Journey into the unknown - Part2

The second experiment came to me on a whim. I was scrolling on my phone when I stumbled across a listing—Facebook, eBay, maybe even an eBay post on Facebook—for another beautiful Formex ThirtyNine, this time with a green dial. It came on the original green leather strap, perfectly matched to the dial, and—strangely enough—included two additional original green leather straps. The set was rounded out with papers and, to my surprise, the optional $80 wooden presentation box. The price? Tempting enough that I simply couldn’t ignore it.

Now, as you know, I had just purchased a white ThirtyNine. Logically, I should have passed. But this green? That wasn’t happening.

Once I clicked through, I noticed the seller was TNS Diamonds, a well-known dealer. I had been following their content for some time, so I was already familiar with their reputation within the community. Still, I did my due diligence and verified the profile. Satisfied, I reached out via the phone number listed—only to find an already existing chat. That’s when it clicked: I had previously spoken with them about a Ball watch that had already sold.

At that point, everything lined up. I was fully confident the deal was legitimate and would go smoothly.

And it did.

We agreed on a lower price, and TNS Diamonds even covered the cost of the shipping label. True professionals. Not long after payment, they sent me a photo of the FedEx label, and by that evening, the watch was already in transit.

Two days later, the package arrived at my door—signature required—and the watch was in my hands.

This is the kind of experience people hope for when buying a watch online. It’s proof that, with enough patience, awareness, and a bit of luck, great deals from honest sellers do exist. TNS Diamonds absolutely earned their reputation here.

That said, the internet is still a black hole. For every legitimate seller, there are bad actors looking to take your money and disappear. I’ve experienced that side of things as well. Once everything is resolved on that front, I’ll share the full story so we can break down the red flags together—and hopefully help others avoid the same mistake.