Bob's Watches

[bdex75]

Has anyone ever dealt with Bob's Watches? I am in the process of selling my wife's 79160 26mm Date to them based on the bid that I received via email. The bid was $1900. Would have been $2000 had I had the original warranty papers (on a K serial 2001 watch??). They had multiple pictures to base bid on.

The watch was more than accurately described to them and sent off yesterday. Today I get a call from them and they want to offer me $475 less than that. Their rationale is that it it missing one link, they say it should have 22 and there are 19 on the watch and 2 extras in the box. It needs a regulation and a light polish. I know all of that will likely cost close to $475 to do with a competent watchmaker. But don't you expect some recon cost when bidding a 15 year old watch??

BTW, this is complete, box, hang tag, books set. And the watch is in phenomenal shape with relatively no stretch in the jubilee. It was worn maybe 4 times a year and cleaned after about every wear. There is not a cleaner K serial around.

I know these 26mm don't bring a lot of $, I know the big watch trend had rendered them less desirable. But am I out of line to think that when you are giving someone a bid on a watch of that age you wouldn't assume that it is ready to sell immediately?? That you may have to do a little work to the watch to resell at $3000 like they do on their site??

I know I could try to sell here or Ebay or even my AD but these smaller watches are a hard sell these days and with all of the scammers out there, who knows. This just seemed easier. And had they come back a couple hundred back of their estimate I would be ok, but almost 25% back?????

Thanks for letting me vent.

I am probably going to work them up a little bit and let the watch fly. She just never wears it since she got her 31mm Tudor with the diamonds.

Here is the watch in question.


Thanks again
Brandon


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[swils8610]

I wouldn't accept that. Have them send it back to you.

[RolexPete]

Originally Posted by swils8610

i wouldn't accept that. Have them send it back to you.

+1

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I wouldn't accept that. Have them send it back to you.

+2; sounds like a scam act to me.

[Xerxes77]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I wouldn't accept that. Have them send it back to you.

[MonBK]

A trick they play over and over again.

[Sunny Arizona]

Originally Posted by MonBK

A trick they play over and over again.

Their typical MO.

[Daryl]

Originally Posted by monbk

a trick they play over and over again.

+1

[swils8610]

I'd be interested at $1900!

[Aceldama]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I'd be interested at $1900!

+1: Post it here. That's a great price!

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I'd be interested at $1900!

We can talk. Never intended this to get that result.

Now that I have confirmed my suspicions that this is a lowball number and apparently their MO I will ask for my watch back and move on.


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[GB-man]

Originally Posted by bdex75

We can talk. Never intended this to get that result.

Now that I have confirmed my suspicions that this is a lowball number and apparently their MO I will ask for my watch back and move on.


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Good idea. I know bobs watches has been around forever but I hear too many complaints about them to ever consider them.

[Saoirse32]

Don't accept. Ask for it back. They will oblige


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[Sidmind]

Bob is very rich from selling Rolex, he doesn't get that way from paying top dollar. :)

/Owners name is not really Bob, his real name is Paul, go figure.

[Knappo 1307]

Originally Posted by Sidmind

Bob is very rich from selling Rolex, he doesn't get that way from paying top dollar. :)

/Owners name is not really Bob, his real name is Paul, go figure.

He seems to have an acct. here on TRF. Member name Paul at Bobs Watches, location states Huntington Beach....

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by Knappo 1307

He seems to have an acct. here on TRF. Member name Paul at Bobs Watches, location states Huntington Beach....

I thought they had an account here. And their phone number comes up as Brea, CA in believe.

I will work it out with them one way or another. I just wanted to know if others here had a similar experience there.


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[socalwatchcollector]

Originally Posted by Knappo 1307

He seems to have an acct. here on TRF. Member name Paul at Bobs Watches, location states Huntington Beach....

They have been listed in HB for years. I believe they are online only as
I have never found a storefront location for them but then again I never searched too hard...

[shabaang]

Originally Posted by MP5

Starting off with threat of legal action usually ends up creating a very positive impression on a hard core watch forum full of potential customers. Cant wait to do business! Talk to you soon!

Originally Posted by Knappo 1307

You would have been well advised to let this thread die. Your response and the threat of legal action, is a complete joke. Any consideration of me doing business with you, has gone out the door. I'm sure, that I'm not alone in this....

+1, crazy thread..

and now more issues with the same company, surprise surprise.

[Undefeatable]

Originally Posted by socalwatchcollector

They have been listed in HB for years. I believe they are online only as
I have never found a storefront location for them but then again I never searched too hard...

