Speaking honestly, although when I'm selling I'm happy to work with buyers to make them comfortable the fact is, the way you suggest sounds like a lot of hassle. If one person is willing to buy a watch cash (or similar) and another wants a convoluted round trip to a watch maker where it may well sit in their safe for 2 months before they get around to servicing it, before I get paid, then I know who I'm going to sell to. I always give first dibs to the person who contacts me first, but if there payment request is out of the ordinary and I will be without both the watch and payment for several months, I'm likely to inform them that we need a different method or I'm selling to another party.

Now in your case, buyers may be more willing to accept non standard terms as your watch is more individual and a couple of buyers are likely to be willing to go the extra mile to get it. However, as a buyer it would also put me off. If I'm buying, I have cash waiting and I want my bloody watch! I don't really fancy having to set aside the cash then wait 3 months before I can see my new toy, so you may lose several buyers, which would in turn decrease the competition and possibly the final price.

 

Yes... you're quite right @Davidt I'm only thinking aloud on this one mate... responding to the anxiety that I read about on this forum 'week in an week out'. 'Be gentle with me'... I'm a Sales Forum virgin... and this is still very much a work in progress. I obviously haven't factored in busy, impatient, grumpy watch collectors who have paid their money and "want their bloody watch!"... AND WANT IT NOW!

What I'm aiming at in this 'worry free sales & purchase model' ... is that the inexperienced person is reassured (by the reputable watchmaker's assessment) that he's not buying a duff replacement...and... the collector is reassured (by the seller's willingness to involve the reputable watchmaker) that he is not dealing with a 'scamming toe rag'.
In addition, I see no reason why the expensive watch (in this sales model) could not be released to the collector as soon as the cheaper watch had been opened and assessed by the "well respected watchmaker" and the adjustment money paid over. That process could take a matter of hours not 3 months. It took Simon Freese less than 1 hour to open, assess and write up the service plan on my watch. I'll give it a 'tweak' David. Thankyou!

 

It’s a tough one as a first time seller. I think it’s important to be flexible depending on the buyer. If you were selling to an established member, perhaps one in the uk who you could meet face to face, there would be less need ti go the extra mile with security. However, if you get the best offer from a new member, outside the UK then you’re quite right to want a more stringent method in place.

I would be wary of deals including a swap. They work occasionally but you’re reliant on someone wanting your watch, also being willing to part with a reference you want, in a condition you’re happy with. You then both have to agree a price. You then have to hope said buyer is offering towards the top end of what others are willing to offer. There’s no point if the have the watch you want and all the other stars line up, only to find their offer is 3k below your other offers.

Like I say, it can work, but you’re having to line up many more ducks that in a straight cash sale. In your case where you’re parting with a nice, reasonably rare reference, and looking to buy a cheaper more plentiful one, I’d certainly advise considering a straight cash sale. This would allow you to focus purely on the right buyer at the right price. You then have cash in you pocket to go find the right watch for you.

 

Ahh??? In this sales model, @BenBagbag, I was aiming at keeping the "High falootin dealer" out of this. In this kind of 'two way sale', deal I see no reason why he has to get his hands on anyones dosh. My concerns were really aimed at the lower end of the market and based upon the anxiety of inexperienced buyers that come onto this forum every week asking for reassurance that they are not buying a 'wrongunn' or collectors 'flagging up' a dodgy vendor.

I shall take your advice... maybe open this question up, at a later date, for suggestion in a new thread. Thankyou!

 

Yes you are quite right @Davidt. I thought you chaps had cupboards full of unwanted, 861 Speedmasters knocking about... just waiting to be part exchanged for pre-moon 321 models.... but as I said "I'm thinking aloud" on this one.... and all of the factors you've highlighted have rattled around my brain.

It all boils down to knowing you're stuff. If I'm buying a house or a guitar I know within minutes whether or not they are 'wrongunns'. But then I've spent more than four decades involved in construction and been buying and selling guitars since 1967.

Buying and selling watches is a different matter and, as I said, I see the anxiety and doubt written into posts every week on this forum. As @BenBagbag pointed out, it's not going to effect the top end of the market where serious, long term, collectors, who know one another are dealing, but I do wonder if it has a bearing on the bottom end of the market where the keen but inexperienced are looking.
I shall ponder on your advice. Thankyou for re-arranging my thoughts into some sort of order.

 

Similar rules apply I would say @nonuffinkbloke whether you're buying a house or guitar.

A simple cash sale with no chain, is much simpler than selling to a buyer with a 90% mortgage, whose part of a massive chain.

 

Don´t worry about the selling of even your most uncommon (or unwanted) watches, because as they say in the used car business: "There´s an ass for every seat out there".

 

1. Echoing what someone else said, people don’t counter as much as you’d think. So don’t price your watch too high, assuming people will counter significantly lower.

2. There are other routes now to sell, namely Instagram which may be taking some of the sales away from the forums.

3. Ultimately many watches will sell if priced right or if you wait long enough.