“Pure Watches” eBay seller scam??

[Bmarsh1605]

Hello all! Looking to hopefully purchase my first Rolex within the next couple weeks and have scoured various reputable online retailers as well as eBay. I have found one seller on eBay in particular that has a couple different options that fit my taste and seem to have very reasonable prices. Has anybody dealt with the seller “Pure Watches” on eBay? I did a search on the forum here and only found one result but at that point in time (a few years ago) nobody seemed to have any experience dealing with them. They seem to have very high eBay ratings (some of which “appear” to possibly be fictitious) and have corresponded back-and-forth a few times between email and they seem to be pretty responsive and helpful with my questions. I did request some various close-ups and pictures of the model/serial number which they declined to provide me until the purchase was made. Just looking for some insight, thanks!

[GGGMT]

I have no idea about that seller, but as a first time buyer, please don’t buy on eBay. Look around on this form for a few months, identify the great sellers and buy from one of those people.

What make model are you thinking about.


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[EEpro]

Welcome! What watch are you looking at?

The boutiques here on TRF are going to be your best bet. These people are part of this community and are well known to thousands of buyers.

[77T]

Nothing I saw on their site is OEM original.
Customized dials, bezels, etc - they have a lot of them.




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[Bmarsh1605]

Thanks for the advice guys! I’ve been looking for a little while now and kind of have it narrowed down for what I want. I’m looking for a 36mm datejust with a stainless Jubilee band, fluted bezel and gray or slate dial with stick or diamond hour markers. I do realize that a lot of their watches are custom which I’m OK with. To my understanding, the watch I’m looking at has mostly oem Rolex parts (case, movement, bezel) with an aftermarket band (which I’m upgrading to oem) dial and lens. Is there any disadvantage to a watch with these characteristics with the exception of resale value? I’m assuming the level of quality of aftermarket versus OEM parts is lesser but if I’m not mistaken the aftermarket parts that I listed on this particular watch don’t seem to be ones that would commonly have issues? I’m not dead set on using this seller and I am open to options! The company offers a 30 day no hassle return policy and I plan on taking any watch I buy to a certified Rolex dealer in my area to get checked out as soon as I receive it. For some reason it won’t let me post a link to the watch but this is the eBay item number. 173547567421 Thanks guys!

[77T]

Originally Posted by Bmarsh1605

Thanks for the advice guys! I’ve been looking for a little while now and kind of have it narrowed down for what I want. I’m looking for a 36mm datejust with a stainless Jubilee band, fluted bezel and gray or slate dial with stick or diamond hour markers. I do realize that a lot of their watches are custom which I’m OK with. To my understanding, the watch I’m looking at has mostly oem Rolex parts (case, movement, bezel) with an aftermarket band (which I’m upgrading to oem) dial and lens. Is there any disadvantage to a watch with these characteristics with the exception of resale value? I’m assuming the level of quality of aftermarket versus OEM parts is lesser but if I’m not mistaken the aftermarket parts that I listed on this particular watch don’t seem to be ones that would commonly have issues? I’m not dead set on using this seller and I am open to options! The company offers a 30 day no hassle return policy and I plan on taking any watch I buy to a certified Rolex dealer in my area to get checked out as soon as I receive it. For some reason it won’t let me post a link to the watch but this is the eBay item number. 173547567421 Thanks guys!

You may be OK with custom aftermarket work today but you may want to consider the consequences. Some may not matter to you today but could later.

For example, Rolex will not work on it at their Service Center unless you pay to replace the custom items. Costly.

Be aware that you are choosing a vintage watch at least 40 years old. The case should have a serial number that the seller did not disclose, nor picture to determine if it’s 40 or 50 years old. The case lugs have been polished significantly as the ones on the crown side seem to have springbar pins proud of the lug holes (poking out shows that significant work has been done).

The watch likely has an aftermarket crystal (because the seller takes pain to note the word Rolex on other parts but is silent on that part). It may function differently in terms of watertightness. Seller doesn’t seem to guarantee this point but could matter later. The watch may fail a pressure test.

