Gone are the days when you were looking forward to a weekend shopping mall trip so you could spend 2 hours in a never-ending queue, excited to buy the timepiece of your dreams, only to discover that you had forgotten to bring your wallet.
In this day and age, we handle (or at least try to) everything online – and that includes shopping for watches. Since timepieces can often be considered a mid-to-high expenditure, people are warier about where to shop. And rightly so.
There are countless online stores that at first glance might seem reliable and customer-friendly but oftentimes prove the complete opposite once you hand over the dollars. To avoid disappointment and in some cases fraud, I have prepared the list of the best online watch stores that you can trust in 2020.Â
The said list includes my top 3 picks that you can find below, as well as 7 alternative choices. Most of the stores are US-based but a huge chunk of them handle international shipping as well. Without further delay, let’s cut to the chase now.
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Best Online Watch Stores (TOP 3 Reviewed)
Jomashop
When it comes to the guarantee and authenticity of watches you can shop online, there is no one getting the better of Jomashop. No one.
Jomashop, a New York-based reseller, has been around since 1987. From the moment the company launched its online business, it copied the success of its retail stores in no time. At the time of writing, Jomashop is one of the highest-rated online watch stores not only in the US but worldwide. With an over 4-out-of-5 star rating from more than 16k reviews on TrustPilot, it screams reliability and trust.Â
Because Jomashop is an authorized seller of over 400 watch brands, any timepiece that catches your attention comes with the guarantee of being 100% authentic. Watches available to buy on Jomashop range from luxury brands like Rolex, Tag Hauer or Patek Philippe, to more affordable households such as Tissot, Citizen or Bulova.
Crucially, all the watches available on Jomashop come with a warranty. Depending on the brand, the guarantee period varies from 1 to 5 years. In case you need to take it up, you shouldn’t expect many hurdles to go through. That’s because the refund/return policy at Jomashop is hassle-free and prompt.
What’s more, it’s impossible not to mention the superb live customer chat. Speaking from my own experience, you barely have to wait for more than 4-5 minutes before being connected with Jomashop’s employee.
Also, there’s also a unique trade-in or trade-up service. Using this section, you can get a fair estimate on your own watch. Should you find the price satisfying, you may opt to send the timepiece to Jomashop. In return, you will get credits you can use on any purchase over $1,000.
When talking about Jomashop, it’s difficult not to mention the great number of promo events that they organize throughout the year. Apart from the obvious dates such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you can expect a new promotion on selected brands basically every week. If I were to point to a store that offers the best online watch sales and discounts, Jomashop would be my pick.
Finally, even though Jomashop is based in Brooklyn, New York, it’s open to customers from all around the world. Currently, the store ships to as many as 150 countries across 5 continents. Apart from branded watches, at Jomashop, you can also shop for apparel, shoes, handbags, sunglasses.
Amazon
Whereas Jomashop is clearly my favorite because of the guaranteed authenticity of all watches, I have a lot of time and admiration for Amazon too. To this date, it’s easily the platform on which I made the biggest number of purchases online. And it doesn’t look as if it’s going to change anytime soon.
I mean, who doesn’t know or trust Amazon, right? Apart from being the world’s biggest and most renowned online marketplace, its lightspeed shipping times (often offering same-day delivery) are simply unbeatable.
Another field in which other online destinations find it difficult to compete with Amazon is the number of products on offer. Apart from watches, you can find basically anything there – and I’m not exaggerating one bit. Whether you are looking for a vegan cookbook, jet ski or a trampoline for your backyard – Amazon’s got you covered.
But, since timepieces are all we crave for on this website, let’s focus on them and them only. Whereas Jomashop is limited to around 400 watch brands, you will struggle to find a watchmaker that’s not available on Amazon.
Top-end luxury brands? Sure, there are plenty of Rolexes, Patek Philippes and Omegas to select from. Neat-looking and rugged sports watches? No problem either, there are literally thousands of Casio watches available. If you are a fan of bargain-basement Chinese brands but hate long shipping times from Aliexpress, you will appreciate the fact that most of these watches are available on Amazon, too.
