Terms & Conditions

About These Terms

Watch Locker is a licensed online seller of authentic luxury timepieces, licensed by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism under licence no. 1626296, and based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In these terms, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Watch Locker, and “you” means the person using this website or entering into a transaction with us.

These terms govern your use of watchlocker.ae and every purchase, sale, trade, consignment and sourcing request made with us. They are the governing document. The frequently asked questions page is a plain-English summary of some of the points below and is provided for convenience only; where the two differ, these terms prevail.

The invoice issued for a specific transaction records the watch, the price and the payment made. Where an invoice and these terms conflict, the invoice governs that transaction.

Use of This Website

You may browse and share the content of this website for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not misuse the site, attempt to interfere with its operation, or reproduce its content commercially without our written permission.

The website is provided as an information service. Nothing on it constitutes financial, investment or valuation advice, and prices shown are not a representation of future resale value.

Listings, Prices and Availability

Every listing is prepared in good faith and describes each watch as we found it, including its condition score and the specific marks it carries. Listings are an invitation to enquire, not a binding offer to sell. A sale is concluded only when agreed directly with us and confirmed by an invoice.

Prices are in UAE dirhams, may change without notice, and every watch is subject to prior sale. Pre-owned watches are sold under the UAE VAT margin scheme; prices shown include VAT where it applies.

Photographs form part of each description. Colours may render differently between screens, and this alone is not a basis for return.

If a listing contains an obvious error in price or a materially incorrect description, we may withdraw it and cancel any pending transaction before the watch changes hands. If you have paid in full, you receive a full refund; if you have paid a reservation deposit, that deposit is refunded in full. We have no further liability in these circumstances.

Condition Grading

Every 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 a watch carries are written into its listing rather than summarised in a single word.

Condition scores reflect our honest professional assessment of a pre-owned item and are not a warranty of perfection. Signs of wear disclosed in a listing, and normal characteristics of a watch of that age and type, are not defects.

Authentication and Timing

Before a watch is offered, it is examined in person: case, dial, movement, bracelet and serial numbers are checked against the reference. Where anything about a watch leaves a question, it is referred to an independent authenticator before it is offered. Every mechanical watch is timed on a timegrapher before sale, and the results are available on request.

Timing results describe the watch at the time of testing. Mechanical watches drift with wear, position and service history, and a change in rate after purchase is not a defect.

Reserving a Watch

A watch may be reserved through this website with a deposit of 15% of its published price. Payment is processed by our payment provider; we do not receive or store your card details.

The deposit withdraws the watch from sale for 14 days from the time it is paid, and is deducted in full from the price on completion.

You are asked to confirm that you have read and accepted these reservation terms before the deposit is taken.

The deposit is not refundable. If the balance is not settled within the 14-day hold, or if you decide not to proceed, the reservation lapses, the watch returns to sale and the deposit is retained. Where we are unable to complete the sale for any reason, including a listing error, the deposit is refunded in full.

Payment

We accept cash, bank transfer, debit and credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. A 3% transaction fee applies to card and digital wallet payments. Instalments are available on selected watches through Tamara, to which a 7% transaction fee applies. Applicable fees are stated before payment is taken.

Large settlements are made by bank transfer, in line with United Arab Emirates anti-money-laundering requirements. We may request proof of identity or source of funds before completing a transaction, and may decline or unwind a transaction where such information is not provided or where we have reasonable grounds for concern.

A full invoice is issued for every sale.

Title and Risk

Ownership of a watch passes to you when payment has been received by us in full and has cleared. Until then the watch remains our property, notwithstanding delivery or the payment of a deposit.

Risk of loss or damage remains with us until the watch is delivered into your possession or collected by you. Where a watch is lost or damaged in transit on a delivery arranged by us, we replace it where possible, or refund you in full.

Delivery and Collection

We deliver throughout the United Arab Emirates. Delivery is arranged with you and any charge is agreed and stated before payment is taken; on most Abu Dhabi sales we carry the watch to you ourselves at no charge. Delivery outside the United Arab Emirates is not offered as standard: it is considered case by case, subject to the destination, the watch and any export or import requirements that apply, and any charge is agreed in writing before payment. Collection in person in Abu Dhabi is welcome and is arranged by appointment.

Viewings are by appointment. We do not operate a showroom, so every viewing and collection is by confirmed appointment.

Delivery timeframes are estimates and are not guaranteed.

The Authenticity Guarantee

Every watch is examined against its reference before it is offered, and we stand behind that judgement without limit. If a watch sold by Watch Locker is at any time shown not to be genuine, we take it back and refund the price paid in full. There is no time limit on this guarantee.