You are looking at a non-quickset movement. Tedious changing the date at the end of any month with less than 31 days. It may not be the one this watch came with - that isn’t pictured so you have no idea of it’s condition. Also the inner caseback or midcase could be pitted (further compromising water tightness)

The datewheel may have been swapped for an aftermarket one. Lord only knows how many non-Rolex parts are in the movement.
(like barrel, mainspring, hairspring, crown/stem and other items replaced on old movements with aftermarket part’s due to watchmaker not having access to genuine ones)

All I can say is the allure of low price fades quickly in the face of future problems that could be costly.

I could go on but I hope you see there is no shortcut - sharing this in the spirit of communication and hopefully avoiding future remorse.

Maybe consider a newer DJ with stick hour markers, or if Vintage is your goal, then reach out to the trusted dealers here.



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[Bmarsh1605]

Originally Posted by 77T

You may be OK with custom aftermarket work today but you may want to consider the consequences. Some may not matter to you today but could later.

For example, Rolex will not work on it at their Service Center unless you pay to replace the custom items. Costly.

Be aware that you are choosing a vintage watch at least 40 years old. The case should have a serial number that the seller did not disclose, nor picture to determine if it’s 40 or 50 years old. The case lugs have been polished significantly as the ones on the crown side seem to have springbar pins proud of the lug holes (poking out shows that significant work has been done).

The watch likely has an aftermarket crystal (because the seller takes pain to note the word Rolex on other parts but is silent on that part). It may function differently in terms of watertightness. Seller doesn’t seem to guarantee this point but could matter later. The watch may fail a pressure test.

You are looking at a non-quickset movement. Tedious changing the date at the end of any month with less than 31 days. It may not be the one this watch came with - that isn’t pictured so you have no idea of it’s condition. Also the inner caseback or midcase could be pitted (further compromising water tightness)

The datewheel may have been swapped for an aftermarket one. Lord only knows how many non-Rolex parts are in the movement.
(like barrel, mainspring, hairspring, crown/stem and other items replaced on old movements with aftermarket part’s due to watchmaker not having access to genuine ones)

All I can say is the allure of low price fades quickly in the face of future problems that could be costly.

I could go on but I hope you see there is no shortcut - sharing this in the spirit of communication and hopefully avoiding future remorse.

Maybe consider a newer DJ with stick hour markers, or if Vintage is your goal, then reach out to the trusted dealers here.



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Thank you very much for your quick and thorough response. May not have been the answer I wanted to hear but the answer I certainly needed to hear! I figured the price tag seemed a little bit low and that the company almost seemed a little bit evasive with certain information during my correspondence with them. I certainly don’t want to run into any issues right off the bat or get myself into some trouble with costly repairs down the road. I agree it is likely a better idea to go with a more reputable seller/newer watch. I will definitely browse the classifieds on this post forum and read reviews on the different sellers. I have one other stainless datejust with quickset and a slate gray dial with black stick markers I’m looking at on Becker time. It definitely looks to be a step up from the one on eBay. Sku# 16014B11MT

[Bmarsh1605]

Thank you very much for your quick and thorough response. May not have been the answer I wanted to hear but the answer I certainly needed to hear! I figured the price tag seemed a little bit low and that the company almost seemed a little bit evasive with certain information during my correspondence with them. I certainly don’t want to run into any issues right off the bat or get myself into some trouble with costly repairs down the road. I agree it is likely a better idea to go with a more reputable seller/newer watch. I will definitely browse the classifieds on this post forum and read reviews on the different sellers. I have one other stainless datejust with quickset and a slate gray dial with black stick markers I’m looking at one Becker time. It definitely looks to be a step up from the one on eBay. Sku#16014B11MT

[emmalord]

I am now worried because I have just purchased a Datejust from Pure Watches. I took it into my local Rolex Service Centre to be resized and they did it for me with no questions.
I am now wondering (after reading your post) if I should send it back for a refund or if I should try and find someone to verify it’s authenticity?
What’s your thoughts?


