Price methodology

Each guide uses conservative price bands instead of a single exact value. A watch can be cheap, fair or overpriced depending on condition, country, box and papers, bracelet completeness, service history, seller reputation and current new-watch discounts.

The database separates three numbers: retail price, new online price (what discounters actually charge), and fair used value. Many watches look attractive at retail but become much better buys used, while popular references hold value strongly and need live market verification.

What each band represents

  1. Retail price band — the manufacturer's list price for a new example in the US market.
  2. New online band — what discounted new stock typically sells for, which is why it often sits below list.
  3. Fair used range — what a clean, complete example changes hands for second-hand, reduced for missing links, no box or papers and unknown service history.
  4. Good buy under — a threshold below the fair used range where the deal is worth taking.
  5. Avoid over — the level above which a used asking price stops making sense against new stock.

These are editorial estimates rather than scraped live quotes. They are deliberately published as ranges, because condition and completeness move a real transaction more than any single figure. Where a reference trades thinly, the band is wider and the confidence note on the page says the estimate is early. Where a reference trades often and predictably, the band is tighter.

Every model page opens with a direct answer, then adds structured specifications, buyer checks, known pricing traps, alternatives and FAQ answers. Descriptions are written for this site rather than copied from manufacturers or retailers.

Photos and image rights

Watch photos are either original site photos, public-domain images, CC-licensed images with attribution, or neutral reference plates created by the site when no cleared photo is available. We do not use dealer listing photos, marketplace photos or manufacturer press images unless rights are clear.

Spotted a band that no longer reflects the market, or an image credit that needs correction? Send evidence to [email protected] and it will be reviewed.