In other words, what you want – you usually get on Amazon. And more often than not, the products come at really competitive prices. Is there any catch, then?
Well, since Amazon is a marketplace, apart from products sold directly by Amazon or authorized sellers (that are as secure and authentic as those listed on Jomashop), there are also third-party sellers.
Basically speaking, third-party sellers are the one and only instance in which you should stay more alert. Although the vast majority of them provide totally authentic and legit watches, it is possible to come across one that might offer faulty goods.Â
How to avoid poor third-party sellers, then? Well, the easiest way would be to shop only from those vendors that have a lion’s share of positive store reviews. As a rule of thumb, we can deem sellers with 85% or higher positive ratings as safe. In the ideal world, consider ones with positive reviews that go beyond 90%.
Nevertheless, if your ideal watch is listed directly by Amazon, consider shopping via third-party sellers only if the product has similar or higher ratings than one offered by Amazon itself, and it’s noticeably cheaper. In all other cases, for maximum protection and authenticity, hunt for watches that are listed with Amazon as the authorized dealer.
Bob's Watches
If luxury watches are your thing but the extremely high price stops you from getting one, here comes Bob’s Watches – one of the world’s most renowned platforms for pre-owned, far-fetched timepieces.
Since the foundation in 1999, the California-based company has gained a reputation as the go-to online stop for luxury wristwatches. In the beginning, the shop established itself as the best online store for Rolex timepieces only. Thanks to their relatively prompt expansion, Bob’s Watches’ offer now extends to other top-end brands. Those include Omega, Breitling, Panerai, Patek Philippe and Breguet. Some of these can be purchased for as low as $700.
In a way, Bob’s Watches acts like a stock exchange for luxury timepieces – one that is surprisingly transparent and fair. That’s thanks to the fact that they always list both the Buy and Sell prices for each and every watch, so you can get a fair idea of the current market value.
When talking about Bob’s Watches, it would be unfair not to mention their brilliant inspection standards. On top of that, the store provides a one-year guarantee period on all purchases, as well as an authentication pledge.
Whereas most watch enthusiasts will probably take their choice between Jomashop and Amazon, Bob’s Watches remains a great option for those treating top-end timepieces as a form of investment. It’s also the destination to beat for those looking to get a luxury brand watch at half the price, or less.
Best Online Watch Stores – Alternative Picks
Whereas it’s hard to argue with any of the selections above (at least in my opinion), the list of reliable online watch stores doesn’t end here. If for whatever the reason you don’t fancy making the purchase at any of the abovementioned online shops, I have prepared a list of 7 alternative picks.
They might not be as widely known but all of them provide good customer service and thousands of authentic, warranty-backed products from most of the reliable watch brands out there. Without further ado, let’s go.
Watches.com
Just outside the top 3 of the best online watch vendors, we have Watches.com. The company’s motto, “Time to be Different“, perfectly reflects the large collection of obscure timepieces from many renowned brands in the watchmaking industry.
The company was founded in 1999 by brothers Mitch & Andrew Greenblatt, and it continues to be a highly successful family business to this day.Â
The Greenblatts have always been immense horological enthusiasts looking for uniquely-designed timepieces from all parts of the world. Hence, apart from the well-known names we all love, at Watches.com you will encounter some exotic brands that are hard to find at any other watch sellers. At the time of writing, there are over 60 brands to choose from.
I’m glad to say that all the timepieces listed at Watches.com are 100% authentic. Since the very beginning, the company has been an authorized retailer for all the products it lists on the website. As a result, all the watches come directly from the manufacturer, in the original packaging and with lengthy warranties that are honored internationally. Depending on the brand, the guarantee periods vary from 1-5 years.
If you are shopping from the US, you will be able to enjoy a free delivery service on all orders exceeding $100. The estimated time for free shipping in the United States is between 7-10 business days. When shopping from outside the US, you will be eligible for the free delivery promo if you spend more than $249. In the case of international shipping, the average waiting time is 2-4 weeks. Here it’s worth noting that Watches.com doesn’t deliver to all countries. For more details, click here.
