So wish I could give a less than 1 star rating. Let me see... where do I start to tell about my extreme frustration with this company. Be advised this is going to be an extremely long rant as I am more than ticked at this SCAM!
My experience began with Matt Mason in the Atlanta office. I met him with I attempted to sell my Chopard watch. He was very nice and extremely convincing when talking me into allowing them to sell my piece. He assured me that they could sell it for at least $7000 but probably closer to $9000. I happily agreed to allow them to sell it. BIG MISTAKE!
After Matt received my timepiece (August 2011), I went several weeks without hearing anything. Then all of the sudden I started getting calls from Eric Toso. Here is where I should insert that I am business owner and a HUGE stickler for customer service. If there is ever a situation where I am working with a client and they will be passed over to another individual in my company, they are informed about that transition! I was never, not one time, introduced to, or told about Eric Toso until he just started calling me one day.
Now, a personal note to Eric -- you need to learn to speak clearly! I could hardly understand your calls and messages. Also, if a client tells you that the best form on communication for them is e-mail, you should email them.
Back to my complaint... after several months (3-4) of my watch not selling, I began to express interest in getting it back. Suddenly, miraculously, my watch "sold on December 20,2011." I hesitate to say "sold" because I'm not convinced the watch was ever sold. Now get this, the selling price was only $4500! After all the commission and CRAP is taken out, I'm going to end up with a little over $3000 for a $15,000 watch.
Fast forward to now (March 2012) and I have still not received a check for my watch. I am so extremely frustrated that I began calling them and leaving messages every 15 minutes during my hour and a half commute.
I am telling you all this to warn you DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, trust this company. They are a scam and a fraud and should be shut down! I am a firm believer in karma and I believe these awful individuals that assist this company in scamming people will pay for their evil work.
I am also telling you this because I want to know how many of you ever got your checks? I wish there was some way to just shut these people down. I am so mad at myself for falling this SCAM!
Ok, so here's my story. Back in October of 2011 I contacted Watchbrokers.com to sell a couple of watches to help me get back on my feet after my divorce. After some hesitancy and great anxiety I decided "hey, they look pretty legit" and "wow, their retail offices are located in my city, Atlanta" so what did I have to lose. I called in spoke with one of their sales agents and decided that the cash would greatly benefit me in my time of transition. Went in, met with a guy named Al and he turned me over to Eric Toso. After limited correspondence I get a message that my watches (yes watches plural. Which have an apporximate retail value of $15k) have an offer to which I take at Eric's insistance. Per Eric, "this is a great offer for your watches, I'd take it" So with that I accepted the offer. A bit of time passes and I hear nothing from ANYONE at watchbrokers, even after I make numerous calls into the company to find out where in the h#! Is my money. (Going through a divorce mind you and cash is king these days). After many attempts, I get a call back from Eric when he informs me that "it's a 30 to 45 day processing period". Well the "processing period" has passed and now I get nothing in response to my many numerous attempts ADFTE the timepieces have been sold. What kind of watches, you ask? A 44mm Panerai Luminor and a Jaeger LeCoutre Reverso Squadra. NOT CHEAP WATCHES AT ALL...
In closing, if you're looking to sell your watches, go else where. These guys are either A.) Lying thieves or B.) Disorganized lying thieves. If anyone would like to reach out to me directly with your stories, please do so at *******@gmail.com
One more thing, I have contacted the Atlanta City police department to file a report and I'm submitting a filing with the BBB. I have been advised by my attorney that I can also file with the FBI fraud division.
We'll see what happens. I will up date this site if I ever get paid.
Nick
Do not, do not send your watch to Watchbrokers.com. Based on my experience and in my opinion watchbrokers.com is an outright scam. My experience has been a nightmare and I have no expectation of being paid or receiving my watch back without resorting to a legal process. I firmly believe, based on my experience, that watchbrokers.com is entirely fraudulent.
My experience mirrors the other reviews on this site. Initial contact was fine and I had no trouble having phone calls and emails returned. Watchbrokers.com could not wait to get their hands on my Breitling watch, they were even willing to send FEDX to my residence to pick it up. I was initially told to expect a selling price of anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000. However, once I shipped the watch I was told it was not in very good shape (false, it was in excellent condition when I shipped it to them) and that I would be lucky to get $2,000 and might even have to drop down to $1,000. I have since conferred with an expert collector and the Breitling rep and learned that watchbrokers.com selling price estimates on the low end are not realistic.
Watchbrokers.com will not return emails or phone calls. I was told by Ty Gardener, a "Senior" watchbroker at watchbrokers.com that at my request they would remove it from auction and return it to me but he has since refused to contact me by phone or email. Again it appears their only interest is to secure your property and then sell it as cheaply as possible. Based on their refusal to contact me I have no expectation of ever being paid or having my property returned.
I have had to resort to legal counsel and have been informed that many legal issues are involved: fraud, breach of contract, bait and switch to name only three.
Since this is an internet issue there exists the possibility of involvement with the FTC. Given the value of the property I may also have to file criminal complaints against the people involved, notify the fraud unit of the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta District Attorney as well as the Attorney General for the state of Georgia. Let me repeat that watchbrokers.com refuses to contact me.
Please consider that my experience is essentially the same as the other reviews, 100% negative, and do not under any circumstances submit your timepiece to watchbrokers.com. This is absolutely the worst experience of my life and that based on my experience and in my opinion watchbrokers.com is a scam designed to secure the property of others without payment.
The office I have dealt with is in Atlanta, GA.