eBay announces watch authenticity guarantee

What will the authenticator have to say about this horror?

Good Lord ...

I don't mind at all if they want to have a look at this watch.

Update:
As discussed (as a possibility) it is now an optional add-on for watches in the $1000-$1999 range. Buyer pays $80 to have the watch and accessories, authenticated. (Think they will catch a Repo #6 end link?!?)

From eBay:
“On March 8, 2022, we’ll introduce “expert verification,” our new optional add-on authentication service. Expert verification will give buyers the option to have wristwatches priced between $1,000 and $1,999.99 authenticated by our third-party experts for a cost of $80. This opt-in service will be available for eligible US listings, as well as active listings on eBay.com, from qualified sellers in Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, South Korea, and Italy.

When expert verification is added at checkout by a buyer, the seller is required to ship the item to our authentication partner who will conduct a multi-point inspection to verify that the watch is authentic and that the watch, accessories, and packaging are as described in the listing. Please make sure that you ship items to the authenticator as indicated in the shipping address if the buyer chooses this option for qualifying watches and check that you have listed your items in the correct categories.

Expert verification further enhances the shopping experience that today’s buyers want by giving them the option to add an additional layer of protection. It also gives you peace of mind by protecting you from fraudulent returns. If a watch with expert verification is returned, it will be sent to an independent expert authenticator to verify whether the return matches the item and condition in which it was originally sent.

As always, thank you for selling on eBay.

The eBay Selling Team”

$80 for unpacking, authentication by a skilled expert, repacking in special eBay box/packaging, and shipping to buyer.

Sometimes, there are positive stories to share as well... I've recently had a watch go through eBay's authenticity guarantee program in DE and have had a rather positive experience. The service was swift (turnaround time within 24 hours), the documentation provided was correct in every detail and the packaging the watch was forwarded in with is not just nicely looking, but sturdy too.

As the communication with the seller of the watch left things to desire, I was actually quite pleased to hear that eBay verified that what was promised in the ad had actually been sent. Not because I would not have been able to assess that, but because I would have had a somewhat harder time explaining something was wrong if it would have been. Luckily, all good, in this case.