Buying a watch
As mentioned, Tradera has a wide range of watches for sale. Everything from vintage watches like Tissot and Certina to newer and more exclusive watches from manufacturers like Rolex, Omega and Breitling.
At Tradera, it’s easy to search and filter the watches you’re interested in. Or you can simply go into the category Wristwatches and sort on the latest posts and sit and scroll for a few hours.
What is important to consider when you find a watch you are interested in buying?
Below we have listed some points that we think are particularly important.
The external and internal condition
What is the condition of the watch? This applies to both the exterior and interior and is, in our opinion, one of the most important factors that can determine why you choose one object over another. Especially the external condition can be something of a subjective assessment depending on how careful or picky you are with such. Some think scratches are part of it while others want something in absolute new condition. In many cases, a watch in used but unpolished condition pays a higher premium than a newly polished one, this mainly applies to watches in, let’s say, the price range of SEK 10,000 and up to make a rough generalization.
What is the condition of the dial, link/bracelet, case, hands? Has the dial been renovated/repainted? Have the hands and crown been replaced? When you start to get up a little in price level, these things quickly become more and more important because they are usually the small details that determine what the actual value of the watch is. Here it is important that you as a buyer do your homework. There is a lot of knowledge on internet forums, social media and in books that are good to take note of before an upcoming purchase.
As for the internal condition, it is important to find out how the movement is, is it serviced in the present? How fast/slow does the watch run over 24 hours? Servicing watches and especially older watches can quickly become expensive and time consuming. Sometimes it is also difficult to get the right parts for older movements. To reduce the risk of buying a watch that needs urgent service, it is important to ask about how it feels inside.
Accessories
Accessories for a watch are always fun, but for many secondary. An Omega from 2019 should come with a box and certificate while a Certina from 1940 most likely does not. Most often, a watch with its accessories as it was sold new commands a higher price. This mainly applies to vintage but if you are interested in a modern watch without accessories this should be reflected in the price.
Buy the seller!
Also a very important factor before buying a wristwatch is to buy the seller. On Tradera, all members are verified and if you want more info about the seller, you can click on the seller’s profile name in the ad, where you can see reviews and comments on previous transactions. It is of course possible to contact the seller through our message function. Perfect for asking further questions about the characteristics of the watch or if you want to get more pictures. Tradera’s security team is constantly reviewing ads to ask sellers to add documentation about the authenticity of the watch if this seems necessary. Ads that do not meet the security requirements are unpublished until this is rectified by the seller.
As a buyer, you can also choose to add Tradera’s buyer protection, which means that you will receive help if the item is not delivered or if it is not as described. In the event of a dispute, Tradera collects information and documentation to be able to settle the dispute impartially. Buyer protection costs 5% of the price of the watch, maximum SEK 750.
Selling a watch
Selling your watch through Tradera is simple and easy, it only takes a few minutes to post watches for sale on Tradera.
Below we list some points that are important to consider when selling wristwatches.
Correct descriptions
An accurate description of the watch you are selling reduces the risk of having the watch returned due to a dissatisfied buyer. Be sure to honestly describe the external and internal condition of the watch. When creating an ad on Tradera, you should use appropriate attributes (e.g. watch brand, case size, year, condition) to make it easier for potential buyers to find your ad. It is also helpful to have clear detail images of the serial number, case, dial and any logos. Also inform potential buyers about what is included in the purchase, such as the certificate, receipt and accompanying case.
Good pictures
Good and clear pictures of the watch you are selling can be crucial for a potential buyer. For one thing, good pictures can describe the watch much better than you can put into words and can also lead to more buyers wanting to buy, which drives up the price of your watch. Best of all, it’s not rocket science to take good and selling pictures either.
Some tips from Eqotime for taking good photos:
- Use your smartphone, it’s more than enough.
- Position yourself by a window or outside and make use of daylight. Sometimes a strong light source may be necessary to highlight scratches or damage that are not normally visible in daylight.
- Photograph the watch from the front so you can see the dial, case and hands clearly. Pictures of the case sides, back case and link are also good to include in your ad.
At Tradera, selling your watch works like this:
- The buyer pays the money to Tradera
- You will receive a confirmation from Tradera that payment has been made
- You ship the watch by any trackable option (more on logistics later)
- The money is paid out within 1-2 working days.
As a seller on Tradera, you set the terms of your sale, such as whether the watch should be sold at a fixed price or at auction. As a seller, you also choose which of our shipping methods you want to offer. We offer integrated shipping from different suppliers that is paid by the buyer at the time of purchase. As a seller, you book the shipping on Tradera and then smoothly send the watch to the buyer, no matter where in the EU the buyer lives, the shipping works the same way. The shipping is also traceable and several of the options are insured. Different freight forwarders have different insurance amounts and conditions for the shipment, you will see these when you create your ad.
It is free to post watches for sale on Tradera and there are also options such as “rankup” and “highlight” that cost extra but provide better visibility for your ad. As a seller, you pay 10% of the sale value in commission, but a maximum of SEK 200. Unlike many other trading sites that have significantly more expensive fees, the most expensive fee you pay to Tradera is SEK 200. The commission fee is automatically deducted when Tradera pays out the sum of the sale.
The full price list for fees can be found here.
The seller’s name, address and contact details are only shared when the watch is paid for through Tradera’s integrated payment or when the seller has marked the item as sold.
Sending a watch
Shipping your sold watch is easy with Tradera’s integrated shipping, whether it’s within Sweden or the EU.
Some points that Eqotime would like to highlight when it comes to packaging your watch:
Package well
Things can happen along the way when you send your watch to a buyer. So make sure you pack your watch well. For example, use a corrugated cardboard outer box to pack the watch in. Make sure that the watch is as tight as possible inside the packaging, for example by protecting it with bubble wrap and reducing the space in the box so that the watch cannot “fly around”.
Filming the packing process
Over the years, we at the editorial office have heard horrible things, such as that you should pack your watch with your postman. Do not do that. It increases the risk of theft, and it does happen. Instead, make sure to film the process of packing the watch and if you haven’t printed the shipping label at home, you can take a picture of the package at the agent before it is sent off. Having the packing process on video can make it easier if something happens to the watch on the way.
Send traceable
You can send the watch with several different carriers, but the most important thing is to send it traceably. This makes it easier to locate the package if it goes astray. You can find out more about the different integrated shipping options and their conditions here.