What’s more, Watches.com seems to be quite hassle-free when it comes to returns and refunds. You are entitled to return any watch purchased at the store within 30 days of receiving it. Naturally, for the refund process to be successful, the product needs to be returned in the original condition. You can read more about the refund policy by clicking here.
Watchfinder
The next on the list is one of the best online luxury stores in the US and worldwide – Watchfinder. Since the foundation in 2002, the shop has established itself as one of the go-to destinations for watch aficionados who want to buy or sell a premium, pre-owned timepiece. In fact, it works pretty much the same way as the above-mentioned Bob’s Watches.Â
At the time of writing, the New York-based company has as many as 77 brands listed on its website. Amongst those, we have some of the best watch brands loved by many that include Breguet, Breitling, Rolex or Patek Philippe.
Depending on your budget, you can shop for solid Entry Level models available for less than $1000 or go for some of the more elaborate timepieces that will cost well into six figures. Currently, the most expensive watch listed on Watchfinder is Patek Philippe’s Nautilus. It’s available for as little as $317,000!
Because of decades of experience in the luxury watch market, you will struggle to find many, if any, more qualified places to buy a premium used watch online. Similar to Bob’s Watches, most timepieces at Watchfinder are in really good condition. Some looking so fresh you will actually find it hard to believe they are pre-owned.
Watchfinder’s Service Center is second to none, too. Manufacturers that Watchfinder is certified to service include such names as Omega, Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Panerai. Naturally, prior to being sold, every watch listed at Watchfinder goes through a careful inspection that ensures the full functionality of a timepiece.
What’s equally important, the retailer offers a trouble-free return policy. Should the unthinkable happen and the watch doesn’t meet your expectations, you will have 14 days to return it. With no questions asked, you should get a full refund after sending back the product.
What I also like about Watchfinder is that it’s super helpful for those of us who are new to buying, selling or exchanging luxury timepieces. The Glossary Terms article will shed light on all the watch parts and types you need to be aware of. There’s also the Beginner’s Guide section that includes lots of tips for the less-experienced customers.
Tourneau
If you plan to buy luxury watches online, another store definitely worth your time is Tourneau. In fact, the US-based retailer is the oldest hand on our list of the top 10 online watch stores.Â
The history of Tourneau dates back to as early as 1900 when the Wexler family opened their first jewelry store in Europe. 24 years later, the family emigrated from Paris to New York City. There, they opened a watch counter in the Berkshire Place Hotel in Manhattan. And that’s how the American Dream took off.
After more than 100 years of stellar work in the watchmaking industry on the US soil, in 2005 Tourneau opened the world’s largest watch store in Las Vegas under the name Tourneau Time Dome. The success of the online enterprise followed soon after. To this date, Tourneau is seen by many as the best place to buy luxury watches online.
According to Tourneau itself, it is the biggest authorized watch retailer in the United States – especially when it comes to luxury and high-end timepieces. With hundreds of stores nationwide, the company boasts about welcoming more than 4 million annual visitors. What seems to back up their massive success online is that their website seems to be enjoying even bigger numbers nowadays.
Although luxury brands such as Rolex, Tudor or Panerai take up the biggest chunk of Tourneau’s assortment, it is possible to find more affordable names as well – Casio and Tissot being prime examples. In total, there are 36 watch brands to select from, with Rolex and Patek Philippe being the most sought-after choices amongst online customers.
Apart from shopping for brand new luxury timepieces, on Tourneau.com you can also hunt for certified pre-owned models. In this aspect, the store resembles a lot of previous picks on the list – Bob’s Watches and WatchFinder. Similar to the aforementioned brands, it allows you to sell your watch online as well. Unfortunately, online watch exchange is not possible.
Since Tourneau is an authorized retailer of all brands listed on their website, every watch comes with the standard warranty offered by the manufacturer. On top of that, Tourneau offers its own complimentary guarantee period that extends coverage of the movement beyond the manufacturer’s warranty. This means you can rest assured about the workings of the movement for up to 5 years from the date of purchase. Pretty awesome.
When it comes to the warranty for certified pre-owned watches, it’s 2 years. To learn more about the warranty terms at Tourneau, click here.
