Whether you’re a casual watch collector or a serious horological enthusiast, you probably spend a lot of your time searching for your next watch online.
From the comfort of your home, you can find all of the specs, pricing, and history of a piece before purchasing it. For many vintage collectors, online shopping is almost the only way to find what they’re looking for.
There is some risk involved when you shop for a watch online, and that risk can scare some guys away from making a move on a unique piece. While the saying about a deal that seems too good to be true holds water, there are great deals to be had online. That is if you know where to shop.
This list of reputable shops should help you navigate the online watch shopping market. It will also provide some insight into what to look for to make sure you’re getting exactly the deal you’re expecting to, whether it be from a dealer or a private seller.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING FROM ONLINE WATCH STORES
There are a few different types of watch stores that you can buy a watch from online. They may be brick and mortar stores with an online presence, a website-based shop, or a dealer selling through auction sites. Regardless of the situation, here are some things to think about.
SERVICE
If you’re spending your hard-earned cash on an expensive timepiece from an online retailer, service is an important consideration. Not all online shops offer watch inspection and repair services.
However, watches from these stores tend to cost less than from a full-service shop. You need to weigh out whether saving money on a watch is worth finding your own service shop.
It’s always good to have a vintage watch serviced by a certified watchmaker, so look to reputable shops that can explain the service history of a piece. They’ll also be able to maintain new watches, should you ever need it.
WARRANTY
If you’re purchasing a gray market watch, chances are the manufacturer won’t recognize the warranty. It’s not because the watch isn’t authentic. It’s because you purchased it outside of its intended distribution chain.
If that’s the case, buy the watch from a reputable gray market dealer that does offer some type of warranty on their pieces. This way you’re not hung out to try if something should go wrong.
These warranties are often limited to movements and defects, however. You’ll have to find a repair shop or pay out of pocket to send it to the manufacturer if you cause the damage.
AUTHENTICITY
There are a lot of bad deals online. Authenticity applies to not only the watch, but also the deal you’re entering into. You want to be sure it’s a good deal on the watch that you want.
Obviously, it should be an authentic timepiece, but it should also arrive at your home or office in the condition you’re expecting. If there are scratches, if it’s damaged, or the deal doesn’t include the box, you need to know and pay accordingly.
If you’re paying authentic prices for a watch in new condition with box and tags, you should expect it to arrive that way.
THE BEST PLACES TO BUY WATCHES ONLINE
These are a few online watch sources that you can trust. Whether you’re looking for entry-level, luxury, or vintage watches, you’ll be able to find it and sleep easy knowing you made a solid deal.
1. AMAZON
One of the best places to buy a watch online is also one of the best places to buy anything online, from wallets to shoes. Amazon has thousands of watches listed in their inventory, and shipping is generally very fast.
You can buy entry-level watches like Seiko and Citizen divers, as well as luxury timepieces from Omega, Tudor, and Rolex. There are tons of watches of all types on Amazon.
The benefit of buying a watch from Amazon is the incredible customer service. If you’re unhappy with your purchase, you can send it back to Amazon for a full refund in most cases.
On top of that, manufacturers will warranty watches purchased from certified dealers selling through Amazon’s marketplace.
2. JOMASHOP
If you’re looking to save a little money (or a lot, in some cases), is a great first stop on your watch-shopping journey. Jomashop is the premier gray market dealer and sells watches at incredible prices.
The online store carries both pre-owned and new watches, and they’re often listed for less than half of the suggested retail price.
Since Jomashop isn’t an authorized dealer, they try to reduce the risk involved in buying an expensive timepiece on the gray market. They include a warranty for every watch they sell, covering the watch from 1 to 5 years, with some exceptions.
The best part of shopping at Jomashop is the company’s excellent reputation and buying power. That means you’ll get an excellent price on a 100% guaranteed authentic timepiece.
3. CROWN AND CALIBER
If you’re a budding enthusiast, there are few shops better suited for watch shopping. Crown and Caliber’s website is very easy to navigate, dividing their inventory into practical categories. You can see their entire inventory of racing watches, divers, or military watches with one click.
Inventory can then narrow down further by price, size, and even material. You can also shop by brand, choosing from industry favorites like A. Lange & Sohne, Omega, Rolex, JLC, and Zenith.
You can even search by reference number if you know what you’re looking for. Prices range (depending on inventory) from a few hundred dollars to more than $60,000.
Crown and Caliber also offers a lot of helpful resources like the Unwound Blog, how to videos, and information on watch sizing and the anatomy of a watch.
Some of the watches in their inventory are still under manufacturer warranty, but for those that aren’t, Crown and Caliber covers them against mechanical and workmanship defects for up to one year.
