Brand new and never worn, with the maker’s protective film or stickers where they use them. Full packaging.
No marks at all
How we grade
Six grades. Plain words. Every mark accounted for.
A grade tells you how a watch looks. It never tells you whether it works, because every watch we list runs and keeps time within its maker’s spec, whatever its grade.
- New
- Unworn
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Refurbished
Never worn, but not straight from the factory: older stock, or stickers removed for our photos.
No marks at all
Worn lightly. Fine hairlines you would only notice from about 8 inches away, under a light. No dents, no crystal damage.
Hairlines visible within 8 in
Worn and cared for. Light scratches you can see at arm’s length on the case or bracelet. Crystal and dial clean.
Light marks visible at arm’s length
Clearly worn. Visible scratches, scuffs or a small ding, every one photographed and located. Fully working.
Visible wear, all marked
Serviced or repaired by a watchmaker. The listing says exactly what was done, and when.
Depends on the watch: read the notes
What goes into a condition report
Grades are a summary. Every listing also carries a full condition report, modelled on the reports specialist dealers write for watches costing ten times as much:
- Each part, one by one. Case and lugs, bezel, crystal, dial, hands, crown, strap or bracelet, and caseback, each marked no marks, light wear, visible wear or replaced.
- Every flaw, located. Positions are given like a clock face, looking at the dial (“hairline on the bezel at 9 o’clock”), and numbered on the photo that shows it.
- Function checks. Hands, crown, date, bezel, chronograph, lume: whatever the watch has, we test it. Anything we can’t test, like water resistance without a pressure tester, we say so.
- Timing. Mechanical watches go on a timegrapher in two positions. You get the rate, amplitude and beat error, and a plain-English verdict on what they mean.
Six photos, always the same six
Front, dial close-up, crown side with measured dimensions, caseback, clasp or buckle, and on a 7-inch wrist to scale. Same angles, same light, every time, so you can compare one watch with another. We never use stock photos, and we never edit out a mark.
Why the serial number is hidden
We record every serial number privately before a watch is listed. We hide it in photos so it can’t be copied onto fake paperwork, and we check it when a watch comes back, so we know the watch returned is the one we sent.