Start with the exact reference
Confirm the reference, production range, movement and dimensions before judging the deal. Similar-looking variants can use different parts, bracelets or service paths, and the listing title is not proof.
Verify the seller separately
Transaction history, identity, return terms and response quality deserve their own review. A good watch offered by an unaccountable seller is still a bad transaction.
Ask for decision-grade evidence
Request sharp case, clasp, serial-area, movement or timing, and full-set photographs where relevant. The goal is not more images; it is evidence for the specific risk that could change the price or stop the purchase.
Calculate the landed ownership cost
Add shipping, tax, currency conversion, missing links, likely service and any inspection cost. The lowest listing price can become the most expensive watch within the first year.
Control payment and delivery
Use a payment method with documented recourse, preserve the listing and written representations, and record the unboxing when the value justifies it. Urgency should never remove the protections the deal requires.