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- Bob's Watches is the world's first and largest pre-owned and vintage Rolex watch exchange. The company makes buying and selling luxury watches an easy and comfortable experience.
- Unlike some other watch dealers, Bob's Watches brings transparency to the luxury watch market by openly listing buy and sell prices for watches.
- Every watch sold is said to be 100% certified authentic with authentic parts inside, and expert watch specialists and watchmakers double and triple check before any transaction takes place.
- In addition to Rolex, Bob's Watches is also a reliable source for other luxury brands like Omega, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Patek Phillip, Tudor, Cartier, and more.
More than just timepieces, luxury watches are viewed as symbols of status, and Rolex is often revered as the pinnacle of them all. It's true that some watch brands — Rolex, for one — aren't priced for everyone, but too many people completely write themselves off as being too far removed from the upper echelon who will have the luxury of owning a high-end watch one day.
Aside from high retail prices, the luxury watch market is full of grey areas for the inexperienced watch buyer. Obscure resale prices and counterfeits lead consumers to believe that buying directly from a Rolex store (where prices are undoubtedly hefty) is the only way to ensure a genuine purchase, but online site Bob's Watches is bringing clarity to the market with a level of transparency unlike that of many other watch dealers.
The world's first and foremost pre-owned and vintage Rolex watch exchange, Bob's Watches prides itself on maintaining fair prices, providing useful market information, and building trust with consumers by openly listing buying and selling prices for every watch.
The business was founded in 2010 when Rolex collector and expert Paul Altieri purchased the domain from retiring watch salesman Bob Thompson for $8,000. Altieri's decision to use a name that wasn't his own started out as a way to jump right into the online space with the domain's relatively inexpensive price and some existing traffic from online search engines.
Today, the company is much bigger than he could've ever imagined. While it started out as one man buying and selling his own personal collection online, Bob's Watches has grown into one of the largest online watch sites and a successful brick-and-mortar store in Huntington Beach, California, with a 24-person team including both Rolex specialists and watchmakers.
Rolexes are built by highly skilled watchmakers using the finest materials and Swiss-made internals, so they are known to last a lifetime with proper care, which is one reason why their market is so robust. Another reason is that Rolexes are collector's items. Unlike most used cars that depreciate drastically as soon as you drive them off the lot, they're great at retaining value and, eventually, increasing in value.
Still, many online watch dealers specifically capitalize on consumers' lack of knowledge and access to reliable alternatives. For example, a $6,000 Rolex being bought for $2,000 and sold for $10,000 is an all too common occurrence within the watch industry. Bob's Watches, on the other hand, gives consumers true insight on value. The practice leaves buyers and sellers equally comfortable with making transactions online. Yes, Bob's Watches will make a profit when you buy or sell a watch, but they're completely transparent about it — they even list buy and sell prices side by side. For that reason, Bob's Watches has become the place to buy Rolexes online.
Here's how it works
Buying a watch from Bob's Watches is as simple as picking which one you'd like and checking out. Every watch listed on the site is in stock, ready to ship out, and guaranteed to be authentic with authentic parts used inside.
Selling is also hassle-free. You can fill out a quote request form here. Once your request is received, Bob's will confirm your requested amount and send you a prepaid shipping label to have your watch sent in for appraisal. Once your watch is received by Bob's Watches, the package is opened and inspected on camera by a watch specialist. The video gives owners peace of mind in knowing that their prized watch won't be swapped out with a fake and sent back with an unexplained failed inspection. Once your watch is inspected and meets the original description, Bob's will contact you to ask your preferred payment method — cash, check, or instant transfer.
In addition to Rolex, Bob's Watches is a reliable source for other luxury brands like Omega, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Tudor, Cartier, and more.
The bottom line
If you've ever wanted a real-deal luxury watch, you no longer have to shell out an astronomical retail price or blindly navigate a resale market full of scams, fakes, and shady prices. Bob's Watches offers users a huge selection of guaranteed authentic luxury watches at reasonable prices, and with trust and integrity being at the core of not only the company's mission but their very existence, Bob's Watches won't leave you disappointed (or duped) with your purchase.
Shop all Rolexes and other luxury watches at Bob's Watches here.
Amir Ismael Editor, Insider Reviews Amir Ismael is an editor for Insider Reviews, Insider's e-commerce branch of the service journalism team. As a collector of sneakers and fashion, Amir is passionate about all things related to style. He's covered everything including the industry's shift to producing more sustainable clothing, the most comfortable loungewear, all of the best places to shop for affordable business casual attire, and more. He's used his expertise in footwear and the footwear industry to review all kinds of shoes from sportswear giants, well-known casual brands, and startups. Amir's coverage also includes eyewear, watches, and grooming products like electric razors and men's skincare. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Amir has led Insider Reviews' face masks coverage with thoughtful recommendations based on CDC guidelines, expert opinions, and his own testing. During his time at Insider, Amir previously handled deals of the day coverage, and worked as a generalist writing hundreds of reviews ranging from phone cases and headphones to bed sheets and blenders, and has also covered major shopping holidays including Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Before joining the Insider Reviews team in 2017, worked as a freelance writer for Complex Sneakers and Sole Collector where he contributed to daily sneaker news and release dates, feature-length articles, and interviews with artists, designers, and athletes. Amir graduated from William Paterson University in 2015 with a degree in journalism and public relations. Say hello to Amir at aismael@businessinsider.com or on Instagram @amirjismael. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test style and beauty products. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
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