What to inspect
Check the examiner’s relevant experience and proposed scope. Confirm whether the watch must be opened, whether testing is destructive or invasive, and which permissions or transport arrangements are needed.
A practical workflow
Send a written brief with the inventory reference and source documents. Agree the report format, custody, fee, and timing. Preserve the report without rewriting cautious findings into stronger sales claims.
When to pause or proceed
If the report leaves a material question unanswered, request clarification or a different specialist. Do not interpret silence about a component as confirmation that it is original.
Worked example
Imagine the issue concerns a claimed vintage dial, but the brief asks only for a mechanical health check. Reframe the question before the appointment so the resulting report can address the actual concern.
Illustrative scenario, not a customer case or reported event.
Wording you can adapt
Use this for the relevant contact or as a private task note. Replace bracketed fields with accurate details and send sensitive records only through an appropriate secure channel.
The decision requiring your examination is [issue]. Please confirm which listed questions you can answer, the access and custody required, and the report’s limitations. Relevant records and known changes are attached. We need observations and reasoning tied to this watch, not a conclusion expanded beyond the agreed scope for sales use.
Your working record
Copy these fields into a private note. For each entry, add the source file or contact, the date checked, and anything still unresolved. Leave unknown information marked unknown; do not guess to complete the sheet.
- Decision and specific questionsRecord: __________ · Evidence: __________ · Next action: __________
- Relevant records suppliedRecord: __________ · Evidence: __________ · Next action: __________
- Access and custody permissionsRecord: __________ · Evidence: __________ · Next action: __________
- Report limits and follow-upRecord: __________ · Evidence: __________ · Next action: __________
This is a recordkeeping aid. It is not a certificate, contract, valuation, or confirmation of insurance cover.
Give each check an owner and an outcome
A repeatable intake process needs more than a row of ticks. Record who performed a check, what evidence they used, when it happened, and what remained unresolved. A second member of staff should be able to understand why an item moved forward without relying on a private conversation. Keep physical identity, condition, ownership documentation, and payment checks distinct so a pass in one area cannot conceal a gap in another.
Use a defined exception route for incomplete or conflicting information. Staff should know who can approve further investigation and which actions remain paused while the issue is open. Preserve the original evidence and the later explanation together. Review recurring gaps to improve intake forms, but do not quietly rewrite a historical record to make it look as though a check happened earlier than it did.
These are operational worksheets, not a compliance programme. Secondhand-dealer, privacy, consumer-protection, tax, and financial-crime obligations vary. A qualified adviser should define the legal controls and retention periods for the business.
Should the examiner know the desired sale price?
Provide context relevant to the task, but do not seek a predetermined conclusion. Keep authentication or condition questions distinct from a valuation brief unless both services are explicitly commissioned.
Sources and scope
The sources below support the general principles for this topic. The workflow and hypothetical example are MyStolenWatch’s practical synthesis; the sources do not endorse this guide or verify a particular watch. Consult current provider terms before acting.
- FTC: Buying from an online marketplace
US consumer guidance on seller checks, marketplace terms, and payment protections; it does not authenticate watches.
- NAIC: Insuring expensive jewelry and gifts
US insurance guidance on valuations, documentation, and checking the actual policy. It does not establish cover for your watch.
Check a watch serial number
A MyStolenWatch search checks reports held in this database. A no-match result does not certify authenticity, ownership, or an absence of theft elsewhere. Check current pricing before purchasing a search.
Check a watch serial number