Community Stories

What Makes a Seller Trustworthy in Your Eyes? (And a Beta Invite)

Watchprompt
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Hi everyone,


I’ve been sharing a bit here about WatchPrompt, a tool I’m building that lets collectors post specific watch wishes and only get contacted when there’s a real match. It’s not a marketplace, and not transactional, just a quiet way to surface relevant watches based on intent.


Through the generous and honest feedback I’ve received on my earlier thread, one theme stood out loud and clear:


Trust is everything.

Whether it’s avoiding scammers, knowing who you’re dealing with, or simply feeling safe in a deal, it’s the hardest part to get right, and probably the most important.


We already have early collectors searching for pieces like:


  • A Cartier Santos from the 1980s (Paris-based)
  • A rose gold Blancpain dress watch (Villeret-style, Hong Kong)
  • A few niche vintage references like the Universal Genève Polerouter

These are the kinds of watches you don’t always see listed - but someone might already have them sitting quietly in a drawer or display case. WatchPrompt is simply a way to say: “If someone’s looking for what I have - let me know.”

This kind of matching already works relatively well for established watch stores, since they usually have public trust signals - Google reviews, long-standing IG profiles, searchable ratings, etc. But for individual collectors or smaller sellers, it’s harder to build that same trust, even when intentions are good. That’s exactly the gap I’d love to help close.

So I’d love to ask:​


What makes a seller trustworthy to you?

  • A known presence on forums like OF?
  • Publicly stated price?
  • Vouching or collector references?
  • Linked accounts (IG, eBay, etc.) with real history?

I don’t want to guess - I’d much rather build it around what you actually trust. If you’ve seen good (or bad) examples of seller verification in other places, I’d love to hear them.


Would anyone be open to trying the early version?​


If we build a light “trusted responder” system - no spam, no listings - just a way to be notified when someone is actively searching for something you might have… would you be open to quietly testing that?

You’d stay in control and only engage if it feels right.

Lastly, I think many collectors are quietly frustrated by the friction in today’s platforms:
High commissions, noisy listings, and a lack of control.
WatchPrompt aims to be the opposite:
A low-interference, no-fee tool for connecting real buyer intent to real collector pieces, especially in the vintage and alternative market.

Thanks again for the thoughtful input so far. This forum has already helped shape the idea in ways I didn’t anticipate, and I’m truly grateful for the engagement.

If you’d rather share feedback privately, or want to explore the beta quietly, feel free to start a conversation with me here on OF. I’d be happy to connect.

Julien
 
TexOmega
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If they pour the jigger right to the tip top and don't skimp.

And a good neck massage, many fail on this point especially.
 
Porteroso
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Hard to say! At first it is the platform you have to trust, not the seller. I wouldn't buy through something like this without some sort of escrow system, unless the seller had used the platform 20 times or so, all successfully. I don't really trust the platform otherwise, to be able to weed out scammers.
 
Davidt
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Unless you’re using escow od say sellers profiles need a link to an established platform such as OF.
However that’s only going work if the buyer is familiar with said platform and you can find a way to validate that the davidt on your platform is actually the davidt on OF and not just a copied profile.

I guess you’d need to track the ration of enquiries to completed transactions with different methods to determine what actually leads to a high percentage of successful transactions.
 
Evitzee
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Trustworthiness is like obscenity, hard to describe, but I know it when I see it.
 
gbesq
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When a seller discloses faults about a watch that he owns, and does it before I ask questions about buying, that’s a very good start.
 
bgrisso
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Are you trying to do everything from make the initial contact, to handle all the details about the potential sale, to handling payment? Or are you just trying to make the initial contact and let people work out the transaction themselves?
It's an interesting idea because experienced collectors have high grade pieces, but often the pool of people serious about buying a particular watch at any particular moment in time may be very very small. So providing a way to make those connections can be useful, without having to wade through all the noise on the existing popular sales platforms.
Are you thinking that people would enter their watch collection (possible security issue), and then getting notified when someone posts a WTB that matches, or would it just be a collection of WTB only, that users can browse and respond if they wish?
 
Speed2Sea
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I'm not sure how you can build trust between random sellers and buyers since you will operate as a non-transactional marketplace. What guardrails will you have in place?
 
Watchprompt
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bgrisso bgrisso
Are you trying to do everything from make the initial contact, to handle all the details about the potential sale, to handling payment? Or are you just trying to make the initial contact and let people work out the transaction themselves?
It's an interesting idea because experienced collectors have high grade pieces, but often the pool of people serious about buying a particular watch at any particular moment in time may be very very small. So providing a way to make those connections can be useful, without having to wade through all the noise on the existing popular sales platforms.
Are you thinking that people would enter their watch collection (possible security issue), and then getting notified when someone posts a WTB that matches, or would it just be a collection of WTB only, that users can browse and respond if they wish?
Thanks @bgrisso - you really nailed the spirit of what I’m trying to do.
WatchPrompt isn't meant to handle the full transaction. No payment processing, no intermediaries. It’s more like a watch matchmaking engine - helping the right people find each other, then letting them do what they do best: talk, negotiate, maybe meet, and ideally, share their love for watches.