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[Colingby]

Any updates with "Pure Watches"? There's a listing on C24 which I'm inclined to purchase

[cokegmtesquire]

Hey all,

I too was very interested in an all gold day-date 36mm they had so i called them up. My gut is that these people are shady. They gave me a bs excuse why they can not send additional pictures. Secondly, the lady stated they refinish all the dials on their watches as well as the cases and bands. When asked if they provide authenticity guarantee she said " we can provide you with that but they are not legal papers." I would stay away. Would not take the risk over $1-1500 in savings.

[R&S Timepieces]

Interesting thread. Started looking into this and gave them a call too.

After speaking with them today, they did confirm that almost all the parts on the particular watch that I was looking at were OEM. This includes the bracelet, dial, movement, etc. The only points of contention were that almost all of the crystals on the older pieces (1601) are non-OEM. Other major point that the representative immediately noted was the possibility that some screws in the movement itself may be replaced with non-oem parts as well. But all-in-all, didn’t feel like they were hiding any information from me and were pretty straight forward in my situation.

She also mentioned that they do offer a 1-year full service warranty for free.

Curious to see any other experiences with the company.

[jmchris01]

I purchased a 16233 TT Datejust from them through eBay nearly 2-years ago. At the time I was able to capitalize on the 10% discount that eBay was offering for Rolex watches, so I received a very good price on the watch. When I received it, the watch was near perfect condition. No complaints about the condition. However, shortly after receiving it, I noticed that the watch would randomly stop. I sent it back after two months, and they "repaired it". Unfortunately it stopped again 6-months later. This time they said they would replace the movement in that they do not do the same repair twice on a watch. Which I was happy with. Well, 8-months later (approximately 20 months after I purchase it) it stopped again. This time I could not get it to work at all.

I emailed Andrew at PureWatches two weeks ago, he never responded. I decided to take it to a certified Rolex "Master Horologist", who we are very fortunate to have in the Detroit area. The watch has a broken spring. He said the condition overall is excellent, and has all OEM parts.

Bottom Line; I received a very nice watch for the price. They honored the repair within the original warranty period, and it has all OEM pieces. I'll be happy one it's done.

Anyone needing repairs; check our Rami Farhat at anywatchrepair. He is a godsend and a very friendly and cool guy. Honest and very trustworthy. Highly recommended!

[PureWatches]

As a long time member, I'm genuinely sorry that I haven't been more active on these forums. Quite frankly, I was alerted of this thread by another customer and felt it appropriate to respond.

As a brief introduction, my name is Andrew and I'm the director at Pure Watches. We have been in business for over a decade and I'm pleased to see that we already have several satisfied customers to vouch for us.

As a high volume online retailer, we have a large inventory of watches that is constantly changing. As some users have commented, some of our Rolex timepieces have custom/aftermarket parts. We believe in full transparency and always detail that in our descriptions. Some Rolex purists will consider adding aftermarket parts on a Rolex watch or even polishing the watch as blasphemy and I get it. That is why, some of our watches are completely original while others may have non-Rolex parts so we can try to satisfy everyone's criteria.

77T (Paul) makes some excellent points and I'll be more than happy to address them:
• Paul is correct that Rolex Service centers will not service Rolex watches with custom parts. However, many of our customers who've purchased their watch from us, trust us, and will ask us to service them when needed.
• Upon purchase, all customers will be provided additional photos of the watch (watch movement after being serviced, model number, serial number, and case back) to help validate its authenticity.
• A large percentage of our timepiece have aftermarket crystals as the original ones had to be replaced because they are in poor condition. Since all of our watches have been professionally serviced, we guarantee that the watch is water resistant but cannot guarantee the depth in which it can be submerged.
• With our servicing, there are concerns if aftermarket parts are used. Rest assured, I’d like to confirm that all of the parts used in the Rolex movement are genuine Rolex (i.e. date calendar, crown, stem, and etc).

I completely understand that our watches may not fit everyone’s expectations, that is why we offer a money back guarantee and 1-year warranty. If anyone has any questions, please send me a message and I’ll do my best to respond. Please note, response times may vary as I do not frequent these forums often.

