If you travel to France, the showroom is at 29 rue de la Cigogne, 45100 Orléans, France, by appointment, and holds no stock. A watch from the online shop can be shown on request.
What I check before a watch is sold
Every watch passes through my hands before listing. I open, inspect and service it. If it does not convince me, it is not sold. Each watch comes with a one-year warranty.
Shipping and duties to Dubai
Shipping to the United Arab Emirates costs €150 and takes about 3 to 6 business days from dispatch by DHL Express. The parcel is insured for the full value of the watch, sent in discreet packaging, and handed over against signature.
Customs duties, import VAT or local taxes and the carrier's clearance fees are payable by you directly to DHL on delivery. They are not included in the price of the watch or in the shipping cost. The amount depends on the country, the value and the origin of the watch. I always declare the watch at its real value and with its true origin.
What to look for in a pre-owned or vintage watch
For pre-owned watches in Dubai, the same checks matter as anywhere. Read condition honestly: a lightly polished case is common, but soft edges and thin lugs change the way a watch wears. Originality matters more than completeness; a replacement crown or dial lowers value and can hide other work.
Ask about service history and whether box and papers are present. A well-documented watch is easier to live with, but a good watch without papers can still be right if the condition is clear and the movement has been checked.
When you buy a second hand watch in Dubai from abroad, ask for detailed photos of the dial, case back, bracelet and movement, and ask how it was prepared before sale.
18-carat gold and Cartier dress watches
Gold watches need a different eye. I check if the case has been heavily polished, whether hallmarks remain sharp, and whether the bracelet has excessive stretch. Solid 18-carat gold should feel substantial; plating or filled gold should be described as such.
Cartier dress watches reward close reading. The dial, blue steel hands, signed crown and case back engraving tell you whether the watch is coherent. A Cartier dress watch with its original dial and clear case back engraving is a calmer purchase than one with replaced parts and no records.
Questions about a watch, or about shipping to Dubai? Write to me or call +33 6 49 22 89 52.
Looking elsewhere? See all the cities I ship to.