They have a store front in Huntington Beach, its appointment only. Ive been there once.

[socalwatchcollector]

Originally Posted by Undefeatable

They have a store front in Huntington Beach, its appointment only. Ive been there once.

My mistake. I never searched too hard and for good reason which we can see now from this thread. The last thing I would want to do is get into a legal dispute with someone that rambles about a lawsuit over a couple of grand. Would cost more to make the call than the watch is worth. What the OP did was far from slander and simply shared his experience while asking for advice..

[Sublover2166]

Originally Posted by Sidmind

Bob is very rich from selling Rolex, he doesn't get that way from paying top dollar. :)

/Owners name is not really Bob, his real name is Paul, go figure.

Yeah, Paul Altieri has a multi-million dollar vintage watch collection including a rare Submariner from Cuba and a Paul Newman Daytona. He is making a very lucrative living from his buy low-sell high business M.O.

If prospective sellers did a little more homework on this business and their ways, they would avoid this online pawn shop like the plague, JMO

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by Sublover2166

Yeah, Paul Altieri has a multi-million dollar vintage watch collection including a rare Submariner from Cuba and a Paul Newman Daytona. He is making a very lucrative living from his buy low-sell high business M.O.

As the lullaby my wife's grandfather used to sing to our children goes, "buy low........sell high". It is the root of profitable business and the secret to success in the stock market. He used to say it was a Chinese proverb, but I have never confirmed that. 😀

But reputation has value well beyond profits.


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[Sublover2166]

Originally Posted by bdex75

As the lullaby my wife's grandfather used to sing to our children goes, "buy low........sell high". It is the root of profitable business and the secret to success in the stock market. He used to say it was a Chinese proverb, but I have never confirmed that. 😀

But reputation has value well beyond profits.


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Agreed. The change the rules as you play game they did to th OP is just low down and shameful. Trusted sellers here on the forum will go the distance to make sure their customers are happy with the transaction. One bad review here could mean the end of their livelihood.

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by Sublover2166

Agreed. The change the rules as you play game they did to th OP is just low down and shameful. Trusted sellers here on the forum will go the distance to make sure their customers are happy with the transaction. One bad review here could mean the end of their livelihood.

I am the OP and I posted their original bid email a few posts ago. It was actually $2000 but I was told right up front that since I did not have the original warranty papers I was going to take a $100 hit right up front. Not sure what bearing that has on a watch that is 15 years old other than they cannot say "box and papers"??? I was told this was the maximum. And I fully expected them to find something they would need to do to make it top shelf merchandise. I did not realize it was missing a link and still am not sure it is.

I bought this from the original owner in about 2010 I think it was. It still had most all of the stickers on it. His wife never wore it. So he traded to a jewelry store owner friend of mine owns, using a bid I gave him and I purchased the same day. Is it possible he had a link taken out that I did not get, sure. But a link is about $25. A very light polish, maybe $75? And the watch keeps fine time. But to regulate if necessary, $100??? Not sure. But that is $200 not almost $500.

Had they said they would wire me $1700 or $1750 yesterday this is done and the money is in my account. It's easy and there is no drama with a potential dishonest buyer.


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[iazrollie]

I don't like them. They give low ball offers and then work you down even further once they have your watch.

[spd707]

I think they know that after sending your watch out you are not as likely to have them send it back so they try to hit you for less value. I almost sent a watch to them but I decided against it after talking to one of their reps on the phone.

Personally, I would get the watch back and sell it on the forums here or the bay.

[bdex75]

Thanks everyone. Lesson learned here. At least they pay the shipping. I am going to get it back tomorrow and move on.

This whole thing made me think about just hanging on to it for my 13 year old daughter some day. But who knows if she will ever like anything more than her swatch watches.


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[Gaijin]

Lame. Really lame Bob's watches. Shame on you. You'll never get a dime of my watch money. Send the man his watch back and play fair.

[Danny83]

I would just keep it or sell it here

[bdex75]

Thanks for all the replies and reassurance gentlemen. I just sent them an email asking them to send the watch back to me tomorrow. I was told by their salesperson that if the offer was $300 or more below the estimate provided that they paid the return shipping as well. We shall see. Hope it does not turn into one of those "they kept my watch" threads. I doubt it will as I did do my homework to make sure they were somewhat honest before I sent the watch to them. I took a lot of photos before it left so hopefully it returns in this condition and with all its accessories.



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