Just received my 2nd watch through the new authentication program and it was supposed to come with an additional watch bracelet, but of course - no bracelet was in the box.

The seller was extremely open and detailed during discussions, so I have a feeling that it likely fell out of the box at the authenticator or was not placed back in, or some related situation. I feel like I can usually get a decent read on a person even through limited communication and I do believe that they sent it.

I called eBay and after some mild communication they said I had to open a missing parts case and the authenticator can step in as needed. They supposedly take pictures of everything in and out. I really hope this doesn't become the authenticator's word against mine regarding was was sent and received, but we shall see.

Stay tuned for more details about how such issues get resolved.

 

Yeah I’m curious if it’s lost for good do they offer you a partial credit or do you have to return it and get a full refund (in which case the seller is screwed)? If they offer partial refund who decides how much the bracelet is worth?

definitely curious to see how this pans out

 

This sounds like it sucks for both buyer and seller.

Hope it turns out as well as possible for you, and I'll be interested to hear how ebay handles your issue.

 

So I think it is going to come down to what the authenticator says and I am worried I will get screwed.

scenario 1) the authenticator says it was included, buyer is protected and I can't do anything
scenario 2) the authenticator says it wasn't included, buyer has to work with me to come up with a number or item gets returned
scenario 3) the authenticator finds it and sends it to me.

 

Hobbies are supposed to be fun, a relief from exactly what you’re experiencing. Sucks when it happens.

 

Sorry, is this a watch you're selling or buying? Either way the situation sucks, but just want to keep the parties straight.

 

I didn't foresee this particular problem, but in retrospect it makes perfect sense that it would eventually happen. Any loss or damage at the authentication stage (and obviously it will happen) is going to be super hard to prove.

 

I am the buyer...It was an IWC Pilot with strap and it also included the IWC bracelet.
It arrived, after being authenticated, without the bracelet.
The seller, who I feel is being completely honest (sounds like a wife helping her husband sell his watch - has been very fast to respond and answer all questions thoroughly), said they put the bracelet loosely in the watch box before shipping.
So the bracelet either intentionally or unintentionally never left the watch authenticator.
The rest arrived perfectly.

We will see how eBay handles the situation. The eBay representative I spoke to on the phone said she would open a case for me. I called back and hour later because no case had been opened yet. I was told they are still investigating internally (sounds like trying to get in touch with this so called 3rd party authenticator). I was told they take picture of everything. Will keep everyone posted so we know what we are dealing with...

 

Coming on almost 48 hours later, eBay has not officially opened a case yet.

After contacting them again, I was told that it has been escalated to the high value department, which is an internal resource that can't be contacted from the outside. I was told they have all of my information and notes and that I have to wait for an outreach.

Every hour that passes, the chances of the authenticator finding the bracelet and returning it slim further...

Unless this does a complete 180 (and quickly) I will be avoiding this "authentication" service as much as possible.

 

I wonder what the authenticator's response would be if you had them served with a summons to small claims court. The value of the bracelet is likely to be lower than the small claims limit.

 

These are the kinds of situations that will be the undoing of this program. The loss of a bracelet, missing links from a rare bracelet, original crown and pushers in the bottom of a box, the stubborn case-back they fuck up while hastily trying to plow through the 500 incoming pieces they have sitting on the shelf awaiting inspection.
eBay will soon realize that being the middle-man is going to cost them far more than they thought they would earn by mandating this program.

 

It’s truly ridiculous! The bracelet is worth like 600-700. But my point of the thread is just to share my experience with what I can only say is a really poorly executed program.

I have now called eBay 5x in 2+ days with no progress and no answers.

As I suspected early on, I can’t even open a freaking case on my own b/c it is had been “authenticated” so there is virtually NO dispute resolution process at all!

 

Even if it comes out ok for you financially, the process sounds awful.

 

After a 6th proactive call today with no case open I was told the "authenticator" said they shipped it to me with the bracelet.

I will tell you the box that they send these watches back out in is a small brown box with limited packaging. It was 100% not in there.

Spoke with someone on the "authenticity guarantee" team and they said in nicer words that I am probably screwed and there is no course of action. I could try to make a return, but I might get caught with a missing item on the way back. This makes no sense to me, but they said it is my only option right now and that developments might occur along the way that could help.

The call ends so I go online to try to open a return request and it says you cannot open a return for 2 weeks, December 30th!

I call back AGAIN and they said the system is screwy because of 2 tracking numbers, the original and the authenticator and that the system doesn't know what to do, they can't override it, and that I would have to wait until December 30th to open a return case.

BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE BUYING AND SELLING ON EBAY NOW. There is literally no longer any recourse or resolution process for watches (and sneakers).

I won't make any further updates unless they actually find the bracelet, but sounds like I am out about ~$700.

 

I knew there were going to be huge problems with this, I did not foresee this one. I hope it will turn out OK for you.

 

Thanks for sharing and the warning.

Sucks.

Hope you can shake it off in time and enjoy the watch. (The bracelet was probably horribly uncomfortable anyway.)

 

I hope you are sharing this saga with every watch forum you can possibly post to. This is exactly the type of situation that all of us feared- no recourse when it comes to the authenticators and you are SOL.
If the entire watch collecting community addresses their collective chagrin with eBay (I can’t think of any collector who is in favor of this- it was clearly designed for the uneducated luxury watch buyer) then they’ll either have to change course or risk losing a very large share of their market.

 

If they shipped it to you with the bracelet, they should have photographic evidence.