MADAM – I think the increased interest and associated rise in value of vintage and collectable watches means auction houses really need to up their game both in terms of what they’re selling and how they are describing lots.
I work in the second-hand jewellery trade and one of our specialities is dealing in second-hand Rolex watches (and some other brands).
We spend a lot of time checking and cross-referencing any watches we buy and the amount of rubbish we see being sold by auction houses and dealers is quite shocking, especially as it often falls to us to be the bearer of bad news to the client trying to sell the item.