You're also spot on about the reality of collector watches: there may only be three people in the world looking for a specific piece at a given time - and they likely don’t know each other. What I’m trying to solve is just that connection gap - no noise, no scrolling marketplaces, just a way to say:


“Hey, I’m looking for this,”
and get notified only if someone actually has something that matches.

As for your question:
➡️ I’m not expecting people to upload or disclose their collection publicly - I wouldn’t do that myself, to be honest. For me, it’s more about an internal tool to improve matching relevance, not something that’s visible to others.
➡️ Buyers post wishes, and sellers (or collectors) browse and respond if they have something relevant. No public listings, no pressure.


Also, just to be clear - I’m not trying to replace communities like this one or others like WatchCrunch, which already serve their audiences well. WatchPrompt isn’t a new “watch social network” or a forum - it’s a search tool. A quiet bridge between people with specific wants and others who might have what they're looking for.

Really appreciate you taking the time, @bgrisso - does that sound like what you understood from the concept? And more importantly, do you think that actually makes sense in the real world of collecting?

I’d love to hear if you see blind spots, or if anything about it feels off or impractical. Your perspective is really helping shape this into something that could actually work for collectors rather than just about them.
 
Watchprompt
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Davidt Davidt
Unless you’re using escow od say sellers profiles need a link to an established platform such as OF.
However that’s only going work if the buyer is familiar with said platform and you can find a way to validate that the davidt on your platform is actually the davidt on OF and not just a copied profile.

I guess you’d need to track the ration of enquiries to completed transactions with different methods to determine what actually leads to a high percentage of successful transactions.
Thanks Davidt, you're hitting at the core of what WatchPrompt is aiming to be.


To clarify: the platform isn’t meant to replace marketplaces or manage transactions (so no escrow or handling money). It’s more of a discovery and matchmaking engine, helping connect the right buyer and seller, and letting them complete the deal wherever they feel most comfortable.


I totally agree with your point about verifying identity. One thing I’ve been exploring is the idea of linking WatchPrompt profiles to trusted community accounts, like OF, to establish a kind of verified badge. That way, someone could see: “This person is actually @Davidt from Omega Forums”, assuming you'd opt in to link it.


Also really appreciate the thought on tracking outcomes. Over time, I think understanding which types of matches lead to real transactions (and where trust breaks down) would help us refine it significantly.


Does that direction make sense to you?
 
Fallout Boy
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a) I'm afraid that in 3 years, AI will take care of that. At least the search world-wide .
b) Getting three satisfied partners at the end of the action is a very high hurdle.

I would reccomend a book from Dobelli. „Die Kunst des klugen Handelns“ (2013) „The Art of Thinking Clearly: A Guide to Making Smarter Decisions“ -> Cognitive Biases
 
Porteroso
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Watchprompt Watchprompt
Thanks Davidt, you're hitting at the core of what WatchPrompt is aiming to be.


To clarify: the platform isn’t meant to replace marketplaces or manage transactions (so no escrow or handling money). It’s more of a discovery and matchmaking engine, helping connect the right buyer and seller, and letting them complete the deal wherever they feel most comfortable.


I totally agree with your point about verifying identity. One thing I’ve been exploring is the idea of linking WatchPrompt profiles to trusted community accounts, like OF, to establish a kind of verified badge. That way, someone could see: “This person is actually @Davidt from Omega Forums”, assuming you'd opt in to link it.


Also really appreciate the thought on tracking outcomes. Over time, I think understanding which types of matches lead to real transactions (and where trust breaks down) would help us refine it significantly.


Does that direction make sense to you?
If you don't manage the transaction at all, or even see it, how do you police results? I'm worried about the seller being a scammer, but what if the buyer is a scammer? Does a return with a lump of iron and screws the seller over, then leaves a bad review. How will you know to deduct internet points from the buyer and not show negative feedback for the seller?

Also, there are not too many watch forums. Your verified badge is a good idea. You could simply make accounts like yours on all the watch forums, and have the sellers send you a private message.
 
Watchprompt
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Porteroso Porteroso
If you don't manage the transaction at all, or even see it, how do you police results? I'm worried about the seller being a scammer, but what if the buyer is a scammer? Does a return with a lump of iron and screws the seller over, then leaves a bad review. How will you know to deduct internet points from the buyer and not show negative feedback for the seller?

Also, there are not too many watch forums. Your verified badge is a good idea. You could simply make accounts like yours on all the watch forums, and have the sellers send you a private message.
Porteroso, you're absolutely right to point out that trust needs to work both ways. The conversation often focuses on verifying sellers (and yes, we definitely need that), but buyers can be sketchy too. So maybe buyers should also earn trust indicators, whether through a linked OF account, past successful matches, or community input.