The delivery time is up to 5 days within the US. Unfortunately, at this moment in time, the company doesn’t offer international shipping.
Judging by the reviews online, the return process is smooth and hassle-free. As a customer, you have 14 days from the date of receiving the product to return it for a full refund. You can do so in two ways: either by sending the watch back via mail or returning it to one of the Tourneau stores near you.
Watchbox
Next on the list of reputable online watch dealers is Watchbox. It is yet another online watch shop dedicated to people who are fond of luxury timepieces and don’t mind not being their first owner.Â
The company has been on the market since 2001. Over the last three decades, it has emerged as one of, if not the best online used watch store in the US and beyond. Thanks to massive success in America, the company has now expanded to other continents. At the time of writing, Watchbox also has headquarters in Hong Kong, Switzerland, South Africa, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. And if their pace of growth is anything to go by, the list is likely to get bigger pretty soon.
Watchbox is not a marketplace. In other words, any pre-owned timepiece you buy there is owned by the store. Before being listed for sale, all watches go through careful inspection. And, when necessary, are brought to the right condition by a team of Swiss-trained watchmakers. Hence, you can rest assured about the quality and standard of the product you buy.
At the time of writing, there are 79 watch brands to select from at TheWatchbox.com. Although most of them are high-end and luxury watches, there are some brands catering to smaller budgets like Casio or Seiko. No matter if you are looking for an obscure timepiece below the $1000 mark or a super elaborate Rolex model worth 6 figures, Watchbox has it all. On the website not only can you buy watches online but sell and trade them, too. In this aspect, it again very much resembles Bob’s Watches and Watchfinder.
Essentially, the store offers a 2-year warranty period on all purchases. And even though the return process is hassle-free, it probably could have been made a bit longer. With Watchbox, you have just 7 days to return the product. That’s the shortest span from all e-shops listed in this article.
On the shipping front, if you are shopping from the US, you can enjoy a free next day delivery to your door. That is if the watch you purchased was in stock in the US headquarters and didn’t have to be shipped from one of the other locations worldwide. Watchbox also allows for international shipping although terms and waiting times will vary for most countries. For more information on the shipping policy, click here.
Chrono24
If, after reading about Bob’s Watches, Tourneau, Watchfinder and Watchbox, you are still struggling to pick the best online luxury watch store, Chrono24 will provide some more food for thought.Â
Unlike all other stores on this list, Chrono24 isn’t based in the United States. Instead, the headquarters of the company are in Karlsruhe, Germany. And that’s the same place Chrono24 was founded in 2003.
With experience in the watchmaking industry spanning through 3 decades already, they are one of the most reliable online destinations for pre-owned luxury timepieces in the world. In fact, the Chrono24 website is the most frequently visited store for used watches globally. To paint a better picture of Chrono24’s global presence, their site is available in over 40 different languages. And, even though the company itself is located in Europe, their biggest share of customers come from the US. Speaks volumes, doesn’t it?
Naturally, whether you are looking for luxury men’s watches or scouting the web for an elaborate ladies’ watch, you will find it all at Chrono24’s site. In contrast to other pre-owned watch sites I included on the list, Chrono24 has separate sections for used and brand new watches. Amongst others, in their offer, you will find top-end brands including Rolex, Tudor and Breitling.
Crucially, all the watches you find at their website are 100% authentic. Before being listed, timepieces from all dealers (as well as dealers themselves) go through strict verification measures conducted by one of the specialists based in either Karsluhe or Hong Kong. There’s absolutely no way you can get a counterfeit or a replica watch at Chrono24.
Chrono24 also allows you to sell your watches and there are two ways to do so. The first way is to sell the watch privately and become one of the 2,500 successful private sellers that join the marketplace every month. The alternative is to become a Chrono24 dealer. If you own many watches and would like to open your door to over 500,000 watch enthusiasts every day, this is a great option to consider.
If you are living in the US and have some reservations about making a purchase from a store with headquarters abroad, then in this case you absolutely shouldn’t. Since Chrono24 is available in so many countries, all the watches listed on the website are from sellers residing in the same country as you – unless you choose different. Hence, no additional shipping costs or long wait times.
