If it's too good to be true...

Everyone loves to make a really good deal. The feeling of knowing you got massive value for your money is just fantastic, even if the actual amount spent isn't that much. My wife recently triumphantly showed me a can of corn she bought for CHF 0.35 while they normally cost about 1.00. It's about the satisfaction of making a good deal, not necessarily about saving a lot of money!

But how is that in the world of watches? Are there bargains to be made? Are there steals to be found? Can you really make a fantastic deal? 

As the old saying goes; if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And yes, that saying isn't entirely clear, to be honest. It should say if something sounds too good to be true, it's not true. As that Rolex Datejust you're offered for $1500 - it's too good to be for real. 

Watch sellers are in general very well informed about the value of the watch they are selling. There are so many sources of information about the value that making a really good deal on a watch is in general not easy. Sure, you might be able to buy a watch for a good price, but rarely for a bargain price. The main places you might find a bargain would be from sellers who are selling something they don't know much about. Thus a watch seller who doesn't normally sell watches. This could be relatives selling off an estate from a deceased loved one, it could be a garage sale, it could be a local auction site and so forth. But it's generally not going to be on eBay and certainly not on specialized watch marketplaces like Chrono24 for instance. If you find a watch there for significantly less than you would expect, your spider senses should start tingling. 

No, sorry, let me correct that, they should start SCREAMING AT YOU. You are probably being scammed. 

There is a chance you are actually making a bargain, but there's a much bigger chance something is fishy. Take your time, do some research and make sure you have an exit plan if you do go ahead and buy the watch anyway. Check if you can return the watch for a full refund, for instance. Many sellers make this very difficult for you even if they state that they accept returns, so the marketplace you buy the watch on is also important. 

And lastly, do not spend money you cannot afford to lose. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes and there's value in learning a lesson, but don't pay for that lesson with money you need for something more important than just another watch...