The watch business offers a unique opportunity because, unlike cars, real estate, and other side hustles, it is largely unregulated.
No paperwork, no contracts, and no paper trail.
Cars require titles and long shipping times; real estate deals involve underwriting and 30-day escrow periods.
In contrast, watch deals can happen as fast as money moves through banks and FedEx ships packages—typically within 48 hours. It’s one business day for a wire transfer to clear and another for overnight shipping.
How Does That Work?
This isn’t unique to one specific group like Watch Trading Academy; it’s the entire online watch market, including groups, forums, and platforms like Reddit, that follow these rules.
Reference Checks
When two people agree to a deal, they vet each other through a reference check.
A reference check means you ask others in the business who have dealt with the person in question to share their experiences. The idea is that if the person didn’t screw over others, they won’t screw you either.
For example, someone saying, “I did a deal with X for $5,000” helps build trust for sending them a $2,000 watch.
However, for a $50,000 deal, you’ll need more evidence. Just because someone is trustworthy for $5,000 doesn’t mean they can handle $50,000.
Also, investigate who’s providing these references—are they real, and do their opinions hold weight in the watch business?
Vouching
A vouch is a much bigger deal than a reference check.
If someone asks for a reference check, and another party says, “I vouch for X,” they’re putting their own reputation on the line.
If X screws you, the person who vouched for them is responsible for making you whole.
For example, if the deal is for $50,000, and I vouch for $30,000, I am liable for that amount if X defaults. Someone else can vouch for the remaining $20,000.
If a person doesn’t honor their vouch, both they and X get blacklisted from the business.
In this industry, everyone knows everyone, and word spreads quickly. Losing trust means losing potentially millions in future business.
This strict system of accountability is what allows high-stakes deals to be conducted with just a handshake. A vouch is serious, and should not be casually given, especially if financial situations change.
Retail buyers don’t follow these rules; this system is strictly business-to-business.
Payment and Shipping
By default, the buyer pays first, and then the seller ships.
However, if the buyer has a much stronger reputation (based on higher-stakes deals, longer tenure, or a high volume of successful deals), they might request to “pay on delivery” after inspecting the watch.
The idea is that a new seller might not have the expertise to inspect the watch, and the buyer wants to ensure quality before payment.
If the buyer steals the watch, they get blacklisted, so it’s crucial to only deal with people who have a strong reputation.
If someone does watches as a side hustle but works primarily in another industry, they might not care about losing their reputation in watches if they make a mistake. In such cases, it’s better to rely on vouches from those who have a lot to lose in the watch business.
In Watch Trading Academy, we don’t force anyone to ship first; if there’s a conflict, we’ll likely call off the deal because this is a learning community. In other groups, the rules are stricter and must be followed.
First Right to a Deal: “Public Sold Beats PM”
If you list a watch for sale in a group and someone comments “sold to me” while another person sends a private message (PM) offering to buy it, the person who publicly commented “sold” gets first dibs at the asking price.
PMs are usually for clarifying questions, but for those who act immediately and know what they’re doing, they get rewarded with the first right to a deal.
What is Mazal?
Terms like “mazal,” “sold to me,” or “done” indicate a deal is locked in. Once you agree to a deal, it doesn’t matter if unexpected issues arise—you’re committed.
Whether you forgot to ask a question, miscalculated, or faced an emergency, the deal is happening, or you risk getting blacklisted.
Do not make offers or agree to deals unless you are 110% sure you can meet the terms.
If you say you’ll ship today, and your car breaks down, you’re expected to Uber to the post office. If you miss a shipping deadline, it’s your responsibility to make it right.
Deals move quickly, so to protect yourself, you can set limits like, “Offer good for two hours.”
That way, if you don’t hear back within that time, you can move on to the next buyer or seller.
Hope this clarifies the ‘Rules of the Watch Game’ for you new members and watch traders.