The pipeline, end to end
- Intake. Operator photographs the consignment with WatchRadar’s guided scan: dial and bezel, crown side, side profile, caseback and clasp. Three useful angles are enough to start; all five give stronger evidence.
- Triage. WatchRadar suggests the likely brand, model and reference with a confidence level, and gives a hedged verdict with reasons. Likely Authentic moves on to your normal checks. Uncertain goes to a deeper inspection queue, usually the watchmaker. High Risk is a reason to stop before any consignment paperwork is signed, and many shops decline at that point.
- Pricing. The estimated secondary-market range is a starting point, not an appraisal. Operator sets the asking price against recent comparable sales and adjusts for box-and-papers, service freshness and condition.
- Provenance. Box, papers and service receipts photographed and stored with the watch in the Watch Box’s Provenance Vault.
- Analysis Report. A shareable Analysis Report is generated: a unique WRC ID, a QR code that opens the public verification page, and a PDF. It records what the analysis found. It is not a legal certificate of authenticity, and the listing should not present it as one.
- Listing. Scan photos can double as listing photos. Description references the WRC ID, with the public verification link included.
- Sale. The buyer can open the verification page themselves and see the dated analysis record and scan photos, which answers some questions before they are asked.
- Archive. Every analysis in the Watch Box, searchable. Future buyer asking about a piece you sold last year — the dossier is right there.
Operator setup that pays back fastest
- Photography lightbox. An inexpensive white-LED lightbox with adjustable arms holds the watch consistently for every angle and makes glare much easier to control. Of everything on this list, it saves the most time.
- iPhone tripod or counterweight grip. The five-angle scan tolerates handheld but is faster on a tripod. A counterweight grip with a phone clamp is the field setup.
- Quiet, neutral background. Black velvet or matte gray for the lightbox base. The app checks framing, sharpness and glare as you shoot; a consistent background keeps the watch clearly separated from its surroundings and gives you cleaner listing photos.
- Reference card. Print a one-page reference card with each operator’s checklist for handling the watch, capturing each angle, and flagging anomalies. Reduces variation between operators on day one.
Pricing during negotiation
Anchor the negotiation on recent comparable sales and use WatchRadar’s estimated range as a cross-check. It is an estimate for context, not an appraisal, and buyers can see that too. When a buyer counter-offers well below recent sales, ask for the reason: "Comparable pieces have sold around our asking. Is there something about this watch that you think puts it below that?" A buyer with a real reason will give one (condition, service date, missing papers), and that is workable. Fewer negotiations stall on "I just feel it should be cheaper."
Listing copy that answers the first questions
Three things in the first paragraph of the listing description: reference, year, and the verification link. "Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN, 2023, full set. WatchRadar Analysis Report WRC-3k7p2qm9xz4tnbcfh8w5, viewable at watchradar.space/authenticity_certificate/WRC-3k7p2qm9xz4tnbcfh8w5." This answers "what year" up front and lets the buyer look at the analysis behind the listing without asking. Describe it as what it is, an AI analysis record, and never as proof that the watch is genuine.
When to escalate to a watchmaker
WatchRadar can’t see inside the case: the analysis covers only what the photos show. Set a value threshold for your shop, and for every consignment above it, and every one WatchRadar marks Uncertain or High Risk, have the movement and case opened by your in-house or contracted watchmaker or the brand’s service centre. The watchmaker confirms the calibre is the calibre claimed and that there are no internal modifications. With both done, the listing can say plainly what was checked and by whom.
Disputes
When a buyer disputes after sale, dated photographs of the watch as it left you are useful evidence. The Analysis Report ties specific photographs, taken on a specific date, to a specific identification, verdict and confidence level. If the buyer alleges undisclosed cosmetic damage, the photographs usually settle the question. If the buyer alleges the watch is not genuine, a WatchRadar verdict alone will not settle it; your watchmaker’s inspection notes carry more weight, which is one more reason to open the case on high-value pieces before they are listed. Keep both on file.