And yes, your suggestion about forum-based verification (sending a PM through the forum to prove identity) is spot on. We could definitely implement a badge system tied to forum accounts (like OF, Watchuseek, etc.). That’s an excellent idea, and totally in line with the platform’s spirit: decentralised, trust-based, and non-invasive.

Now in terms of how a transaction might actually unfold:
If the seller’s trust signal is strong enough, the buyer will usually agree to pay upfront. In that scenario, the seller carries no risk, which is often how it goes with well-known dealers or long-standing community members. But if the buyer isn’t comfortable with that, then honestly, a traditional brick-and-mortar experience may be the better route. The point isn’t to reinvent the transaction, just to make the match happen more intelligently.

So here's my honest question to you:
If we did implement a verified badge system as you described, would that be enough for someone like you to give WatchPrompt a try ? Or are there other blockers that would hold you back? Do you feel current marketplaces, despite the fees, already solve the problem well enough that it’s not worth trying something different?
 
apsm100
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Is WatchPrompt an AI agent and the site entirely AI generated. 🤔
 
la_lusigne
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apsm100 apsm100
Is WatchPrompt an AI agent and the site entirely AI generated. 🤔
I have the same feeling.
Every posts read like they’re from an AI agent. In addition the name of the account is pretty self explanatory 🤔
 
apsm100
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la_lusigne la_lusigne
I have the same feeling.
Every posts read like they’re from an AI agent. In addition the name of the account is pretty self explanatory 🤔
Yep.

I remember asking OF if I could make a thread asking for beta testers for my app a few years ago and they politely declined.
Did they get approval for this free advertising? 🤨
 
Watchprompt
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apsm100 apsm100
Is WatchPrompt an AI agent and the site entirely AI generated. 🤔
Thanks for asking, apsm100!
Yes, WatchPrompt does use AI primarily to understand intent and to extract attributes from watch photos. You can even try it yourself: just paste a watch picture here (you’ll need to log in).


And yes, AI definitely helped build the site. But beyond that, it’s really about real people and real watches helping collectors connect over what they’re actually looking for. 😊
 
Watchprompt
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apsm100 apsm100
Yep.

I remember asking OF if I could make a thread asking for beta testers for my app a few years ago and they politely declined.
Did they get approval for this free advertising? 🤨
That's interesting,I’d love to hear more about your app and how that conversation with OF went. What was the project about? I'm curious how others have approached things in this space.

It seems OF might be a bit more open now, or maybe it depends on how things are framed. Either way, I really appreciate the chance to engage here and learn from everyone, trying to strike the right balance and stay transparent.
 
Watchprompt
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la_lusigne la_lusigne
Every posts read like they’re from an AI agent. In addition the name of the account is pretty self explanatory 🤔
Hi la_lusigne, I'm glad you're reading all of it 😀. I'm Julien by the way, nice to meet you and I'm human as far as I can tell. This project has been asleep until recent progress of gen AI which may now actually serve the watch community. Hence "watchprompt" !
 
bgrisso
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Watchprompt Watchprompt
Thanks @bgrisso - you really nailed the spirit of what I’m trying to do.
WatchPrompt isn't meant to handle the full transaction. No payment processing, no intermediaries. It’s more like a watch matchmaking engine - helping the right people find each other, then letting them do what they do best: talk, negotiate, maybe meet, and ideally, share their love for watches.


You're also spot on about the reality of collector watches: there may only be three people in the world looking for a specific piece at a given time - and they likely don’t know each other. What I’m trying to solve is just that connection gap - no noise, no scrolling marketplaces, just a way to say:




As for your question:
➡️ I’m not expecting people to upload or disclose their collection publicly - I wouldn’t do that myself, to be honest. For me, it’s more about an internal tool to improve matching relevance, not something that’s visible to others.
➡️ Buyers post wishes, and sellers (or collectors) browse and respond if they have something relevant. No public listings, no pressure.


Also, just to be clear - I’m not trying to replace communities like this one or others like WatchCrunch, which already serve their audiences well. WatchPrompt isn’t a new “watch social network” or a forum - it’s a search tool. A quiet bridge between people with specific wants and others who might have what they're looking for.

Really appreciate you taking the time, @bgrisso - does that sound like what you understood from the concept? And more importantly, do you think that actually makes sense in the real world of collecting?

I’d love to hear if you see blind spots, or if anything about it feels off or impractical. Your perspective is really helping shape this into something that could actually work for collectors rather than just about them.
I was able to grasp the basic concept readily and I think it could have value, the challenge will be to get enough reliable users on the site to actually have it function as intended. For me personally, I doubt I would use it to make any major purchases based on a verification badge alone. But it could be used to make the initial connection and then work out the details of how to make the financial transaction in a way that buyer and seller were both comfortable with.
 
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