You can also find out if your prospective watch comes with its papers and original box.

If you’re interested but want more information, you can contact the seller at this point and ask any questions. You can ask for more pics, some closer shot of a scratch or blemish, or any other questions you have. This is the time to ask.

Once you’re satisfied with the condition of the watch, and you’re sure it’s worth your money, you can buy it directly through the Chrono24 site. You can use a credit card, sign up for an affirm account, or set up a bank transfer.

You may also be able to set up a “Trusted Checkout,” which we’ll get into next.

Trusted Checkout: The Watch-Buying Escrow Account

If reading about how easy it is to set up a listing set off any red flags for you, you’re a smart shopper. The truth is that private sellers can list anything they want to, for any price, and not all of these watches are worth the money.

While Chrono24 attempts to verify possession by requiring images set to specific times, this is hardly a foolproof plan.

To safeguard its customers from risky purchases, Chrono24 will set up an escrow account to hold the purchase funds while the buyer verifies that everything is legit. It’s available for use by all sellers, but not everyone elects to use the service.

If you’re purchasing a watch on Chrono24, it’s probably worth using the Trusted Checkout. If you receive the watch and it turns out to be fake or not as described, contacting Chrono24 before they release the escrow funds to the seller is at least a path of recourse.

If you don’t use the Trust Checkout system, make sure you use a service that will help protect you if the deal goes awry. A trusted credit card company or PayPal may help you figure out a bad deal and hopefully recover your funds.

Chrono24 Fees: What Does It All Cost?

Such an attractive platform for moving high-end luxuries has to cost something, right? Chrono24 has to make money. Here are some of the services they provide and the cost involved for each.