I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable about buying a watch with out seeing the movement. But if the seller has a return policy that might be a different story.
Adding to what @Jo3Daddy said, you can always request pictures of the movement. I'm sure most sellers wouldn't mind.
Good luck getting them. Based on my experience, if movement photos aren't posted, you likely won't get them.
I've had a lot of experience. Often depends on the watch. For the new ones, I wouldn't bother. For everything else, yes.
Well, if the movement is not readily accessible and the seller is not an experienced watch person, I include myself in this group, exposing the movement may lead to more problems, ie. dust, dirt, fingerprints on the dial, etc. I would rather take my chances on a movement than buy a watch with some doofus holding the dial with his bare hands to show me some un-serviced movement. Or better yet the cheats that show a "serviced" movement and put some chicken-scratch marking inside the case-back to "prove" the dirty movement has been "serviced".
Yeah that’s a very good point. Ebay is all about buyers. If you don’t like it when you get it, return it. A good seller always makes it right.
Buying a watch without seeing the movement adds some risk, since you have no idea what you will find inside. There are many stories about replaced or frankened movements, rust/damage, missing auto-winding mechanisms, etc. So you can either avoid such listings altogether, or use your instincts and do a risk/reward calculation. I often ask to see movement photos, but as @efauser indicated, if the listing doesn't already have them, the seller rarely provides them.
I'll take a quick glance at the other items, if any, being sold by the seller. If it is apparent the seller is a watch dealer of any kind, I'll ask for movement photos. Otherwise, I make a risk/reward judgment call. I'd rather not have a novice bugger up the caseback trying to get it off with a pair of scissors.
Thanks for the replies everybody! Fortunately, I'm somewhat familiar with the eBay game. I was obsessing on LPs for while and probably bought a few hundred off the site. Obviously, the stakes are a little higher with watches. I'm starting to think that low-res photos might be a potential warning sign as well.
The trick is to stare at enough good pictures that when you see a listing with bad pictures you can decide whether the bad pictures are hiding something worse or are just potato shots.
This photo was the clincher, in a recent eBay 'Buy it now' purchase. There was no movement photo, the face/case photos looked okay but I guessed that no one trying to big up a watch would think that this photo was worth including. *(Great watch, at a good price)
As others have alluded to above, it’s all about differentiating the shady dealers from those who just don’t know any better. I like the previous post about the strap.. there are some things like this that someone who knows anything about watches just wouldn’t do. Another example is someone putting significant emphasis on a scratched up crystal. I also don’t mind blurry photos - I just ask for more until I get what I need.
Buy the seller with a liberal return policy. I bought an AP perpetual calendar made ca 1992 with a solid back. Seller had good feedback so bought it for about $10k knowing it would need new strap and overhaul. Upon receipt I undid the four good screws and was greeted with,........a never touched or molested movement, it ran like crap after 25 years but that was put right through the overhaul process. But I always felt comfortable that I could return it and be protected by the eBay policies. Sometimes you have to use your gut instincts and woman's intuition. Most sellers are not out to scam you.