A claim under this guarantee must be supported by a written finding from the manufacturer, an authorised service centre, or an independent authenticator of good standing. The guarantee runs to the original purchaser and is not transferable.

The 48-Hour Return

You may return a watch within 48 hours of handover where the watch arrives defective, where it is shown not to be authentic on examination by a reputable independent authority, or where it does not match its published condition score, photographs or written description. The 48 hours run from the moment the watch is handed to you or delivered into your possession.

The window is short because almost every watch is handed over in person, with as long as you need to examine the piece before the sale completes. A defect, or a difference from the listing, is apparent then. Nothing in this clause affects the authenticity guarantee above, which has no time limit at all.

The return does not cover a change of mind. It does not cover marks, wear or characteristics that were disclosed in the listing, damage occurring after delivery, ordinary wear, water ingress, impact, or any watch that has been altered, serviced, polished or opened by anyone other than Watch Locker after handover.

This return is given by us in addition to your rights under United Arab Emirates consumer law. Nothing in it removes, replaces or limits any right the law gives you.

To claim, tell us within the 48 hours, quoting your invoice number and describing the issue, and return the watch to us within seven days of doing so. Accepted returns are refunded in full, including any reservation deposit and any transaction fee paid, once the watch is received back in the condition in which it was delivered and with everything supplied at the sale. Return carriage on an accepted claim is at our cost.

Nothing in these terms limits any right you have under United Arab Emirates consumer protection law that cannot lawfully be limited.

Warranty

Watches are sold without a Watch Locker warranty on the movement or on any other component. Where remaining manufacturer warranty exists, it is stated on the listing and passes to you in full; any claim under it is made to the manufacturer or its authorised service centre in accordance with their terms.

Beyond the authenticity guarantee and the 48-hour return set out above, watches are sold as inspected and described.

Selling or Trading a Watch to Us

Where you sell a watch to us, or place a watch against another in a trade, you confirm that you are the lawful owner of that watch, that it is free of any charge, lien or finance, that it is not stolen, and that it is genuine to the best of your knowledge.

Any offer we make is based on the description and photographs you provide and is subject to physical inspection. Where the watch differs materially from your description, the offer may be revised or withdrawn.

Payment is made on handover. Where a watch we have purchased is subsequently found not to be genuine or not to be lawfully yours to sell, you agree to repay the amount we paid, and we reserve all other rights.

Consignment

A consigned watch remains your property until it is sold. The target price and the consignment period are agreed in writing before the watch is listed.

Our commission is 10% of the sale price, subject to a minimum of AED 750 per watch. It is deducted from the proceeds on settlement and is the only charge: we hold the watch securely and photograph, list and market it at our own cost. Settlement follows completion of a sale and is accompanied by a statement.

Either party may end a consignment on reasonable notice, on which the watch is returned to you.

Sourcing Requests

Telling us what you are looking for costs nothing and commits neither of us. We search, and we come back to you with what we find.

Once a specific watch has been found and you ask us to secure it, a deposit is agreed in writing before we buy. It is applied in full against the price on completion.

Every sourced watch is offered to you as a specific watch at a specific price, with photographs, condition score and timing results, before any balance falls due. The terms above then apply to that sale in the ordinary way.

Intellectual Property

The Watch Locker name, logo, photography and written descriptions are our property. Brand and model names of watch manufacturers appear only to identify the watches offered.

Watch Locker is an independent seller and is not an authorised dealer for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any watch manufacturer.

Third-Party Platforms

This website links to Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook, and may embed Instagram content. Those platforms are governed by their own terms and privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their availability, content or practices.

Payments are processed by a third-party payment provider under its own terms.

Liability

Our total liability arising out of any transaction is limited to the amount you paid for the watch in question.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, loss of opportunity or loss of anticipated resale value.

Nothing in these terms excludes liability for fraud, for fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under United Arab Emirates law.

Complaints

If something has gone wrong, tell us first. Write to info@watchlocker.ae or send a message on WhatsApp, quoting your invoice number and describing the problem. We acknowledge every complaint within two working days and aim to resolve it within ten working days.

If we cannot resolve it between us, you may refer the matter to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, which licenses this business, or to the consumer protection authorities of the United Arab Emirates. Doing so does not affect any other right you have.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These terms are governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates. Any dispute is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of the United Arab Emirates.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in force.

Changes to These Terms

These terms may be updated from time to time. The version published on this page, bearing the date shown above, is the version in force. The terms applying to a transaction are those in force when the transaction was concluded.