Buying Fine Watches Online

Why am I not able to purchase some brands of watches from your website?

There are many places where you can buy fine watches. The most important thing to consider before making a purchase decision is the difference between authorized dealers and non-authorized, or "gray market" dealers. These factors will greatly influence the price, warranty coverage, and resale of any fine watch that you purchase. Some fine timepieces can be purchased only through authorized dealers. Hamilton is an authorized dealer for sales and service of most fine watch brands. So that distribution of these fine timepieces can be managed effectively for consumers, these companies maintain a policy of in-store purchases only.

There are several reasons why this is an important protocol. Because of the anonymous nature of online transactions and a lack of transparency to identify the end-user, brands requires that an authorized dealer, such as Hamilton, is acquainted with the buyer of the watch. This assures both the watch brand and the buyer that the transaction is authentic and includes a valid warranty on the watch. This will be important if your watch requires service because it allows any authorized dealer to assist you, particularly important for travel or moving situations. Even if a dealer includes a warranty of their own, it will only be good through them--it will not be honored by any other dealer or the manufacturer's authorized service centers.

Remember that even if a dealer is willing to perform service on your watch, it will not be with authentic manufacturer parts or components. As with most important buying decisions, know your dealer and protect your investment.