eBay announces watch authenticity guarantee

Posts
24,257
Likes
54,021
Remember it's for watches at a price more than $2000. I for one would never sell an expensive watch on eBay, authenticated or no.

I've sold many watches for more than $2k on eBay, mostly vintage, and some quite obscure. I have serious questions about whether a generic authenticator would really have confidence with some 1940s chronographs.
 
Posts
2,446
Likes
7,040
Lots of negativity in the air judging by the comments.
I for one do not see anything bad in the approach. Shouldn't it give confidence to both the buyer and seller about a transaction?
 
Posts
1,986
Likes
3,558
Lots of negativity in the air judging by the comments.
I for one do not see anything bad in the approach. Shouldn't it give confidence to both the buyer and seller about a transaction?

As a seller, you trust eBay’s arbiter ? They deem it fake and you don’t get it back. The obvious big question is who is their expert.
 
Posts
7,682
Likes
14,207
They say they verify the movement. What do they do with that JLC Reverso with solid back, it's a tricky proposition to open the watch up. And what about resealing it? And what if a watch with serious originality issues is passed by the verifier, does the buyer have any recourse or will he be told, 'it's verified, case closed'? I've bought a few, relatively expensive watches off well known sellers on eBay, but no more.
 
Posts
5,636
Likes
5,810
As a seller, you trust eBay’s arbiter ? They deem it fake and you don’t get it back. The obvious big question is who is their expert.
That is incorrect. They return the watch to the seller.
 
Posts
5,082
Likes
15,701
I get you, and if the jackholes making the video are the same jackholes doing the work, you'd be 100% correct.

Never trust a marketing person, though.
Jackholes, LOL. That’s a new one for me 😝
 
Posts
6,598
Likes
26,722
Helps some people. My buddy bought this fake watch because it had the guarantee.
Can you clarify this? He spent $9,500 on that watch because it was fake? Or the authenticity guarantee saved him because the watch was fake? Either way, they had courage to make that purchase- terrible and redundant pictures and a user with 0 feedback.
 
Posts
24,257
Likes
54,021
As a seller, you trust eBay’s arbiter ? They deem it fake and you don’t get it back. The obvious big question is who is their expert.
That is incorrect. They return the watch to the seller.

My reading is that if they "cannot authenticate" the watch, they return it to the seller. However, if they determine that it is a counterfeit item, it will be confiscated.

FROM FAQ

----------------------
FROM T&C
 
Posts
946
Likes
2,077
certification business seems to be the new gold or ? i would combine it with kinda blockchain but not public .... oh wait ..
 
Posts
1,790
Likes
2,002
My reading is that if they "cannot authenticate" the watch, they return it to the seller. However, if they determine that it is a counterfeit item, it will be confiscated.

FROM FAQ

----------------------
FROM T&C
Authenticator only has to suspect counterfeit.
Significant risk to put a rare & unusual watch through, perhaps.
 
Posts
8,258
Likes
19,449
Perhaps a part-time job opportunity for those around here who seem to be very knowledgeable and with the required skills for the task ?

🍿
 
Posts
5,636
Likes
5,810
Perhaps a part-time job opportunity for those around here who seem to be very knowledgeable and with the required skills for the task ?

🍿

The video said "brand certified"....
 
Posts
90
Likes
808
I have been member of Ebay since it started, one of the things that happens regularly are the buyers that are searching for a special "gift/present" for a loved one, and sometimes this has a tight time constraint for delivery.
Having to send it to Ebay for verification would put a further delay in the selling process, especially if they have a backlog around Christmas.

I do my best to find watches and bring them back to their original state, but we know with Vintage watches sometimes it is difficult to find the correct "age appropriate" part and may use a service part, would Ebay verification assessors be able to tell the difference between a Speedmaster B1 and B2 bezel... if it's on the correct model watch or if its a service bezel, and if an incorrect part is fitted to a watch is the watch then returned to the seller (further delay).
 
Posts
5,636
Likes
5,810
Do none of you look at the source material? Two-day turnaround. Brand certified.

I don't know why I bother.
 
Posts
13,201
Likes
22,958
What if someone is selling a newly serviced watch?

Will eBay reseal and pressure test?

More importantly it will likely invalidate the warranty if a third party (eBay) opens it.
 
Posts
1,790
Likes
2,002
Do none of you look at the source material? Two-day turnaround. Brand certified.

I don't know why I bother.
If you are talking about the link in your OP, I can't access it.
 
Posts
3,184
Likes
3,856
The way that video is presented, they only seem to pitching this at the modern luxury watch market.

Vintage brings so many extra issues. I wonder if they've even really considered it, or if the $2,000 cut-off is their attempt to cut out most vintage (other than the bigger beasts that have wider appeal).