Buying from Chrono 24

AndyRC
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Has anyone bought via Chrono 24? I’d always prefer to buy face to face if possible but with some rarer watches sites like C24 appear to be the main option?
 
YY77
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Bought a Zenith El Primero from a seller (intermediary) in Italy 3 years ago (shipped to Netherlands), DM'd to make sure I would get a fresh AD stamped one.
 
Aquagraph
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I bought through them once, it was a 300pc LE Grand Carrera which I couldn't find anywhere else. It was from a shop though, which made me feel a bit better and it was in my country... all went well, but of course like eBay you have to judge each seller on their own merits
 
abrod520
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I'm most curious about taxes and fees. How did those stack up to buying new?
 
Anthony.
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I've purchased quite a few from Chrono24.
Never a problem apart from the Dato that got lost. Had the $$ refunded and all was fine.
I've paid fees for importing to Australia.
Funds don't get cleared and released to seller until you receive the watch and are happy with it.
 
YY77
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abrod520 abrod520
I'm most curious about taxes and fees. How did those stack up to buying new?
My A386 50th anniversary was bought via C24 in Japan, got hit with 21% VAT and FedEx duty costs but sales price was quite a lot below retail.
 
imagwai
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I've purchased a few from Chrono24 as well. Not an issue. But watch out for import duties/vat if you're buying from a seller in another country.
 
Pitfitter446
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I’ve been watching a thread elsewhere about a stolen Rolex for sale on C24, owner wants/needs their help to get it back, seem somewhere south of useless, watch registered as stolen via serial number and it’s visible but they don’t seem to care,or check.
 
YG_Rulz
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Seasoned buyer and seller from C24 here. A few things to keep in mind:
1. C24 is only an intermediary marketplace. They do not carry out any authenticity checks on the watch.
2. There are 2 types of sellers: registered sellers (shops) or private sellers (individuals). The registered sellers have an obligation to provide you with a refund upon return of the watch, whereas the private sellers don't.
3. It is YOUR responsibility to check the authenticity of the watch prior to purchase or after receiving the watch in hand. If you don't raise a dispute within 7 days of receipt of the watch, then it is assumed that everything is good and the transaction gets closed.
4. If you are a private (individual) seller, you pay 6.5% as commission on the sale of the watch. No commission is taken from the shipping charges.
5. If you are a buyer, then along side taking responsibility to check the authenticity, you also need to manage any import duties, VAT, custom duties, etc.

I can answer any other question if you have
 
D
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YG_Rulz YG_Rulz
Seasoned buyer and seller from C24 here. A few things to keep in mind:
1. C24 is only an intermediary marketplace. They do not carry out any authenticity checks on the watch.
2. There are 2 types of sellers: registered sellers (shops) or private sellers (individuals). The registered sellers have an obligation to provide you with a refund upon return of the watch, whereas the private sellers don't.
3. It is YOUR responsibility to check the authenticity of the watch prior to purchase or after receiving the watch in hand. If you don't raise a dispute within 7 days of receipt of the watch, then it is assumed that everything is good and the transaction gets closed.
4. If you are a private (individual) seller, you pay 6.5% as commission on the sale of the watch. No commission is taken from the shipping charges.
5. If you are a buyer, then along side taking responsibility to check the authenticity, you also need to manage any import duties, VAT, custom duties, etc.

I can answer any other question if you have

move bought from Chrono24 and been happy but this time I have my eyes on a Cartier and it all looks fine and is new with warranty card but missing purchase receipt and told my seller it’s in hand.

just a little bit dubious as I don’t want to get caught out with a fake. I’ve done as much checking as I can and it looks real to me and was going to pop to a shop when and if I get it to get it checked out
 
YG_Rulz
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D danwel
move bought from Chrono24 and been happy but this time I have my eyes on a Cartier and it all looks fine and is new with warranty card but missing purchase receipt and told my seller it’s in hand.

just a little bit dubious as I don’t want to get caught out with a fake. I’ve done as much checking as I can and it looks real to me and was going to pop to a shop when and if I get it to get it checked out
I'd honestly suggest taking it to your local dealer and getting the watch checked. Usually these days people tens to keep purchase receipts for watches, especially something like a Cartier.

I would also suggest going on The Watch Register (https://www.thewatchregister.com/) to check whether the watch has been registered as stolen or not. It is a paid service for which you need the serial number of the watch. Keep it in mind that The Watch Register relies on data from police reports filed about a stolen watch, so if the watch has not been reported as stolen, it may come up as "not stolen" in The Watch Register report.

