Is World of Watches Legit or Scam? The Controversial Truth About This Notorious Watch Retailer

World of Watches is an online retailer that sells watches, jewelry, fragrances, and more from various luxury brands at discounted prices. With seemingly too-good-to-be-true deals on big-name brands like Rolex, Omega, and Cartier, many shoppers wonder – is World of Watches legit?

In this extensive review, we’ll look in-depth at World of Watches, evaluating their reputation, business practices, and product authenticity to determine if they are a legitimate retailer you can trust.

Overview of World of Watches

World of Watches is an online discount watch and accessories retailer founded in New York City in 2004. The company sells luxury brand-name watches, jewelry, sunglasses, fragrances, and more for both men and women.

Some of the major watch brands sold by World of Watches include:

Rolex
Omega
Cartier
TAG Heuer
Tissot
Seiko
Citizen
Fossil
Michael Kors

The company claims to offer authentic brand name watches and accessories at the lowest prices by cutting out the middleman and buying surplus inventory directly from manufacturers.

Is World of Watches Legit? Evaluating Their Reputation

World of Watches advertises heavily discounted prices on luxury watches and other accessories. But are the deals they offer too good to be true? Let’s evaluate their reputation and legitimacy.

Customer Reviews are Overwhelmingly Negative

One of the best ways to gauge a company’s legitimacy is by looking at customer reviews. Unfortunately, World of Watches scores very poorly in this area.

On popular consumer review sites like Trustpilot and SiteJabber, World of Watches has an extremely bad reputation, earning only 1-2 stars out of 5. The most common complaints include:

Poor customer service – not responding to calls/emails, rude agents
Long shipping delays or no shipment confirmation
Problems with returns, exchanges, and refunds
Receiving used/damaged items instead of new
Products not matching website descriptions

These concerning complaints call into question their legitimacy as a respectable retailer.

Numerous Complaints About Fake or Inferior Quality Products

Many customer reviews of World of Watches accuse them of selling fake or inferior quality counterfeit watches instead of authentic products from luxury brands.

While World of Watches insists all their watches are 100% authentic, the amount of reviews referencing fake, damaged, or poor-quality watches raises red flags. Some customers report their “luxury” watches breaking down quickly or not keeping accurate time.

Brands like Rolex are known for their strict quality control – it would be highly unusual for so many defective watches to be authentic. The prevalence of complaints about fake or knockoff products being sold as the real thing points to issues with World of Watches’ legitimacy and product sourcing.

Difficulty Canceling Orders and Obtaining Refunds

World of Watches shoppers frequently complain of extremely difficult experiences trying to cancel an order or return an item for a refund. Many report frustration when contacting customer service; some never receive their refund, even after returning items.

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These issues suggest deceptive business practices and point to an illegitimate, untrustworthy company. Reputable retailers make cancellations and returns easy. The fact that so many World of Watches customers struggle to do so is a major warning sign to steer clear.

No Physical Store Location

Unlike authorized dealers of luxury watch brands, World of Watches does not operate any physical retail stores – they sell exclusively online. This lack of a physical presence makes it easier for an illegitimate business to sell counterfeit or poor-quality products without consequences.

Authorized watch dealers have much more to lose if they sell fake products out of a physical store since they can be inspected, catch the attention of law enforcement, and damage their local reputation. Since World of Watches only exists online, it removes this layer of accountability.

Not an Authorized Dealer for Luxury Brands

World of Watches is not an authorized dealer for any of the luxury watch brands they sell. This raises some potential red flags.

Authorized dealers have close relationships with watch brands and can guarantee the authenticity of their products. Unauthorized dealers have a higher risk of selling fake or inferior quality products.

Additionally, authorized dealers must abide by brands’ quality controls and customer service standards. World of Watches’ many issues with product quality, shipping, and support suggest they do not meet the expectations of a true luxury retailer.

The fact that respected brands like Omega, Rolex, and TAG Heuer do not authorize World of Watches to sell their products casts doubt on their legitimacy.

Evaluating World of Watches’ Product Authenticity

The biggest accusations against World of Watches are that their watches are fake counterfeits rather than authentic products from luxury brands. Let’s look at some of the evidence around the authenticity of their offerings.

