The auction begins when sellers submit their watches through our platform. We carefully review the submissions and choose the most compelling ones, collaborating with sellers to create comprehensive listings. Each auction generally lasts for seven days. To provide a secure buying and selling experience, all watches are authenticated by a third-party and held in escrow before the buyer completes the wire transfer to the seller.
Once an auction ends, the buyer provides proof of funds, and the seller ships the watch to a fully insured and secure third-party authentication center. After authentication and escrow holding, the buyer wires payment to the seller, and the watch is shipped to the buyer. The seller covers shipping to the authentication center, while the buyer is responsible for shipping from the authentication center. This authentication and verification process is mandatory for every transaction.
Purchasing a watch through Watch-Broker offers the highest level of safety and security. Before you send payment, the watch is thoroughly inspected and held in escrow. Our team of expert watchmakers at the authentication center carefully examines each watch to verify its authenticity, condition, and included accessories, ensuring it matches the listing’s description.
Once the inspection is completed, you will receive a detailed report of their findings. After receiving the report, you have up to two business days to request further information before finalizing the payment to the seller. The watch remains in escrow throughout the process, guaranteeing that you receive exactly what you paid for. When it comes to buying watches online, no method is safer!
All auctions go through our sell a watch page. Below are the options to sell at different auction levels. Classic, Premium, and Elite.
+ We will review your submission to ensure it’s a good fit for our audience.
* Adding features to your auction may increase the price. You are only charged if your item sells
** We will send you shipping and packaging instructions so your watch is 100% insured.
++ The watch is kept in the vault until you confirm receipt of funds.
After selecting a service level, sellers complete a submission form, providing details and uploading photos. Our auctions team then reviews the submission to determine if it aligns with our audience.
Once a watch is approved, the seller submits the listing fee, and we collaborate to collect all essential details, including images, paperwork, and service records.
Using the provided information, our Auction Specialists carefully create an accurate and compelling listing. This entire process is typically completed within two business days.
Each auction launches with a detailed listing, high-quality photo gallery, and enhanced seller tools designed to maximize results.
To participate in bidding, registration is required.
To ensure buyer commitment, all bids are verified with a temporary credit card hold. When a bid is placed, a hold for 5% of the bid amount is applied to the card on file. Once the auction ends, this hold is released for all non-winning bidders.
Our sniping protection feature extends the auction by two minutes if a bid is placed in the final moments, ensuring a fair bidding process. The auction officially ends only when two full minutes pass without a new bid.
We strongly encourage bidders to carefully review the listing and read through the entire comment section before placing a bid. Doing so allows bidders to fully understand the watch’s details and benefit from insights shared by the community.
Before payment is made, every watch undergoes third-party authentication to confirm its authenticity and ensure it matches the listing’s description.
If the reserve price is met (or if the auction has no reserve), the winning bidder must provide proof of funds within 24 hours. Once verified, the seller ships the watch to a third-party authentication center for inspection. After authentication confirms the watch matches the listing, the buyer wires payment to the seller, and the watch is then shipped—fully insured—to the buyer. The seller covers shipping to the authentication center, while the buyer covers shipping from the authentication center.
If the reserve is not met, we’ll try to facilitate a deal between the seller and the highest bidder. If an agreement isn’t reached, the watch may be listed in our Last Chance Offers program for additional sale opportunities.
Sellers pay a $99 listing fee ($49 for no-reserve auctions), with the option to upgrade to a premium listing for an additional $400 ($250 for no-reserve). There are no hidden seller fees—what you earn is yours.
Buyers pay a 5% buyer’s fee on top of the final sale price, with a minimum of $250 and a maximum cap of $5,000.
Still have questions?
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for more details.
We partner with _____________, with over 20 years of experience. Their expert watchmakers carefully verify that every timepiece matches its listing, ensuring authenticity, condition, and included accessories. After authentication, buyers receive a detailed report, providing full confidence in their purchase.
To guarantee a secure transaction for both buyers and sellers, our process follows these steps:
With this process, both buyers and sellers enjoy a seamless, secure, and trustworthy transaction experience.
If an auction ends without meeting the reserve price, we first attempt to negotiate a deal with the highest bidder. If an agreement isn’t reached, the watch is listed on our Last Chance Offers page, where buyers can submit direct offers to the seller and receive a response within 24 hours—often much sooner.
Important: All offers made through Last Chance Offers are binding and cannot be canceled. If a seller accepts your offer and you fail to complete the purchase, your service fee and Watch-Broker account will be forfeited, just as if you had defaulted on a winning auction.
