For the first time ever, the global market for pre-owned watches is set to surpass $5 billion. With a rapidly expanding market, newcomers Dial and Bezel are taking direct aim at the established auction houses whose buyer fees regularly exceed 20 percent of the final sales price - betting that a hardline focus on community engagement and substantially lower fees will attract both buyers and sellers to their platform.
Today, Dial and Bezel announces the launch of their service, a first of its kind, peer-to-peer
auction marketplace built and curated specifically with the vintage watch community in mind. It will launch with a suite of features including product listings, hi-resolution lifestyle photos, native payment tools, and real-time user commenting capabilities all intended to lure vintage watch lovers looking not only to transact but also engage with the watch community at large.
“Having spent over a decade sifting through various blogs, forums, and social media to both buy and discuss vintage watches, I noticed there was really no outlet that had yet to combine the two in an effective way. What we’re trying to do with Dial and Bezel is create a home for the vintage watch community that allows people at every stage of their collecting journey to not only transact but also interact and share the stories that fuel their passion” said Parker Lieberman, Founder of Dial and Bezel.
“The thing we’re most excited about is the open comment sections. We really feel this puts the power into the hands of the community to openly and honestly review each watch, something that the traditional auction houses have been afraid to do in fear that any unfavourable comment might hurt the final sale value.”
Dial and Bezel is available on all devices and web browsers and can be accessed at
www.dialandbezel.com. Starting today, new auctions will go live with each auction lasting
anywhere from 7 to 10 days. Auctions will be curated by the Dial and Bezel team. Although
there are no set criteria in deciding what pieces will make it onto the platform - they will feature watches of all styles, eras, and price points - the curation team will base their selection on what they feel the community is most likely to engage with.
While well established, the market and appreciation for vintage timepieces are only growing as both a hobby and a source of alternative investments. Yet, 75 percent of vintage watch sales still take place face-to-face. Dial and Bezel aims to make these transactions both easier and more transparent by servicing the second-hand watch market in new and innovative ways.
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