Gray market

The gray market is the sale of new, genuine watches through channels the brand hasn't authorised, typically by dealers who source stock from authorised dealers or distributors and resell it independently.

Gray-market watches are genuine, but they may not come with the brand's warranty in the usual way, and the paperwork can be dated from the original sale rather than the buyer's purchase. Prices can sit below or above retail depending on demand.

If you sell new watches outside the authorised network, be precise with buyers about warranty status and the date on the papers.

Selling gray-market watches as a dealer

Warranty is the question buyers ask first. Brands set their own terms for watches sold outside their authorised network, so check the brand's policy rather than assuming, and tell the buyer what applies. Some gray-market dealers offer their own warranty instead; the article on offering a warranty on used watches covers what that commits you to.

In the listing, be specific: say the watch is new and unworn if it is, say it was bought outside the brand's network, and give the date on the papers. Buyers who discover any of that later feel misled even when the watch is perfect.