Search conditions
A record of the reference, acceptable variants, condition, documents, budget currency and priorities.
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Buyer-side service
Private watch sourcing, built around your brief.
Maison Montres helps you search for a watch against an agreed reference, condition and budget. Candidate reviews bring together the available records, price context and unanswered questions so you can assess the next step. Availability and access are never assumed.
— The search brief
What should your sourcing brief include?
Start with the maker and model, reference if known, acceptable condition, box and papers, budget currency and destination country. Include any timing constraint. If several references could work, explain what matters most to you.
Explain whether the watch is for regular wear, a specific collection role or another purpose. Mark acceptable variants and firm requirements separately; a replacement component or missing record may change the assessment.
Send a sourcing brief. Omit full serial numbers and sensitive personal records from the first enquiry.
Reference guides
Prepare a maker-specific brief.
Maison Montres uses these guides to separate a model name from the evidence needed for an individual watch. Choose the relevant guide before setting the search conditions:
- De Bethune DB25 and DB28 sourcing guide: specify the family, full reference, case and functions.
- Greubel Forsey mechanism and edition guide: distinguish the invention, case and dated production record.
- H. Moser & Cie. reference and dial guide: match the collection, dial name, bracelet and movement to the full reference.
- Jacob & Co. model and function guide: record the item number and agree checks for animated or musical functions.
- MB&F Legacy and Horological Machine guide: identify the Machine, edition, case and movement version.
- Simon Brette edition and watch-passport guide: reconcile the Chronomètre Artisans edition and passport with the offered watch.
These are research guides, not stock lists or evidence of allocation. Each candidate still needs its own records, inspection scope and agreed terms.
Further reference guides: F.P. Journe; Voutilainen; Rexhep Rexhepi; Richard Mille.
— Search process
From brief to buying decision.
01
Define
Agree the search conditions and fees.
02
Review
Compare suitable candidates and the evidence available for each.
03
Resolve
Identify further records, physical checks or transaction conditions needed before commitment.
04
Decision
You decide whether to continue, pause or proceed under separately agreed terms.
— The buying file
Read the candidate against the brief.
Candidate review
The available watch records, stated condition and price context, with seller statements identified.
Open-check list
The missing evidence, specialist questions and transaction conditions to resolve before your decision.
| Brief item | Example entry | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Reference and variant | Candidate 001; exact configuration not yet confirmed. | Request a complete reference and current photographs. |
| Condition and records | Seller photographs received; service history not supplied. | Separate visible observations from claims requiring evidence. |
| Budget and destination | Currency and destination to be agreed in the brief. | Confirm applicable costs and transaction conditions before commitment. |
Authentication, a separate value opinion and transaction representation require their own agreed scope. A brokerage mandate defines who may approach a seller or communicate proposals; see the engagement boundaries.
— Next steps
Choose the review that fits the search.
Already have a listing or offer? Review an identified candidate. Use maker-specific sourcing guides to refine the brief, authentication review for physical identity questions and a watch valuation for a separate price opinion. The fee framework explains what the proposal should cover.
— Sourcing questions
Private watch sourcing, clearly defined.
These answers set the service boundary before a search begins.
Can you guarantee a rare reference or boutique allocation?
No. A search can identify possible candidates, but it cannot guarantee availability, a manufacturer's allocation, price or completion date.
I have already found a watch. Which service fits?
Use the pre-purchase watch review for a specific listing, offer or auction lot. It begins with an identified candidate rather than a search.
What information is needed to start a watch search?
We need the maker and reference if known, acceptable variants, condition requirements, required documents, budget, delivery country and timing. If the brief is too broad or not realistic, we clarify it before any mandate begins.
How do I buy a rare watch safely online?
Maison Montres recommends a simple buyer-side process. Start with the full reference, configuration, condition standard and documents required. Verify who owns or is authorised to sell the watch. Obtain item-specific photographs, service records and provenance evidence. Define any independent physical inspection before payment. Compare the total landed cost, payment protection and delivery terms in writing. A listing or marketplace badge alone does not prove authenticity or title.
How are sourcing fees and transaction terms set?
Fees, third-party costs, representation, payment and delivery terms are stated in a written engagement before paid work or a transaction begins. A request for an initial review does not by itself create a purchase commitment.
— Initial review
Send the watch brief, not a purchase commitment.
Tell us what you are seeking, which variants are acceptable and what evidence matters. We will confirm whether a scoped discussion is appropriate.
Contact Maison Montres