Each watch comes with a three-day return policy. The three days (business days) starts when you receive the watch.
Because of the volume of used watches we sell, we are not able to pick up every problem with each watch. We do try our best. If there is a problem with a watch, notify us within the three days. If you have any concerns about the authenticity, or the functions of the watch, this should also be taken care of in the three-day period.
Some of our unworn watches are shipped in their original protective factory plastic. Returns of those watches will be subject to a 10% to 20% restocking fee if that plastic is removed. If you size and wear an unworn watch, the restocking fee will be at our discretion and may exceed 20%.
If you plan on returning the watch, you must send the watch back to us within three days of agreement to do so and in the condition it was received. Do not tape up the watch box or there will be a $50 charge. Send the watch in an expedited way, similar to the way you received it (i.e. 1, 2, 3 day service). If you exceed the three days there will be a 10% to 20% restocking fee, which is at our discretion depending on the circumstances. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call us. We want to work with you to resolve any problems in an agreeable way.
Shipping is not refundable.
Trades are not subject to our standard return policy due to the logistics, opportunity costs and time involved in rewinding a deal. Reasonable shipping and restocking fees may be assessed
Insurance is included on all packages shipped in the US. An adult signature is required for all packages. We use flat shipping rates for domestic orders.
We are based in Austin, Texas, if you would like to visit our office, please be aware that we work out of a secure office building and are available by appointment only.
We do not have a storefront with all our watches on display and we cannot see walk-ins without an appointment. Please use the link below to book an appointment.
We accept all major credit cards: American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Apple Pay . Virtual cards and gift cards cannot be accepted. For a discounted price we accept wire transfers, money orders, cashiers checks. Orders over $8000 must be paid by bank wire transfer. Cashier's checks are accepted up to $6,000 for online orders and at our discretion for in person purchases. Orders up to $8,000 may be paid using a credit card, however due to the risks involved in selling high-value items online, we reserve the right to refuse to accept a credit card for payment even if an order is under the $8,000 limit and we may request supplemental information to verify identity. For orders under $1,000 wire/money order/cashier's check is not offered as a payment method. These policies are for US orders only. Please review our International policies if you wish to purchase from outside the US.
Bernard Watch is pleased to offer a cash discount to customers who prefer to pay using bank wire transfer or cashier's checks. Upon receipt of your order, we will place the watch on hold for you and contact you as soon as possible to make the necessary arrangements.
Wire transfers sent before your banks' cutoff time will arrive the same day they are sent. Our bank will notify us the minute they receive the wire so that we can often ship the same afternoon that you send your wire transfer. Many banks allow you to send wire transfers from your online account, while others will require you to perform the transfer in person. Depending on your bank there may be a small fee for sending the wire.
Why do we do this? The airline miles and cash-back bonuses you earn from credit card purchases typically come from the fees charged to merchants by the credit card companies. These fees are built into nearly everything you buy. Over the many years we've been selling high-end timepieces, we have found that a sizable minority of our customers prefer managing their own rewards with the added savings obtained by paying with cash and will often ask us for a cash discount.
Cash payment discounts for orders under $1,000 are impractical and thus not offered as a payment method.
Is it safe? Wire transfers have gotten a negative image thanks to international scam artists, but yes, it is safe to send wires to reputable businesses. Before you send us a wire, we invite you to check us out to your satisfaction. Our About Us page contains links to the Better Business Bureau as well as other independent means of verifying that we are who we say we are and that the watches we offer are authentic.
Note to Chrono24 Users: Due to our terms with Chrono24, once there is any communication within Chrono24's system regarding the item you wish to purchase, we will be unable to accept an order directly on our website. If you were to attempt to order directly, your order would be cancelled and you would be redirected to Chrono24.
Texas residents must add 8.25% sales tax or provide a tax resale certificate. All shipments outside Texas are exempt from Texas sales tax. Orders from other countries will be charged accordingly by your country.
We are not responsible for any fees, customs, or taxes charged by the inbound country. Please check with your local customs for duties and tax information.
Bernard Watch does not distribute our customer's information to any third parties. We have never sold our customer list and have no plans to ever do so in the future. Please feel free to check out our complete Privacy Policy.
Bernard Watch is pleased to sell our watches to many countries outside the USA. Due to much past experience we feel it necessary to set different rules for foreign orders.
1) The "BW warranty" will not be offered because of the logistic problems of sending it back and forth for service. We will deduct $10 off any watch under $2000. $20 off for any watch over $2000 for the deduction of the warranty offering. Pre-owned watches generally do not carry a warranty, so there is no additional discount. This deduction for removal of the warranty may seem little, however, is fair considering our very low percentage of watches needing warranty repair.
2) Bank wire transfer (SWIFT or Fedwire) is the only method of payment we accept for International Orders. We cannot accept debit, credit card, or Paypal for International Orders. Please be aware this also applies if we ship to a Freight Forwarder or to a Hotel in the U.S.
2b) While we do not accept debit or credit cards for cross-border orders, you can use these methods to purchase from us through Chrono24, however, they add a 6% transaction fee for their service. Please contact us if this is of interest.
3) FedEx is the only carrier we have found to be reliable for International shipments. To obtain a shipping quote, simply add the watch to your shopping cart and select your country. It is usually $80 to $120, although if the watch is highly valued it may be more. We are insured to the following countries up to $50,000: Antigua, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Virgin Islands (U.K), Brunei, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greenland, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Monsterrat, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Saipan, Saudi Arabia, Scotland (U.K.), Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Virgin Islands (U.S.), United Kingdom, and Vatican City.
