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Authentication standards
Every watch sold through Dialist must be authentic, accurately represented, and fully disclosed. This page sets out the standard that makes that possible.
Buy With Confidence
At Dialist, authenticity begins long before a watch reaches your wrist.
Before any dealer is approved to sell on Dialist, they must demonstrate the ability to authenticate the watches they list, and disclose both their authentication process and the qualified watchmaker or service centre behind it.
When a dealer does not have authentication capabilities of their own, Dialist becomes their authentication partner: the watch ships to a Dialist-approved service centre for inspection before it is released to the buyer.
Our goal is simple: every watch sold through Dialist must be authentic, accurately represented, and fully disclosed.
Our Authentication Standard
Every watch is examined using professional inspection methods and industry-standard equipment, against one consistent twenty-point standard.
Inspection checklist
20 points
- Movement
- Case
- Dial
- Hands
- Bezel
- Crown
- Crystal
- Bracelet or Strap
- Clasp
- Serial & Reference Numbers
- Component Configuration
- Previous Repairs or Servicing
- OEM Service Parts
- Aftermarket Components
- Polishing
- Laser Welding
- Dial Restoration
- Water Resistance
- Timekeeping Performance
- Overall Mechanical Condition
Inspections are carried out with microscopes, timegraphers, pressure testers, UV inspection, precision measuring instruments, manufacturer references, and movement photography.
Complete Transparency
If a watch has been polished, refinished, restored, repaired, laser welded, or modified (or carries aftermarket or replacement parts), it must be disclosed in the listing.
Undisclosed modifications are not permitted, and a watch described as “Brand New” must be accurate.
Ownership Verification
Authenticity also means the seller has the right to sell. Every listing is supported by:
- Proof of ownership
- Dealer purchase invoices
- Consignment agreements
- Serial number verification
- Theft database screening
- Internal compliance reviews
Vintage & Serviced Watches
Natural aging on a vintage piece and professional servicing on a maintained one are both accepted under our standard, as long as they are disclosed in the listing.
If a Watch Cannot Be Authenticated
If a watch cannot be authenticated, the transaction does not proceed.
The buyer receives a full refund in accordance with the Dialist Secure Checkout Policy, and the watch is returned to the seller. Dialist may also request supporting documentation or perform an independent inspection.
Built on Transparency
Luxury watches deserve complete transparency. That’s the Dialist standard.
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