Two things that further boost the security and comfort of shopping at Chrono24 are the payment process and personalized support. Chrono24 uses Escrow payments which means dealers collect your money only after you have received the product. And, should you have any complaints, questions or suggestions about your purchase, a tailored specialist will make sure to see you through.
Last but not least, Chrono24 offers customer-friendly returns. If the watch you purchased doesn’t meet your expectations, you are eligible for a full refund. In such a case, the money will be returned to your Escrow account immediately after the product finds its way back to the dealer.
The Watchery
Occupying 9th place on our list is Watchery. When it comes to listing brand new, high-end timepieces at competitive prices, it’s easily one of the best watch retailers online.Â
Founded in 2001, the Brooklyn-based company is able to offer watches at massive discounts to the retail prices suggested by the manufacturers because it’s not a watch dealer. As a result, it finds a way around brands’ pricing controls and lists authentic timepieces at prices difficult to find anywhere else.
What’s more, they are really transparent about their business policy for anyone that finds the prices too hard to believe in (yes, they can be really mouth-watering). According to their own website, the company orders watches in large quantities at a super low markup from leading dealers on the market. By doing so, the store doesn’t have to worry about MSRP and makes shopping for the top brands in the business much more affordable. At the best of times, you can hope for savings of up to 70% off the manufacturer’s suggested price. Awesome.
So, what brands can you find while looking for the best online watch deals at the Watchery? Any that we can classify as top-end, or at least mid-end, basically. Amongst others, you can find awesome deals on Rolex, Tag Hauer or Hublot watches. From more affordable names, there are plenty of Timex, Tissot or Bulova timepieces to select from as well.
Apart from hundreds of branded watches, on Watchery you can also shop for fashionable sunglasses and jewelry. There’s also a special section dedicated to people who wish to sell or trade their timepieces.
All watches listed on Watchery are 100% authentic, backed up by serial numbers, and come in original boxes. If it turns out that for whatever reason you are not happy with the purchase, you will have 30 days to return the product. That’s a pretty long period and, according to reviews found online, the whole process is seamless and customer-friendly.
As far as domestic shipping is concerned, you can enjoy 100% free delivery to your door without a minimum spending amount required. Depending on your location, the waiting time is between 1-7 business days. If you are shopping from outside of the US, you will embrace the fact that Watchery does international shipping as well. At this moment in time, the store dispatches products to 200 countries worldwide.
World of Watches
Finally, closing the list of the top 10 online watch stores in the USA is World of Watches. Sharing exactly the same strategy as the abovementioned Watchery, it offers some of the lowest prices on tens of popular watch brands. Funnily enough, its headquarters are also in Brooklyn.Â
WOW website suggests that some of the watch prices are up to 90% off the manufacturer’s suggested price. Having browsed the store carefully, the highest discount I found was around 65%. Nevertheless, it’s still an outstanding result.
Unlike some of the other best online watch companies listed outside the TOP 3, World of Watches offers a plethora of brands that won’t break the bank. Sure, you can still shop for high-end names such as Tag Hauer or Longines. But at the same time, the store caters to the needs of those with smaller budgets. The low-to-mid budget brands include Casio, Kenneth Cole or Nixon.
Some people find the name World of Watches misleading because the store offers so many other products that can improve our appearance. Among others, at WOW you can purchase branded beauty, eyewear or jewelry products.
Needless to say, all timepieces at WOW are authentic. They come packaged in the original box, with original papers, and with manufacturer’s warranty. On top of that, the store offers its own guarantee on all models, in some cases exceeding the warranty period issued by the manufacturer.
Furthermore, the 30-day return policy should make sure you are not left disappointed with your purchase. Bear in mind, though, that in the case of returning products with a total value that exceeds $4,000, you will be charged a restocking fee of 8%. That fee can be waived if instead of a refund, you will request an exchange for watches with equal or greater value than the one(s) you bought.
Finally, the store offers free domestic (US) shipping on any purchases above $100, with an estimated wait time of 1-7 days. International shipping is possible as well, to as many as 200 countries worldwide.