[Bawood888]

Here's my detailed (albeit lengthy) experience with Pure Watches. I purchased a Rolex Datejust w/quickset movement from Pure Watches on Ebay, and I was very happy with what I received. Like others have mentioned, they wouldn't take the watch apart for photos before purchasing, but they did once I bought it. It was explained to me (basically) that they do this as not to waste their time on people who have no intention on buying; however, they would completely refund my money after viewing the photos if I no longer wanted it. Once I placed the order through Ebay, they sent me photos (within an hour) of the watch case with the band removed to show the serial number, as well as photos of the case back removed to show the movement. Everything in the photos was 100% correct, and I went ahead with the purchase. I received the watch two days later, and it arrived exactly as described and shown in the images. I removed the band and the case back, and the watch I received was absolutely the watch shown in the photos, and was absolutely correct. The watch I ordered had an aftermarket MOP dial with diamond markers and an aftermarket diamond bezel -- these parts were fully disclosed as add-ons in the description. The watch I received was 100% authentic (minus the disclosed aftermarket parts), in perfect condition, and is absolutely beautiful. I get more compliments on this watch than any of my other watches, and I would buy from them again in a heartbeat! I think the few downsides other comments have pointed out are far outweighed by the quality of watch I received at a really great price... Hope this helps!

[PhenyxQV]

I bought a 1963 Datejust from them, and soon after took it in the be cleaned/serviced by my local dealer. The watch was immaculate. Everything was oem except the band and crystal, which I’ve since corrected. Most of their offerings do have aftermarket bands, but overall it was a good buy.

[Midwest]

Curious where they get their aftermarket bracelets? Is it some cheap band from aliexpress or something quality

[Dammydam]

This is why it’s great to explore the forum, i just learnt something vital from this post. Thanks for the post man.

[I377611]

Not sure if Bmarsh1605 ever ended up purchase with Pure Watches; I'd like to share my recent purchase experience with them!

I was on a six months hunt for a Rolex to gift to my now fiancé as his anniversary gift. Many RF members provided me with their personal recommendations and a couple of them recommended eBay's authenticity program. For those who are unfamiliar with this program, eBay will verify the watch before sending it to buyer.

I've been an eBay member since early 2000 and I am fully conscious and aware of the possible backlash there is on purchasing luxury goods on eBay. I was ecstatic when I came across Pure Watches storefront due to their high reviews and rating. After a few online message exchanges with store manager Caroline, I was introduced to the company director Andrew over the phone. We probably spoke on five different occasions since it was my first time making a large purchase on eBay. And oh boy! I have nothing but great things to say about them! They were so patient and helpful from the beginning to end. I honestly have never expected anyone from eBay to spend this much time and energy on their client. This truly showed me how much they appreciate and value their buyers.

Hopefully, this review provides more insight for many others that are on the hunt for their next perfect watch!

Here's a picture of the badass watch I scored for my man

[10klaw]

There must be two Pure Watches. My name is Tim Miles and I am an attorney in Nashville and I have bought two very nice, very real, watches from Pure Watches in Chino Hills, CA. I can assure you they are very real, 100% legit, and sell excellent watches with great customer care. They have done nothing but gone out of their way to help me to make sure I was fully satisfied with both watches I bought, and I was. They have excellent customer service and Andrew, who I believe is the manager, is a very nice and honest guy, as is the owner. In fact, my experiences with Pure Watches have been the best and I have been buying pre-owned Rolexes for 30 years.
They are an honest and ethical company. In fact, I will not purchase a watch anywhere else just because they are such great people.


I never leave posts, and I have no vested interest in doing so, I am not affiliated with Pure Watches and do not know anyone there personally beyond my experiences buying watches, but I just wanted to put to rest the notion they are a scam or are not legit. They are very legit, honest and ethical people. And, they sell nice watches.

Trust me, there are plenty of companies out there selling pre-owned Rolexes that deserve being questioned as to their authenticity. But, Pure Watches is certainly not one them.
Tim Miles

[karlie]

Pure Watches is a reputable seller of luxury watches on eBay. They have been in business for over 10 years and have a high eBay rating. However, it is important to be cautious when buying luxury watches online, even from reputable sellers.

[rmagoo57]

Strange thread. Look at all the low post count numbers!?

