Thewatchpreserve Anmeldelser 

One of the many aspects of watch collecting that I have loved throughout the 45 years I have been an enthusiast is the honesty and passion I have experienced from other collectors in the field. I recently started a modest hobby of collecting and having professionally restored vintage pieces, including Polerouters, Golden Shadows, and other UG beauties. I've been buying and selling on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Chrono24 for the past few months. I’m relatively new to the scene.

Mostly it’s been amazing. For instance, I recently had a remarkable experience on Facebook Marketplace. An avid Citizen collector wanted a Tsumi-Yoki I owned and had decided to part with on the platform, and he offered me an Alpina Alpine Extreme plus $500 cash in exchange. He sent me the watch without reservation. When I received it, I liked it, and I sent him the Citizen and the cash without question. It was an entirely honest transaction — not vintage, I know, but a great example of how most people I engage with function in this space. I've met half a dozen vintage collectors through Facebook Marketplace in the past few months, and the trust and decency has been inspiring — especially in today's world, where self-interest seems to trump empathy and honesty. Pun intended.

Two weekends ago I went to Worn & Wound in Chicago and had a wonderful time. I met some great people, got familiar with Hampden and its storied history, purchased a lovely watch, and fell in love with a few microbrands I wasn't familiar with and even ended up purchasing a couple of watches.

I had brought a few watches with me on the off chance I might have an opportunity to sell them, and I was delighted when I came across THE WATCH PRESERVE. I had recently purchased a Golden Shadow and discovered over the course of a sale that it had a bent crown. I was intending to fix it and sell it. The gentlemen at THE WATCH PRESEVE booth expressed to me interest in acquiring vintage watches, so I showed them what I had brought with me. The man I dealt with was immediately interested in my Universal Genève 18k Golden Shadow. I had a couple of Polerouters but he told me they were no longer selling. (This is a lie, I sold one today.) I told him about the issue with the crown, and he looked me in the eye and said he'd probably be unable to sell it for more than $2,100, and that the cost of repair and his need for profit meant he could only offer $1,650. He said he had similar watches priced lower, gesturing vaguely to the other end of the table. I did not pursue his suggestion because I trusted him. More fool me. I considered that the repair would take time and money, but mostly, I trusted him because literally everyone I have dealt with up until this moment has been honest with me.

The fact is, he lied to me. I got an eBay alert today: THE WATCH PRESERVE has listed the watch — un-repaired, still with the bent crown and stem — for $3,050. They don't mention that in their listing. They only state that the watch 'may' need servicing. When I posted this on Facebook another person posted that he'd had a similar experience.

Let me be clear, I might have accepted his offer even if he'd been honest and told me he was likely to list it for a higher price. What I resent is that he LIED to me. He looked me straight in the eye and LIED, and if he could lie about this, what else is he — and the company — lying about? They are lying now about the watch's condition. They know it's broken but they aren't mentioning it the listing.

I've decided to post about this because I think people in this space should be wary of liars. I'm going to post this to Trustpilot, Facebook, Google, and anywhere else I can find an audience, to say this is a dishonest business, and that you shouldn't trust them with your timepieces or try to sell to them. My naivety is partly to blame — I tend to trust people. But I loathe liars, and this guy is is a liar.

If that's how THE WATCH PRESERVE operates, you should be wary on EVERY level. They've had this watch a couple of weeks now; I suspect they've inspected it and perhaps they even found the repair costs more than expected? If not, then they are lazy too perhaps? Either way, ask yourself whether you're being told the truth about every watch you buy or sell through this platform.

What I can say is that THE WATCH PRESERVE company employs liars.

Beware.