considered grey market watches. As a result, you are able to get watches at a discount to suggested retail. The disadvantage of using an independent dealer is: if the watch malfunctions, the brand will not honor the warranty. Only a few dealers offer their own in store warranty which is fine as long as the watch doesn't need major parts replacement during the warranty period. Brands may or may not sell parts to the service centers that support these retailers.

Pre-Owned / Vintage watches: This is the largest and sketchiest part of the pre-owned watch market. In this segment, people may add diamond dials or add gold bezels or anything else to customize the watch or to clone it to look like another watch. Also, some dealers may swap movements making your watch completely worthless. As a consumer, you don't have the level of sophistication to know the differences.

Fact 1 - Many dealers don't open watches and assume the watch is authentic. It takes special tools to open watches and many do not have them. So what, right? Well, if you buy a watch with the wrong movement, it isn't real. Think about it this way. If you bought a Ford Mustang with a Chevy Camaro engine, the car is no longer a Ford Mustang.

Fact 2 - Many fake watches produced in the Far East today can fool most authorized dealers.

Fact 3 - Some dealers intentionally clone watches to get more money from you. They will put aftermarket parts like gold or diamonds or bezels to make you think the watch is worth more. These guys only want to make a profit at your expense. We call these guys hackers.

Fact 4 - Some dealers, including hackers, use the term "Certified Pre-Owned" loosely as a way to get more money. They won't invest the time or money to ensure a watch is authentic or has been serviced properly. You may say, "so what???" Would you pay full price for a car that experienced water damage or had a salvaged title? It matters because the watch will malfunction and you may lose your money or incur a significant repair bill.

Fact 5 - 99% of dealers don't check for theft. This becomes an issue when you get it serviced by an authorized service center. If you happen to unknowingly buy a stolen watch, send it in to the manufacturer for repair and the brand finds out it is reported as stolen, you may lose the watch without compensation.

WatchFacts offers several Trust and Security Products:

1. Theft Check - for consumers, we have access to several key watch brands, law enforcement agencies, insurance companies and direct reporting from consumers and dealers.

2. Purchase Protection - A one (1) year limited service warranty is provided by a dealer authorized repair center. This includes an inspection of the watch and a WatchFacts Report.

Certified Pre-Owned or CPO is a unique category developed for our partners that consists of a standardized process of inspecting and grading luxury goods. You can trust what you are buying because the item has been inspected and certified to be as described in the WatchFacts report.

Step 1: Every CPO item is tested for theft We have access to many comprehensive theft databases including FBI, Interpol, local law enforcement as well as participating brands; such databases only include properly reported stolen items with a brand name and a serial number.

Step 2: Every item is checked for performance and condition. -See Details of a Watchfacts Report for more specifics of this process.

Step 3: Depending on the score, the item becomes eligible for a WatchFacts 1-year warranty and will receive a CPO report.

The WatchFacts is our luxury item condition grading report. It provides specific information about the item you are buying. Buyer beware is a growing issue in the online industry. We want you to know what you are buying before you buy.

Box / papers – While original box and papers don’t influence the performance or condition of a watch, having the original box and papers are an indication of completeness for an item.

Year – Indication of fragility. The older a watch, the harder it will be for the watch to perform as it was originally intended.

Water Testing – This is critical part of the process for the enjoyment and protection of your watch.

External Condition - Because it is not new, every pre-owned item has its own characteristics. Some have more scratches or dings than others. Others have been refinished and look perfect. This is very important in making your decision, and we want you to know it in advance.

Functionality – Every watch is tested to ensure it meets manufacture timing / performance metrics. Each seller tests the watch in the five positions that you would wear the watch to ensure it will not lose power and keep time. The seller will also test to ensure the features work so you can enjoy your watch for years to come.

Authenticity – This is critical as many watches are modified with aftermarket components. WatchFacts will not provide a warranty for the performance of most watches with aftermarket performance parts.

Inspection Comments – If there is anything the seller wants you to know, this will be included in this section for complete transparency and full disclosure.

Buying a pre-owned item can be very difficult. The Score makes your purchase decision easier by allowing you to base your decision on limited factors….Price and Condition.

A Certified Dealer is a dealer that is endorsed by WatchFacts. A Certified Dealer undergoes a comprehensive evaluation to ensure suitability for the Certified Pre-Owned Program.

If you don’t trust the report, contact us or send the item in for a free inspection. We will confirm the accuracy of the report, and if incorrect, we will contact the dealer on your behalf.

We will test the watch for performance and authenticity.

WatchFacts certifies its dealers. If you have any issue with a dealer, please contact us immediately.

If your watch fails to perform during the warranty period, please go online to www.watchfacts.com and submit a claim.

Our watchmakers are Brand Certified or Brand Trained. This allows us not only to ensure authentic parts are used, but also that your item performs the way it should.

Authenticity is a real issue in the industry, and we take counterfeit issues very seriously. If you feel your item is not AS DESCRIBED, please file a claim online at www.watchfacts.com.

The WatchFacts limited warranty is a (1) one-year service contract that ensures your item performs as promised. If it doesn’t, please submit a claim and send the item to an authorized WatchFacts repair facility for inspection and repair.

The internal movement mechanisms, watch buttons, case, and crown of the watch are guaranteed to match the details of the WatchFacts Report issued when the watch was sold (“WatchFacts Inspection Report”) and to be free from all defects not disclosed in the WatchFacts Report.

This limited warranty does not cover any damage or defects if: There is excessive wear and tear There is evidence of intentional or accidental misuse or abuse Resulting from loss, theft, or act of God Used under conditions which exceed the watch manufacturer’s water resistance guidelines

You can email us (claims@watchfacts.com) or call us 1.888.587.2928 and provide the following information: Report number: number placed on the top of the Certification Report. This number is a unique identifier of the item that you bought Dealer number: alphanumerical code placed at the bottom of the Certification Report. This number provides dealer’s information

We will provide you with an insured return label and an electronic invoice that, you can pay with your credit card. WatchFacts will cover all applicable postage and insurance to you at the return address you provide.

We offer extended warranty services, please contact us for details.

All watches when sold new look the same, but over time each watch will age differently as a result of wear. This will impact value and you should be aware of the condition of the watch you are buying as no two pre-owned watches are of the same quality. Our WatchFacts Score will assist you in your evaluation process as it objectively evaluates a watch based on age, external condition, functionality and authenticity.

Usually there is nothing to worry about, but a change of part can be used to hide a watch's past identity or could even signal inauthentic parts. Further, a part change can disrupt the watch's performance so it doesn't meet manufacturer's performance specifications or standards. During our inspection of any watch, we will do our best to notate any components that may be inauthentic or aftermarket. If there are any additions to the watch that are different from the original watch, such as a different strap, bracelet, bezel or dial, they are documented in the watchmaker's inspection report.

Full Service consists of our watchmakers completely disassembling a watch, which has well over 200 individual pieces, and cleaning every piece and crevice, and we replace the mainspring, re-oil and replace any worn parts. This is paramount to ensuring your watch lasts generations. It’s best to make the investment and servicing your watch before something breaks which will make it 3x more expensive. This should be done every 3-5 years depending on the age of your watch.