How We Select Our Watches

Selecting and trading high-end vintage watches is no easy task. It requires a specific expertise that our customers rely on. Out of all the watches we come across, only around 10% meet our strict selection criteria. So, why is our process so demanding?

At Bulang and Sons, we're not your typical watch traders. We have always believed in selling only what we would be proud to wear ourselves. This isn't just a marketing statement for us—it's a serious commitment. Over the years, we have built a strong reputation internationally for our dedication to this principle. Allow us to explain how we go about selecting our watches.

There are five key principles that guide our watch selection process:

1. Expertise

We have extensive experience evaluating vintage watches from brands like Rolex, Tudor, Omega, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Cartier amongst others. In fact, we have sold over 4,000 vintage watches in the last decade alone. Our expertise is recognized, and we often receive requests from colleagues and customers seeking our evaluation of specific watches.

However, it's important to recognize that claiming to know everything about every watch is unrealistic. If we feel that we (including a few trusted watch experts in our network) don't have sufficient expertise in evaluating a particular watch, regardless of its appeal, we choose not to purchase it.

2. Quality of the Watch

In the market, you'll come across a wide range of vintage watches, and the differences between them lie in their quality. As our third guiding principle, Bulang and Sons has made a deliberate choice to distinguish our watch selection based on this quality. If we were to grade these watches on a scale of 0 to 100, we can confidently say that we don't sell anything below a score of 90.

Several factors contribute to the quality of a vintage watch. The dial, being the most visually striking and distinctive part of the watch, plays a crucial role in determining its value. Each watch undergoes a meticulous assessment for authenticity and quality of its various components, and our technical experts carefully inspect and service the movement.

Vintage watches have often been serviced by official dealers throughout the years, given their decades-long history of wear. In some cases, authentic spare parts may have been used to replace certain components by these authorized dealers. We conduct thorough inspections of the watches we acquire and provide transparent and comprehensive information about each watch's details.

3. Whom do we buy from, and whom we do not.

Ensuring that our customers receive the high-quality vintage watches they expect starts with the people we buy from. As experienced vintage watch traders, we have developed a network of trusted watch traders over the years through fairs, watch enthusiast meetings, and our valued customers. Many of the watches we acquire come from individuals with whom we have established a long-standing trust.

When purchasing a watch, we not only consider the watch itself but also the credibility of the seller. We conduct identity checks, document the process, and assess the seller's track record. This is an important part of our selection process.

4. Resellability

We frequently encounter individuals who were disappointed when attempting to sell their vintage watches, only to discover hidden issues that made their watches less desirable in the resale market. We believe in honesty and integrity, and it is our principle not to sell watches with hidden agendas to our customers. We ensure that our customers can confidently resell their watches in the future, should they choose to do so.

5. Accountability

In addition to our guarantee and warranty policies, we hold ourselves accountable to our customers. Our track record, built over years of selling thousands of watches, speaks for itself. We take responsibility for every watch we sell and for every customer we sell to. We are individuals who treat our customers with the same respect and fairness that we expect in return.

If you're interested in a particular watch on our website, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are more than happy to answer your questions and provide an explanation as to why a specific watch has become a part of our carefully curated selection.