Journey into the unknown - Part zero

Feel like talking watches this morning.

After making my iced coffee — and by coffee, I mean espresso, because I’m Italian — I decided to take some time to tell you how I like to buy watches.

First of all, it’s rare that I buy a watch brand new. Despite what people tell you, watches are generally not great investments. Most lose 20–60% of their value the moment you buy them, and only a very small number appreciate significantly over time. Good luck randomly landing one of those.

Once a watch becomes pre-owned, its value tends to plateau at what the market allows — in other words, what people are willing to pay. That’s when I start paying attention.

When I’m interested in a specific watch, I look everywhere. I use sites like Chrono24, Jomashop, and Grailzee as indicators of what I shouldn’t pay. From there, I work backward to what I think is fair, then I keep looking. And waiting. And looking.

Eventually, something turns up on eBay, in watch groups on Facebook (but not Marketplace), or a seller on Grailzee becomes willing to accept a reasonable offer.

Wait. Full stop.

Did I just recommend eBay and Facebook?

“Are you out of your mind?” you might ask.

Maybe.

But there are ways to navigate those platforms safely.

I used eBay a lot in the past because it was a great way to access the Japanese market — notoriously safe, often lower-priced — without flying to Nakano Broadway. Unfortunately, tariffs have made much of that far less attractive in the U.S.

Facebook presents unique challenges — and unique opportunities.

The challenge is finding people you can trust, like Carter Lee, and avoiding those who seem to exist solely to take your money, like “Timepieces Dealer,” “Elite Time Traders,” and their group “Rolex Watch Owners Buy, Sell & Trade” (note the comma after “Buy,” which distinguishes it from a legitimate group).

The opportunity? Scoring a great deal on a watch you genuinely want, wearing it for a while, and later selling it while covering most — or all — of your costs.

I decided to go out and experience both the good and the bad sides of Facebook firsthand, with the hope of giving others the tools to make informed purchases and avoid falling into the hands of scammers.

Over the next few weeks, I’m planning to evolve this blog into a series that does exactly that.

For now, stay tuned…