How to Find a Specific Watch for a Client
How dealers source a specific watch for a client: defining the request, taking a deposit, searching the dealer network, pricing the find and closing safely.
By Dejan Zoric
4 min read
The short answer
To find a specific watch for a client, pin down the exact request (reference, dial, year, set, condition and budget), agree your terms and ideally a deposit in writing, then search your dealer network, marketplaces and auctions and tell other dealers what you're looking for. Price the find with your margin built in, verify the watch and the seller before paying, and keep the client updated until it's delivered.
Key takeaways
- A precise request saves weeks: reference, dial, year range, set, condition, budget.
- Agree terms and a deposit in writing before you start searching.
- Your network is your search engine. Tell other dealers exactly what you need.
- Build your margin into the price you quote, then verify before you buy.
- Sourcing on request is some of the best-margin work in the trade.
On this page
"Can you find me one?" is one of the best questions a dealer can hear. A client who wants a specific watch, and trusts you to find it, is offering you a sale before you've spent a dollar on inventory. Sourcing on request is often among the best-margin work in the trade, but only if you run it properly.
Step 1: Pin down exactly what they want
Vague requests waste weeks. Before you start, agree:
- The exact reference, not just the model name (see watch reference numbers explained).
- Dial and bezel, since one reference can have several.
- Year range, and whether a recent card date matters.
- Set requirement: full set, papers required, or watch only at the best price.
- Condition: unworn only, stickers required, or pre-owned OK (see watch condition grading).
- Links and bracelet if they have a large wrist.
- Budget, and how firm it is.
- Timeline and where it needs to be delivered.
Write it down and send it back to the client to confirm. That message is your brief.
Step 2: Agree your terms, ideally with a deposit
Before searching, agree in writing:
- Your price or fee: either an all-in price you'll deliver at, or cost plus a sourcing fee.
- A deposit, especially for expensive or rare watches. It shows the client is serious and protects your time.
- What happens if you find it: how long they have to confirm, and that the deposit goes towards the price.
- What happens if you don't: how long you'll search and whether the deposit is refundable.
Step 3: Search the market
Work through every channel, roughly fastest first:
- Your own stock and your clients. Someone you sold to might be ready to upgrade.
- Your dealer network. Call and message the dealers who specialise in that brand.
- Tell the market what you're looking for. Dealers sell to buyers they know are ready.
- Dealer marketplaces and listings.
- Auctions, remembering the buyer's premium on top of the hammer price.
- Private sellers, with extra checks.
The more precisely and widely you broadcast the request, the faster it tends to come to you.
Step 4: Price the find
When you find the watch, work out:
- what you'll pay, including shipping, insurance and any fees;
- whether it needs anything (links, a service, a box);
- your margin, based on how hard the search was and what you agreed.
If the watch costs more than expected, go back to the client with the facts before you commit. Don't absorb a loss silently, and don't surprise them with a higher price at the end. For margin maths, see watch dealer margins.
Step 5: Verify before you buy
The pressure to secure a watch quickly is exactly when mistakes happen. Before paying:
- verify the seller;
- get the serial and match it to the papers;
- confirm condition, set, links and any aftermarket parts in writing;
- confirm payment details by phone.
The full checklist is in how to buy a watch from a dealer safely.
Step 6: Deliver and follow up
- Send the client photos and a video of the actual watch before you ship.
- Collect the balance before shipping.
- Ship fully insured with signature (see how to ship a luxury watch safely).
- Follow up after delivery, and ask what they'd like you to find next.
Tips from the trade
- Specialise. You'll source faster in a brand you know.
- Keep a running list of what each client wants, and check it whenever stock comes your way (how to build a watch client list covers how).
- Consider a trade. Sometimes the fastest way to get a watch is to offer another dealer something they want. On Soda, trade offers let you offer watches plus cash either way.
- Be honest about timelines. Under-promise.
The bottom line
Finding a specific watch for a client is high-value work when it's run properly: a precise brief, written terms and a deposit, a wide and specific search, a fair price with your margin built in, and full checks before you buy. Do it well and clients come back with the next request.
Source faster on Soda
Soda gives verified dealers Looking For alerts, a marketplace of every member's stock and trade offers, all with no commissions on your trades. See all features, then apply for access or book a demo.
Questions dealers ask
How do watch dealers find rare watches?
Mostly through their networks: other dealers, collectors and clients, plus auctions and marketplaces. Dealers who are known to be buying a specific reference often hear about it before it's listed publicly.
Should I take a deposit before sourcing a watch for a client?
Many dealers do, especially for expensive or hard-to-find watches. A deposit confirms the client is serious. Agree in writing what it covers, how long you'll search and whether it's refundable.
How much should a dealer charge for sourcing a watch?
There's no standard. Some dealers build their margin into the sale price; others charge a sourcing fee on top of cost. Harder searches, rarer watches and tighter specifications justify a bigger margin.
How long does it take to source a specific watch?
Anywhere from hours for a common reference to months for a rare one. The narrower the specification (dial, year, set, condition), the longer it can take.