How To Buy A Luxury Watch Online

Not all internet watch sales are created equal. There’s a lot of misinformation and unscrupulous vendors online, and it’s easy to get caught out.Buying a luxury watch is a big deal. Whether it’s your first purchase or your fifth, every piece has a special significance for its owner. Savvy consumers are increasingly going online to make this all-important purchase and Berry’s is proud to be a front-runner in this space. To help you avoid potential pitfalls, we’ve put together our 5 tips for buying a luxury watch online.

Do your research
The first step to protecting yourself when buying online is informing yourself. Start building an overview of the watch you’re interested in. What drives its value? How widely available is it? Where possible, try to find out what you should look for to verify the authenticity of your watch once it arrives. This especially applies to vintage/ used timepieces, where original parts may have been replaced with inferior, non-genuine ones. Always buy from an authorised dealer or representative. To protect yourself when buying a new watch online you should only deal with a seller that has been certified by the brand. That way you can have absolute confidence that the product you are buying is authentic and most watch brands will list their official dealers on their own websites.

You can also be confident that you will receive the full brand warranty, and that it will be honoured. When buying online, we also recommend reading third party reviews.

Look for bricks-and mortar back-up
Buying from an authorised dealer is a must. If you really want peace of mind though, look for online platforms that also have an actual physical store location. Returning items for repair or service can prove an ordeal when there is no physical shop to go to. Having a store to go into can make resolving issues as simple as dropping the watch in and waiting for a call when it’s ready to collect. Plus, you can rest assured that the work is being carried out under warranty either by the brand itself or certified representatives of the brand.

Read the fine print
These days, most luxury watch brands offer at least two or three different collections (generally more), each of which comprises multiple models. For this reason, it’s important to read the product description closely. Likewise, make sure you understand what you are agreeing to when you commit to making the purchase. What’s the process for returns or warranty claims? Where does the watch need to be sent for services and repairs, and who pays for shipping?

Ask questions
If you still have some questions before making this all-important purchase online, by all means ask them. Not only will this help inform your decision, it’s also a great way to discern if the seller really knows their product.

If you have any enquiries regarding purchasing a luxury watch or a piece of jewellery, please feel free to get in touch with our specialists by either emailing enquiries@berrysjewellers.co.uk, you can call our team directly on 0113 201 0512 or alternatively use the Live Chat feature on our website.

Content written by Simon Oxby, Head of Operations, Berry's Jewellers Leeds | York | Newcastle | Hull | Nottingham | Windsor