Mixed Reviews on Product Authenticity

Not all World of Watches customers doubt the legitimacy of the products sold. Some positive reviews declare their watches to be authentic and high-quality.

However, for every satisfied customer, there seem to be just as many complaints about receiving fake or defective watches instead of authentic products.

It appears to be a mixed bag – some World of Watches shoppers report receiving genuine luxury watches, while others clearly did not. There is no consensus that their products are outright fake or authentic across the board.

Low Prices Don’t Always Mean Counterfeit

Skeptics argue that the deep discounts World of Watches offers on luxury timepieces points to them selling cheaper counterfeits rather than authentic products from brands like Rolex or Omega.

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However, heavily discounted prices alone do not prove products are fake. There are legitimate ways unauthorized dealers can obtain brand name watches for much lower prices, including:

Buying overstock or excess inventory in bulk directly from manufacturers
Acquiring customer returns or lightly used products that brands can’t resell as “new”
Sourcing watches originally meant for lower-priced foreign markets

So while World of Watches’ low prices are questionable, they do not automatically mean the products are counterfeit. Authentic watches can be obtained cheaply through legal methods.

Some Evidence Points to Genuine Products

While accusations of selling fakes persist, some further evidence suggests World of Watches may deal primarily in authentic products:

Detailed packaging – Many watches ship with original brand packaging, manuals, warranty cards, and serial numbers matching legitimate products. Counterfeits tend to lack detail.

Return acceptance – If a customer claims a watch is fake, World of Watches generally accepts returns without issue. Counterfeit sellers typically refuse returns.

Lack of legal action – If World of Watches trafficked large volumes of obvious fakes, the brands or legal authorities would likely shut them down. The fact they’ve operated for many years points to selling authentic grey market products.

So despite complaints, there are signs World of Watches sells real, albeit unauthorized and sometimes defective, watches from well-known brands.

Is World of Watches Worth the Risk?

Given the available information, our verdict is this: World of Watches appears to sell predominantly real but unauthorized and sometimes low-quality brand-name watches and accessories.

The deep discounts are made possible by exploiting legal gray market channels. While products are likely not outright “fake,” World of Watches has significant issues with customer service, product quality, and business practices that harm their reputation.

For shoppers, the question becomes whether the savings are worth the risks. There are a few factors to consider:

Pros of Buying from World of Watches:

Very low prices on brand name watches compared to other retailers
Positive reviews show some shoppers do receive great deals on authentic watches

Cons of Buying from World of Watches:

Strong likelihood of encountering customer service nightmares if issues arise
Higher risk of receiving defective, damaged, or incorrectly described products
Reselling or re-certifying grey market watches can be difficult

For many buyers, the poor reputation and high risks outweigh the temptation of low prices. There are issues of principle – consumers don’t want to support a company with so many accusations of shady business practices.

However, World of Watches may still appeal to bargain hunters who want to secure luxury watches for cheap and are willing to take a gamble.

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As with any unauthorized grey market retailer, consumers who shop at World of Watches should be cautious, do thorough research, and use payment methods with strong fraud protection. Paying with a credit card is recommended over wire transfer or PayPal.

And as always – if an offer seems too good to be true, it very well may be. Sensible precautions go a long way.

Final Verdict: Is World of Watches Legit

Despite the many customer complaints and accusations, our investigation concludes World of Watches is a legitimate legal business – but they operate in controversial ways that rightfully earn them poor marks from consumers and industry experts.

The company appears to sell predominantly authentic watches and accessories obtained through unauthorized supply chains. This leads to issues with product quality and branding that anger luxury brands.

However, while controversial in practice, the underlying business itself does not seem outright illegal or fraudulent. Accusations of outright “fake” watches being sold appear overblown.

Still, the overwhelmingly negative reputation of the World of Watches cannot be ignored. We recommend consumers exercise extreme caution and skepticism when purchasing from them due to the elevated risks.

For a worry-free experience, you are better off paying full price from an authorized dealer. But for savvy shoppers willing to gamble, World of Watches presents an opportunity for real deals on luxury watches – just be prepared for potential issues.

At the end of the day, we recommend considering World of Watches legit in concept but questionable in execution. Shop at your own risk and do your research to make an informed decision.