4) If your country is not listed, we can only insure the package to $500 and we will not be held responsible for any loss in shipping beyond that amount.
5) Please note that we cannot be responsible for additional costs, such as customs, duties, VAT, taxes, etc. Since customs policies vary widely from country to country, we urge our international customers to contact their local customs office for an estimate before ordering. Please note that we must declare the full value that you paid for your watch on the shipment. Sorry, we cannot ship as a gift.
6) Returns of items sold outside the U.S. are limited to defective items only. Returns of non-defective items will be subject to a restocking fee to be determined after all shipping and customs costs have been calculated. If you are returning any item, you must contact us prior to shipping it back so that we can instruct you on the proper Harmonized and Tariff codes to use.
7) Please be aware that alligator, crocodile and lizard straps may not be exported from the U.S. Contact us before ordering to arrange an appropriate swap for a bovine leather strap.
8) Please be aware that mother of pearl dials may be restricted in your country and while we can export watches with mother of pearl dials, they cannot be returned to us due to U.S. restrictions on entry of these items.
9) It is your responsibility to understand and obtain whatever clearances are necessary in your country to import your purchase. We cannot be expected to know the laws of every country. If a watch is returned to us because it could not be cleared in your country, you will be responsible for all shipping charges.
10) We can not ship straps or parts out of the country.
Most of our new (never worn) watches include a one-year warranty through Bernard Company. The warranty covers the actual workings of the time piece, as long as it has not been tampered with. This warranty excludes damage or wear to case parts such as the crystal, strap, bracelet, bezel, crown, pushers and battery. Watches with warranties are indicated by a "+BW Warranty" before the price listing. As indicated, the warranty is through Bernard Company. Since we are not authorized dealers for these watches, we can not supply the factory warranties.
Our used watches have a 90 day "good will" warranty. We believe this gives plenty of time to realize any problem we may have missed beyond timing the watch on our timing machine. We like to keep our used watches priced competitively and the cost of warranting them for longer would result in higher prices...for a service most people don't ever use. For your comfort, an optional one-year warranty is available on these pieces and is figured on an individual basis. Let us know if you would like this option.
Our warranty is available on-line for review.
Vintage Watches
Timepieces marked as “Vintage” are sold with a good will warranty of ninety days to have basic time functioning with no guarantee of running rate. For more information please contact us.
When browsing our site, you may see a watch with a description indicating it is 'on hold' for another buyer. We offer short (24 hour max) courtesy holds on watches for buyers who just need a little time to think about their purchase (maybe to run it by their partner). Most watches that are 'on hold' are waiting for payment or trade deals to be finalized. These holds can be longer, generally no more than 2-3 business days. If you would like to place a courtesy hold on a watch or to be notified if a watch becomes available, just reach out to us.
All of the pre-owned and never worn watches advertised on BernardWatch.com are 100% Authentic. The serial and reference numbers will be intact. In all the time we have been in business we have never even accidentally sold a fake watch. Selling even a single fake would ruin a reputation we have been building since 1990.
Our Never Worn watches are sourced directly or indirectly from authorized dealers that we trust and have been dealing with regularly for years. They are, like us, members of the IWJG (International Watch & Jewelry Guild). By dealing only with trusted sources who never deface or remove serial numbers we ensure that each and every new watch is authentic.
Each pre-owned watch we receive goes through a rigorous inspection process. The owner of Bernard Watch, Jeff Bernard, inspects each pre-owned watch personally to verify the authenticity. He has been verifying the authenticity of Swiss timepieces for over 20 years.
If you purchase a watch from us and it is found to be not authentic, we will refund you, plain and simple.
References are available on our About Us page.
Bernard Watch is happy to special order watches not appearing on our site if we are able to source them for you. Special orders of watches not appearing on our site are subject to the return policy of our suppliers. Returns may be denied or subject to restocking fees, even if the watch is returned unworn.
We are open during the weekdays from 9 am to 5 PM CST. All orders placed before 2:30 PM CST will be shipped the same day. Orders after that time will be shipped the following work day.
If you are local, please note we can only accept appointments between 10 AM and 3 PM.
A large percentage of our watches are brand new. They will state this by saying "New" or "Never Worn" before the price. If it doesn't state this, the watch has been used. All of our watches are in good shape unless noted otherwise. In order, the condition ratings go as follows. Never Worn (New) (100%)... Like New(97%)... Mint(95%)... Near Mint(90%)... Extra Fine(85%)... Very Fine (80%)... Fine(75%).
Bernard Co. does not warranty the water resistance of pre-owned watches. There are simply too many variables outside of our control. If you plan to swim or dive with your watch, have it pressure tested locally beforehand.
We look for the best deals we can find on quality watches. We have been doing this since 1990 and are well connected. We buy closeouts, overstocks, end runs, etc. from stores and distributors. We are not a "authorized retailer" for our watches because doing so would restrict us from giving you the big discounts that we do. When buying a new or "Never Worn" watch from us, the only difference between us and the "authorized retailer" is ours is backed by our one year warranty versus the manufacturer's warranty. Should the warranty run out and you need service, the manufacturer will help you as if you bought it through one of their authorized dealers.
We price most of our watches to sell. We buy low and sell low and we make our money on sales volume.
The majority of our prices are firm and priced to sell within 90 days. We prefer not to spend our time responding to below cost offers and offers for watches where we are already the best price around. It also creates an adversarial relationship that we prefer to avoid.
We periodically review our entire inventory and will reduce prices on pieces that we have had for too long. If you are interested in being notified when we reduce prices, you should sign up here for our Specials & Reduced Prices e-mail.