Is Catawiki a joke?

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SoyuzPilot

·Dec 20, 2020

I'm looking at some pretty interesting pieces on Catawiki but all the photos are roughly 700x500. They proclaim to have experts but no expert I know would suggest someone shells out $30,000 on a 2998 without hi-res photos to have a really good look at the constituent parts - and at least an extract.

I'm deducing that they cannot be serious platform aimed at collectors. Did I miss something?

https://www.catawiki.com/l/43464513...-edition-311-32-40-30-01-001-men-2011-present

https://www.catawiki.com/l/43509589...8-the-first-watch-worn-in-space-men-1960-1969

https://www.catawiki.com/l/43708625...30-42-30-03-001-men-2011-present#&gid=1&pid=5

 

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Shabbaz

·Dec 20, 2020

Catawiki sucks. Telling people they have experts... It's one big scam to make money over the head of people that dont know...

 

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alefar

·Dec 20, 2020

+1
I've heard many horror stories for catawiki transactions. I would avoid it

Shabbaz

Catawiki sucks. Telling people they have experts... It's one big scam to make money over the head of people that dont know...

 

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queriver

·Dec 20, 2020

Couple of threads about Catawiki. Their non-experts don't handle the watches in person and for the expensive watch I was interested in they had 30-60kb images. Would not touch them.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-constellation-on-catawiki-fake-or-genuine.80216/page-2
https://omegaforums.net/threads/catawiki-caveat-emptor.80261/

 

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duffy7

·Dec 20, 2020

Buy the seller!!!

 

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Shabbaz

·Dec 20, 2020

I did use catawiki one time as a seller just to try it out. The so called expert did not do anything other then put the watch online.

In.the past I saw several fake 120's for sale on catawiki and I contacted the 'experts' to point this out. And they did nothing. I left it there.

 

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kov

·Dec 20, 2020

SoyuzPilot

Is Catawiki a joke?

Yes.

But as it tends to get forgotten by collectors, there are time to time good deals to be made. For sure there’s some risk and you have to know what you’re doing but « No risk, no fun » isn’t it?

 

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Dsplash

·Dec 20, 2020

I’ve spent quite some time recently on prestigious auction sites with 25-35% commissions and most of their pictures were as bad as you describe, even when asked on the side! Out of focus, bad lighting...
Honestly, I’m amazed at how they are still in business with such bad service and high rates...At least, with Catawiki, I don’t expect much better

 

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Shabbaz

·Dec 20, 2020

The problem I have with catawiki is that they advertise that all their items are looked at by catawiki experts on originality. And people believe that. This is different with most 'normal' auction houses.

But @kov is right. You can find nice watches over there with due dilligence. But as a company... ugh...

 

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Tony C.

·Dec 20, 2020·Ωf Jury member

I was in direct contact with the head of their watch department for a couple of years, on and off. I pointed out more than a few misrepresentations, and at first he was very receptive and seemingly thankful for my having brought them to his attention. But as time went on, and the mistakes continued to appear, he became increasingly less responsive.

So ultimately, there is really nothing innocent about the incompetence of their "experts". Management is aware of it, and allows it to continue.

 

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pdxleaf

·Dec 20, 2020·"I cut it TWICE and it's still short!"

kov

Yes.

But as it tends to get forgotten by collectors, there are time to time good deals to be made. For sure there’s some risk and you have to know what you’re doing but « No risk, no fun » isn’t it?

It's great fun to look at Phillips but not a place for people who buy their clothes off of the closeout rack. Catawiki is all about the search. Same reason people go to pawn shops or antique stores not really expecting to find something but hopeful.

Thanks to all who pointed out the vulnerabilities of catawiki. I wasn't aware of the level of the problem. I will still browse there and have no more (or less) confidence in them than I have in ebay

 

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SoyuzPilot

·Dec 20, 2020

Thanks all for confirming my suspicions. I take a buyer-beware approach to all sellers but probably sub-consciously rely on the big auction houses to have checked their representations. Although having seen what they do with their car auctions I should probably know better!!!!

I do love the chase though, wherever it takes me!

 

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Mark020

·Dec 20, 2020·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

Catawiki is IMHO indeed a joke. Good idea, very poor execution. Non existing experts. Estimates without any idea behind it: the list is long

 

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Dsplash

·Dec 20, 2020

SoyuzPilot

I'm looking at some pretty interesting pieces on Catawiki but all the photos are roughly 700x500. They proclaim to have experts but no expert I know would suggest someone shells out $30,000 on a 2998 without hi-res photos to have a really good look at the constituent parts - and at least an extract.

I'm deducing that they cannot be serious platform aimed at collectors. Did I miss something?

https://www.catawiki.com/l/43464513...-edition-311-32-40-30-01-001-men-2011-present

https://www.catawiki.com/l/43509589...8-the-first-watch-worn-in-space-men-1960-1969

https://www.catawiki.com/l/43708625...30-42-30-03-001-men-2011-present#&gid=1&pid=5

that 2998 looked sexy from here though! At 11k, the reserve was not met so I guess it wasn’t too either at 12, but if it did, the risk for the buyer seems limited...

 

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seikosematic

·Dec 21, 2020

Even as someone new to watch collecting, I noticed catawiki having some things that did not add up (checking serial number dates matching movement dates, etc).

 

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Twocats

·Dec 21, 2020·Married... with children

I had an account and tried to sell my Dodane Type 23. The "Expert" rejected my watch as he said the display case back was not issued by Dodane when it clearly was. I sent him photos from the website showing the option as well as high res scans of all my documents but he still refused. I then wrote to the HQ to ask why and received no answer.

I also tried to sell my VW bus (avatar photo) for 30k euros and was told to reduce the price or they would not list it !!! at that point I closed my account but I still receive bloody spam emails from them.

 

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Aquariusmatic

·Dec 21, 2020

Sold my Memomatic there for 2300€ if i remember correctly and the "expert" valuation was right around 2k€... They don't know their head from their ass but seem to be a good platform to unload stuff that wouldn't move or wouldn't fetch the same price as on eBay...
It seems as like the buyers there either blindly follow the expert opinion or are just trigger happy bidding junkies as some reached prices do not make any sense...
On the other hand I scored my first Heuer 1550 there for right around 1k€. Wouldn't hold them in any higher light than eBay and most sellers on there.

 

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kov

·Dec 21, 2020

The etymology of their company name means "a detailed description (wiki) of the catastrophe they are". 😁

 

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Winston_Smith

·Dec 23, 2020

I'd summarise my experience as follows:

90% - loss of time (redials, frankens, Godforsaken territory of watches)
10% - good watches

Out of the 10%, a slight chance of getting a reasonable deal. E.g. you can find some good steel case Connies out there but with a ridiculous USD 4,000 bid. It's of course everyone's own choice to pay whatever price for any vintage but I'm not sure how many of those "sells" are actually being realised. I've got some friends selling on CataWiki and what they tell me is most of the time the highest bidder avoids sealing the sale, i.e. not paying and often on simple personal grounds. All in all, you may hear complaints from both sides, sellers and buyers, when it comes to CataWiki.

 

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loniscup

·Dec 23, 2020

Winston_Smith

I've got some friends selling on CataWiki and what they tell me is most of the time the highest bidder avoids sealing the sale, i.e. not paying and often on simple personal grounds. All in all, you may hear complaints from both sides, sellers and buyers, when it comes to CataWiki.

Catawiki still charges their 10% of the final bid, those buyers have to pay it even if they don't pay for the watch