[Knappo 1307]

Originally Posted by PureWatches

As a long time member, I'm genuinely sorry that I haven't been more active on these forums. Quite frankly, I was alerted of this thread by another customer and felt it appropriate to respond.

As a brief introduction, my name is Andrew and I'm the director at Pure Watches. We have been in business for over a decade and I'm pleased to see that we already have several satisfied customers to vouch for us.

As a high volume online retailer, we have a large inventory of watches that is constantly changing. As some users have commented, some of our Rolex timepieces have custom/aftermarket parts. We believe in full transparency and always detail that in our descriptions. Some Rolex purists will consider adding aftermarket parts on a Rolex watch or even polishing the watch as blasphemy and I get it. That is why, some of our watches are completely original while others may have non-Rolex parts so we can try to satisfy everyone's criteria.

77T (Paul) makes some excellent points and I'll be more than happy to address them:
• Paul is correct that Rolex Service centers will not service Rolex watches with custom parts. However, many of our customers who've purchased their watch from us, trust us, and will ask us to service them when needed.
• Upon purchase, all customers will be provided additional photos of the watch (watch movement after being serviced, model number, serial number, and case back) to help validate its authenticity.
• A large percentage of our timepiece have aftermarket crystals as the original ones had to be replaced because they are in poor condition. Since all of our watches have been professionally serviced, we guarantee that the watch is water resistant but cannot guarantee the depth in which it can be submerged.
• With our servicing, there are concerns if aftermarket parts are used. Rest assured, I’d like to confirm that all of the parts used in the Rolex movement are genuine Rolex (i.e. date calendar, crown, stem, and etc).

I completely understand that our watches may not fit everyone’s expectations, that is why we offer a money back guarantee and 1-year warranty. If anyone has any questions, please send me a message and I’ll do my best to respond. Please note, response times may vary as I do not frequent these forums often.

ok..

[Rolex1982]

Originally Posted by rmagoo57

Strange thread. Look at all the low post count numbers!?

Yeah, my thoughts exactly

[Lingeringlightphoto]

Originally Posted by Rolex1982

Yeah, my thoughts exactly

And if you look at the join date on more than one reply, it is the same month and year as the post to this thread.

[CarlOver]

These suspect positive reviews also happen on Amazon. When negative reviews the seller pays individuals to flood the product review with positive ones. Same on homedepot.com. Buyer beware.

[Alextimber]

Pure watches on eBay smells like a scam, they sell a lot of identical watches without paper and boxes at ridicules low prices...when it is too good to be true then it is a scam...

[Alextimber]

I may have to take back my comment....they do have many genuine watches with box and papers....

[mrlube1151001]

What two conflicting posts at the same time.

[PureWatches]

It has been a while since my last post representing Pure Watches, and recent discussions have prompted me to address them.

We understand that Rolex has a dedicated fan base actively participating in forums and sharing knowledge across various platforms. We also recognize that there are newcomers looking for guidance on their first Rolex purchase.

It has been mentioned that some positive comments are suspected of coming from users who are not particularly active on forums. Our experience indicates that customers often choose not to provide feedback unless their experience was exceptionally positive or negative. Additionally, even when a response is provided, many individuals do not continue as dedicated forum members or follow up. I must admit, I am guilty of that myself.

As all users on these forums are under different usernames, we cannot confirm the veracity of their reviews. The only exception is Tim Miles, the Nashville attorney, whom we thank for sharing his personal information and positive shopping experience. We hope that those who may have assumed otherwise will give us the chance to change their perceptions.

Pure Watches, based in California, is a reputable and established seller active on Chrono24 and eBay. Importantly, we encourage newcomers to gather information from various sources and consider reviews left by verified purchasers on both Chrono24 and eBay; or simply give us a call for any questions that you may have.

Let me emphasize that Pure Watches has never engaged in creating, endorsing, paying, or incentivizing reviews of any kind. Our reputation and following have grown organically over time; any reviews are a testament to the quality of our service and products.

We stand by the watches we sell and offer a money-back guarantee, ensuring your peace of mind with every purchase. We look forward to the chance to serve you. Our customers’ satisfaction is our top priority, and we are dedicated to ensuring you have an outstanding experience each and every time.