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mikkibarry · 27 January 2013, 08:43 AM

Soon I will test out the Ebay "buyer protection" for the first time. I've been on Ebay likely since its inception, both buying and selling. In all that time, this will be my first invocation of the protection plan. I bought what looked like a really good 14k vintage watch that was advertised as "fully restored." Stupid me thought that this would let me save a few bucks in follow up work unless I saw a problem. Well oops.

It was advertised as an "ESTATE ANTIQUE WRIST WATCH ROLEX REDDBURG 14K WHITE GOLD CASE 6" FULLY RESTORED." It had a "seal" on the back so that the seller would know if it was opened. Well gee, I HAVE to open the damn thing to verify it is what he said it was. No, it was not. No "Rolex" on the wheels. No markings that would tell where the movement was from. No "Rolex" on the hallmark. And a couple of screws missing in the movement. This was not starting out well. There was an "LP" on the crown, definitely not Rolex. I wrote to the seller who told me his watchmaker was the greatest and really old and sick wife, and all that stuff. Today I figured I'd like to know a bit more about what might be happening here, so I took it to my local master jeweler for a look see while I was picking up some jewelry he'd repaired.

"This movement doesn't belong in this case." He showed me the dents on the inside where the movement was forced into the case. He said that the screws that were missing in the movement were meant to hold the watch into the case, which was NOT this case. Yes, it's nice 14k white gold. Yes, the case is nicely decorated. No, this is not the movement that belongs in it, and likely the LP (for Lucien Picard) was from a screw on crown that doesn't match the movement or the dial or the hands or....

So now I am an unhappy camper. It is likely that this seller didn't know that this was such a mess. However, if it went to a watchmaker, the watchmaker WOULD have known immediately. I bought some other pieces from this seller, and they were correct, so I don't think it was deliberate on his part.

Another "use trusted sellers" echo from me. Any trusted sellers here into pre-1930s vintage?

27 January 2013, 08:43 AM	#1
mikkibarry "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Real Name: Mikki Location: Northern Virginia Watch: Your Six Posts: 1,146	FleaBay and the Frankenwatch Soon I will test out the Ebay "buyer protection" for the first time. I've been on Ebay likely since its inception, both buying and selling. In all that time, this will be my first invocation of the protection plan. I bought what looked like a really good 14k vintage watch that was advertised as "fully restored." Stupid me thought that this would let me save a few bucks in follow up work unless I saw a problem. Well oops. It was advertised as an "ESTATE ANTIQUE WRIST WATCH ROLEX REDDBURG 14K WHITE GOLD CASE 6" FULLY RESTORED." It had a "seal" on the back so that the seller would know if it was opened. Well gee, I HAVE to open the damn thing to verify it is what he said it was. No, it was not. No "Rolex" on the wheels. No markings that would tell where the movement was from. No "Rolex" on the hallmark. And a couple of screws missing in the movement. This was not starting out well. There was an "LP" on the crown, definitely not Rolex. I wrote to the seller who told me his watchmaker was the greatest and really old and sick wife, and all that stuff. Today I figured I'd like to know a bit more about what might be happening here, so I took it to my local master jeweler for a look see while I was picking up some jewelry he'd repaired. "This movement doesn't belong in this case." He showed me the dents on the inside where the movement was forced into the case. He said that the screws that were missing in the movement were meant to hold the watch into the case, which was NOT this case. Yes, it's nice 14k white gold. Yes, the case is nicely decorated. No, this is not the movement that belongs in it, and likely the LP (for Lucien Picard) was from a screw on crown that doesn't match the movement or the dial or the hands or.... So now I am an unhappy camper. It is likely that this seller didn't know that this was such a mess. However, if it went to a watchmaker, the watchmaker WOULD have known immediately. I bought some other pieces from this seller, and they were correct, so I don't think it was deliberate on his part. Another "use trusted sellers" echo from me. Any trusted sellers here into pre-1930s vintage? __________________ No Matter Where You Go - There You Are (and so's your Rolex) Card Carrying Chinese Crested Owner