FAQ

Every watch is examined in person before it is offered: case, dial, movement and bracelet checked against the reference, and serial numbers cross-referenced. Anything that leaves a question goes to an independent authenticator before the watch is listed. Mechanical pieces are timed on a timegrapher, with results available on request. And the promise behind all of it: if a watch we sold is ever shown not to be genuine, it comes back for a full refund, with no time limit. A claim needs a written finding from the manufacturer, an authorised service centre or an independent authenticator of good standing, and the guarantee runs to the original purchaser.

Each watch is scored out of ten and given a plain grade: 10 unworn, 9.25 to 9.9 like new, 8.5 to 9 excellent, 6.5 to 8 very good, 4.5 to 6 good. The specific marks are written into the listing rather than hidden behind a vague word, so a 9/10 excellent with a noted scratch on the caseback means exactly that. What you read is what arrives.

Yes. Viewings are by appointment, one at a time, at a place and hour that suit you — there is no shop floor and no queue. If you are elsewhere in the UAE, photographs, video and timing results are sent the same day on request, and the watch can be brought to you; any charge for that is agreed before payment is taken.

A deposit of 15% of the published price holds the watch for 14 days and comes off the price on completion. It can be paid online in a minute. The deposit is not refundable if you decide not to proceed, because the watch is withdrawn from sale for those 14 days — you are asked to confirm that before it is taken. If we cannot complete the sale for any reason, including an error in the listing, the deposit is refunded in full.

Cash, bank transfer, card, Apple Pay and Google Pay. A 3% transaction fee applies to card and digital wallet payments. Instalments are available on selected pieces through Tamara, to which a 7% transaction fee applies. Any fee is stated before payment is taken. Large settlements are made by bank transfer, in line with UAE anti-money-laundering rules, and we may ask for proof of identity or source of funds before completing.

A full invoice is issued with every sale, recording the watch, its reference and serial number, and the price paid. There is no commission and no buyer’s premium on top of the published price — the only additions are the card or instalment fees above, and any delivery charge, each agreed before you pay. Pre-owned watches are sold under the UAE VAT margin scheme, so the invoice will not show a separately reclaimable VAT amount; it states the position for that particular watch.

Delivery is available anywhere in the UAE, and collection in person in Abu Dhabi is always welcome. Any delivery charge is agreed with you and stated before payment is taken — on most Abu Dhabi sales the watch is carried to you at no charge. For anywhere outside the UAE, ask before you commit: it is handled case by case, depending on the destination and the piece. Risk stays with us until the watch is in your hands, and a watch lost or damaged in transit on a delivery we arranged is replaced or refunded in full.

Prices are benchmarked against what watches actually sell for rather than what they are advertised at, so they start closer to the real number. If you are ready to buy, say what you have in mind and you will get a straight answer either way. A listing is an invitation to enquire rather than a binding offer, every watch is subject to prior sale, and a sale is concluded when it is confirmed by an invoice.

No. The 48-hour return covers a watch that arrives defective, one shown not to be authentic, or one that does not match its published condition score, photographs or description — it is not a change-of-mind right. Almost every watch is handed over in person with as long as you need to examine it first, which is when a difference from the listing shows up. The authenticity guarantee is separate, and it has no time limit.

A watch that arrives defective, a watch shown not to be authentic on examination by a reputable independent authority, and a watch that does not match its published condition score, photographs or description. The 48 hours run from handover; tell us inside that window and return the watch within seven days of telling us, complete and in the condition it was delivered in. It does not cover a change of mind, marks or wear disclosed in the listing, ordinary wear, water ingress, impact, damage after handover, or a watch altered, serviced, polished or opened by anyone other than Watch Locker. An accepted return is refunded in full including the deposit and any transaction fee, and return carriage is at our cost. The return is in addition to your rights under UAE law and does not limit them.

There is no separate house warranty on the movement. Where remaining manufacturer warranty exists it is stated on the listing and passes to you in full, and a claim under it is made to the manufacturer or its service centre. Beyond the authenticity guarantee and the 48-hour return, watches are sold as inspected and described. Every mechanical watch is timed on a timegrapher before sale and the results are available on request, so you know how it was running the day it left. A timing result describes the watch when it was tested; mechanical watches drift, and a change in rate afterwards is not a fault.

One message on WhatsApp with your invoice number, or email info@watchlocker.ae. Every complaint is acknowledged within two working days and we aim to resolve it within ten working days. If it cannot be resolved between us, the matter can be referred to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, which licenses the business, or to the UAE consumer protection authorities. Doing so does not affect any other right you have.

Yes. Send the reference and a few photographs on WhatsApp and a firm number follows the same day. Condition and authenticity are confirmed in person in Abu Dhabi, and if the watch is as described the offer stands. Payment is made on handover, by transfer or cash. You will be asked to confirm the watch is yours to sell and free of any finance or claim, and for proof of identity where the law requires it.

Yes. Both sides are valued openly and you settle the difference. Multi-piece trades are welcome in either direction.

Your watch stays in your name while it is photographed, listed and placed with the right collector. Commission is 10% of the sale price, with a minimum of AED 750 per watch, and there is nothing else to pay: photography, listing, marketing and secure storage are at our cost. The target price and the consignment period are agreed in writing before anything is published, and you are paid on completion with a settlement statement. Either of us may end a consignment on reasonable notice, and the watch comes back to you.

Selling outright is faster and certain; consignment usually achieves more but takes time and the outcome is not guaranteed. Where a watch would clearly do better given time and the right collector, we will say so rather than buy it cheaply.

Yes. Name the reference, the configuration and the budget, and the search runs through our own network across the region. Nothing is committed until the right example is offered to you at a specific price, with photographs, condition score and timing results.

Asking costs nothing and commits neither of us. Once a specific watch has been found and you ask us to secure it, a deposit is agreed in writing before we buy, and it is applied in full against the price.

Platform asking prices typically sit above what watches actually sell for once fees are counted. Watch Locker prices against achieved sales, and there is no showroom overhead built into the number.

Yes. Watch Locker is licensed by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; the licence number is in the footer of every page. We are based in Abu Dhabi. We are an independent seller and not an authorised dealer for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any watch manufacturer.

Nearly every message on WhatsApp, Instagram or email is answered the same day.