4. THEO AND HARRIS
For watch shoppers looking for the perfect vintage piece, checking out Theo and Harris is a solid first move. Their inventory constantly changes, but they carry some of the best vintage watches from companies like Omega, Tudor, Rolex, Zenith, and Panerai.
They provide as much information as possible about each piece, including the era and dimensions, as well as the condition. You can even enter into a payment plan with Theo and Harris if you’d like, making it an attractive option for newer collectors looking for their first vintage piece.
Each watch comes with documentation ensuring that you’re purchasing an authentic piece, and they’re also covered by a one year warranty. The warranty is against mechanical issues—any damage inflicted after the sale will be your responsibility to pay for.
Service is provided through Theo and Harris’ in-house watchmaker so you’ll know where your watch is at all times.
5. EBAY
For the widest variety of watches available online, you can’t beat eBay. Watch collectors can get lost for hours at a time, perusing tons of rare and exotic pieces.
Bids tend to jump by a large margin in the last hours of the auction, however. But if you’re watching the right auction, you could see some tremendous savings on a treasured timepiece. It’s all about knowing what you’re looking for and what you’re looking at.
This also leads to some of the risks involved in watch shopping on eBay. Watches can be some of the most expensive items listed on eBay, and the industry does attract some shady business. Make sure that you check a seller’s ratings and reputation before you purchase.
A few unhappy customers is normal, but complaints about fakes or “Frankenwatches” (watches pieced together with spare parts) should be enough to steer you toward another listing.
6. WATCHBOX
Watchbox is a pre-owned watch dealer that specializes in luxury timepieces. Not only does Watchbox have several brick and mortar locations, but their online shop is also well-stocked for an excellent shopping experience.
They own their entire inventory as well, which allows them to give each piece the service it deserves, bring them back up to snuff. After purchase, Watchbox covers its watches for up to two years with its Global Warranty.
While they have an outstanding selection of Rolexes, you can also find watches from Patek, Panerai, Grand Seiko, as well as some entry-level timepieces.
7. LONG ISLAND WATCH
If you’re an enthusiast, you’ve undoubtedly seen some of the social content from Mark, the owner of Long Island Watch. Long Island Watch specializes in some of the less well-known brands such as Sea-Gull and Red Star but also carries the popular and faithful brands like Seiko and Citizen.
They sell new watches with boxes and papers, and they’re covered under manufacturer warranties. They ship worldwide and provide a 100% money-back guarantee on authenticity.
They even offer their own line of custom watches built on some popular platforms like the SKX and SRP. If you’re in the sub $3000 market, check out Long Island Watch’s online shop.
8. DELRAY WATCH
When it comes to knowledge and service, shopping at Delray Watch is the way to go. This Florida-based dealer has an online shop full of new and pre-owned luxury watches that most enthusiasts will drool over.
You’ll find a huge selection of watches from watch titans like Blancpain, Hublot, Longines, and Breitling.
One of the owners, Federico Iossa, hosts an incredibly informative YouTube channel called “Federico Talks Watches,” where he not only explains watches and trends but also how the watch industry works.
Delray’s service is also top-notch. They employ full-time watchmakers with experience working with Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, and other very high-end watch brands. If you buy a watch from Delray, you can be sure they’ll stand behind their product.
9. HODINKEE
Hodinkee established itself as a hub of information for the watch collecting world before branching out into online sales. Now, it’s one of the most trusted online retailers for brands like G-SHOCK, Montblanc, Oris, and NOMOS Glashütte, among many others.
Manufacturer warranties cover all the new watches that sell through Hodinkee’s online shop. Hodinkee also offers free shipping and returns. Vintage watches sold through the online shop are in less supply, however, and they don’t offer in-house service.
10. BOB’S WATCHES
If it’s a specific Rolex you’re after, Bob’s Watches probably has it. Bob’s is an online luxury pre-owned watch retailer. The company offers a great selection of not just Rolexes, but also Tudor, Omega, and Breitling watches, among many others.
Prices range from timepieces of a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands, depending on their inventory. While Bob’s does have a physical location, the majority of their sales are through the company’s website.
Bob’s Watches takes customer service very seriously. If you buy a watch from the Bob’s Watches online shop, you can reach out to them with any concerns and sort things out.
CONCLUSION
There are a lot of online retailers that are safe for you to buy a high-quality watch from. Some of which will come at an excellent price.
There are equally as many bad retailers, with poor customer feedback and knock-off products. It’s crucial to do some homework, know what you want, and make an informed purchase.
You can trust the online retailers in this guide to provide you with exactly what they say they’re going to. These watch shops are well respected.
They all provide a guarantee of some sort, whether it’s a manufacturer warranty or an in-house guarantee. They want you to walk away from the transaction feeling satisfied and proud of the timepiece you purchased.