Watch sourcing
Name the reference. We will go and find it.
Most of the watches people actually want are not sitting on a shelf anywhere. They are on a wrist, in a safe, or moving quietly between dealers who already know each other. Sourcing is how we reach that stock on your behalf.
You tell us what you are after and how flexible you can be - on year, on dial variant, on whether a full set matters. We take that brief into the trade network we buy from every week: other dealers, auction previews, private sellers who would rather not list publicly. When something turns up that fits, you see it before anyone else does, and before any money moves.
There is no search fee and no obligation. If we cannot find the right example at the right price, we tell you that too.
- Search fee
- None
- Typical turnaround
- Days to a few weeks
- Deposit
- Only once you have seen the report
- Coverage
- UK trade, European auction houses
Sourcing is the right route if
- You know the reference - or the shape of the watch - and it is not in the vault right now.
- You are on a boutique waiting list and would rather not be.
- You want a particular dial, year or configuration that rarely comes up.
- You have bought before and want a second opinion before committing to a private sale.
- You want one price, all in, rather than an auction hammer plus premium plus surprises.
How it works
5 steps, in order
Nothing moves to the next step until you have said yes to the last one.
Brief
Reference, budget, the condition you will live with, and how quickly you need it. If you only know it by sight, send a photograph and we will identify it.
Search
We put the brief to trade contacts and watch the auction calendar. You hear about what we find, including the examples we would advise against and why.
Inspect
Before it is offered to you it goes on the timegrapher, under the loupe and, where rated, in the pressure tester. Photographs and a written condition note follow.
Agree
One figure, everything included. A deposit reserves it only once you have seen the report and the photographs.
Hand over
Insured courier anywhere in the UK, or collect in person in Llanelli and check it over with us first.
What you get
Why people use us for this rather than doing it alone
Reach beyond the listings
Trade-only stock and private sellers never appear on the marketplaces. Most of what we source comes from there.
Someone else takes the risk
We buy it, check it and stand behind it. You never send money to a stranger on the strength of a photograph.
Honest about what we find
If the only example available has a replaced dial or a polished case, you are told before you get attached to it.
One number
Our margin sits inside the agreed price. There is no finder’s fee added afterwards and no premium on top.
Questions
Asked about watch sourcing
How specific does my brief need to be?
As specific as you can manage, but a rough shape is enough to start. "A steel dress watch under 38mm, around £5,000, box and papers preferred" is a workable brief. The more we know about what you will and will not accept, the fewer examples we have to bring you that miss.
What if you find it but I change my mind?
Then you change your mind. Nothing is binding until you have seen the condition report and paid a deposit. We would rather you walk away than buy something you are not sure about.
Do you charge more for sourcing than for a watch in the vault?
No. The price we quote is the price, and it is built the same way as anything on the site - the cost of acquiring the watch, the cost of checking it, and a margin we will tell you if you ask.
Can you source new, unworn watches?
Often, yes. Current production references that carry a waiting list at the boutique can usually be found unworn and unregistered through the trade. Expect to pay a premium over list for the most sought-after pieces; we will tell you what that premium is before you decide.
More general questions are answered on the FAQs page.
Start a search
Reference, budget, condition and timescale. Whatever you know is enough to begin.
Often combined with
Tell us what you are looking for
The fastest way to a watch that is not listed anywhere is to ask the people who buy them every week.