I'm attaching the photo of The Watch Register report that I had generated for a Monaco that I was buying online. Like I said, it needs to be reported as stolen in order for it to be declared as stolen
 
watch register test.jpg
paysdoufs
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Bought a handful, both from businesses and private individuals. No particular issues so far. If the seller is a newbie, you might wish to provide a bit of handholding re. appropriate packing…

YG_Rulz YG_Rulz
Seasoned buyer and seller from C24 here. A few things to keep in mind:
1. C24 is only an intermediary marketplace. They do not carry out any authenticity checks on the watch.
2. There are 2 types of sellers: registered sellers (shops) or private sellers (individuals). The registered sellers have an obligation to provide you with a refund upon return of the watch, whereas the private sellers don't.
3. It is YOUR responsibility to check the authenticity of the watch prior to purchase or after receiving the watch in hand. If you don't raise a dispute within 7 days of receipt of the watch, then it is assumed that everything is good and the transaction gets closed.
4. If you are a private (individual) seller, you pay 6.5% as commission on the sale of the watch. No commission is taken from the shipping charges.
5. If you are a buyer, then along side taking responsibility to check the authenticity, you also need to manage any import duties, VAT, custom duties, etc.

I can answer any other question if you have
Isn’t it max. 14 days before the money gets released from the escrow account by default? 👎
 
AndyRC
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Thanks for all the responses, most helpful 😀 I’ve seen a few watches on C24 for sale in Japan at prices lower than U.K., or just not available in the U.K. Does anyone know if there is import duty to pay in the U.K. for items from Japan? I’m assuming 20% VAT will be payable?
 
Yago
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C24 is the platform, not the seller. It’s been in place for a long time. Never had any issues but I’ll only buy from dealers with good reviews. Frauds are everywhere in the watch world, including on C24.
 
imagwai
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AndyRC AndyRC
Thanks for all the responses, most helpful 😀 I’ve seen a few watches on C24 for sale in Japan at prices lower than U.K., or just not available in the U.K. Does anyone know if there is import duty to pay in the U.K. for items from Japan? I’m assuming 20% VAT will be payable?
In the UK, you pretty much have to pay import VAT from anywhere you buy from, including Japan. Best to add on 20% to everything you see that isn't UK.
 
YG_Rulz
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paysdoufs paysdoufs
Isn’t it max. 14 days before the money gets released from the escrow account by default? 👎
So if you're a private seller, then your payment from the escrow account will be released after 7 days after confirmed delivery (through tracking) or after the buyer has confirmed delivery (them receiving) of the watch. C24's tracking system is not as good, so whenever one of my watches gets delivered, I call up C24 and ask them to update the delivery status manually (based on tracking). Usually for me the payment is released almost immediately and I receive the money the next day (I even got the money once over the weekend). I'm based in UK, so that could be a factor.
 
YG_Rulz
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AndyRC AndyRC
Thanks for all the responses, most helpful 😀 I’ve seen a few watches on C24 for sale in Japan at prices lower than U.K., or just not available in the U.K. Does anyone know if there is import duty to pay in the U.K. for items from Japan? I’m assuming 20% VAT will be payable?
You'll be paying 20% VAT on the cost of the watch + shipping. There are different ways that people incorporate to reduce this burden:

1. Ask the seller to declare a lower value of the watch when they prepare the shipping documents. This is not always a good idea because:
1a. The declared value is linked with the insurance coverage for the watch - which for me is critical when it comes to international shipping. Imagine having a $2000 insurance cover for a $10,000 watch.
1b. Depending on the how vigilant the customs officer are in the country of importation, they'll clearly see through the manipulated value of the watch and then put their own value based on their judgement, or the highest value of the watch that they notice on the internet. Example, imagin you bought a Monaco for $5000 and got is declared for $2000 - the customs officer will search for the model number and the highest price for that model will come as $8000 and that will be carried forward.

2. Get the watch imported to a low custom duty country (like in the Middle East) to a good friend's / family's address and then get them to carry the watch in person to you. Problem of course is the trust factor over here on the person who you're shipping it to and the fact that they might not be able to carry out any authenticity checks on the watch when they receive it (assuming they are not watch aficionados).

I personally don't recommend the first step because I know of good friends and seasoned collectors who have lost their watches in transit through DHL & Fedex shipping, but couldn't put in a claim due to reduced declared insurance value.

P.S. our Japanese friends are very honorable and most of them do not entertain requests for reducing the declared value of the watch.
 
imagwai
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Not to mention that all of those methods described above amount to tax fraud
 
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