Getting a good deal on a watch is typically a huge time sink and pain in the butt if you are looking for the absolute best price. Going through an authorized dealer can be totally fine, but many consumers are aware that waiting just a little while can lead to a discount given the way the watch industry has set itself up. Watch sales, trading, and buying is a bit of a mess, even though there are some really strong players that we try to associate with. I’m interested in humanizing these stories because watch makers, not watch sellers (logically), get more attention around here. So see what you think of the above video and discussion, and below is an explanation from Mr. Kamdar as well as the basics of TrueFacet – which is, in my opinion, a representative of the better places to trust when seeking to buy watches and jewelry online.
Tirath Kamdar, CEO of TrueFacet
Tirath Kamdar: As watch collectors, we all have sunk more hours than we care to admit into researching a watch before we click “Purchase Now.” We spiral. We cross reference sites, price-compare, scrutinize reviews and sellers’ histories, and virtually stalk that sought-after Patek Philippe. Essentially, all that extra investigation is so we can rest assured and answer: Am I getting a good deal for an authentic watch?
To that end, I founded TrueFacet. TrueFacet is an online marketplace to connect watch lovers, collectors, buyers, and sellers, and where they can shop second-hand styles and effortlessly trade up or in pieces from their collection. I effectively wanted to cut back on the additional research that stems from second-guessing the credibility and value of the site you’re shopping at by creating a destination that you can always trust. We employ a team of expert authenticators who closely examine every timepiece sold through TrueFacet to ensure it’s genuine. This way, whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, it’s a stress-free transaction.
Although TrueFacet is a rising competitor in the digital space, my interest in fine jewelry and watches is deep-seated. On the fine jewelry side, my family is a long-established player in Chicago’s jewelry industry. And as for watches, timepieces were a growing passion that started with my first “real” watch, commemorating my first-year-on-the-job anniversary. After I moved out of the banking world, I transitioned to marketing positions with e-commerce giants Groupon and Fab.
Mr. Kamdar’s latest favorite watch, his Omega Seamaster 300 007 Spectre.
Ultimately, TrueFacet emerged from the intersection of my e-commerce industry experience, my jewelry industry background and my ongoing passion for watch collecting. I was already personally familiar with the pseudo-dangers of shopping the online gray market for pre-owned watches and felt there was a way to fundamentally improve the process, to make the shopping experience less daunting. With my high school buddy Chris Chan, we started to test our theory with a scrappy beta-website. From there, TrueFacet snowballed — admittedly with the start-up clichés: late nights, copious cups of coffee, and cramped office spaces. Today, TrueFacet is a growing business and continues to tackle is original aim: to bring transparency and secure authenticity to the online space.
I met Ariel in the lobby of the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas during the luxury watch convention Couture in 2015. We really hit it off as kindred watch-collecting spirits. Since then, we’ve remained friends and thrown around ideas about how we can collaborate: him as a watch expert and TrueFacet as an emerging trusted online resource for authentic watches.
As two “watch guys,” we threw together this off-the-cuff video, chatting about TrueFacet and our shared favorite topics: watches, what we’re seeing as new trends, and what everyone is buying right now. Check out the video.
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