eBay Partners With Enquirus to Protect Luxury Watch Sellers
eBay has announced a significant enhancement to its Authenticity Guarantee service for luxury watches, integrating Enquirus, the world's largest free database for lost and stolen watches, directly into its authentication process across the US, UK, and Germany.
The integration means that every watch submitted through eBay's authentication service will now be automatically checked against the Enquirus database before it is shipped to the buyer, adding a data-driven verification layer that goes beyond confirming whether a watch is genuine to confirming whether it has a clear and legitimate ownership history.
What Enquirus Is and Why It Matters
Enquirus is an industry-leading platform that connects law enforcement agencies, insurers, manufacturers, retailers, and watch owners to help tackle watch-related crime. Anyone who has had a watch lost or stolen can register it in the central database free of charge, building a comprehensive global record of timepieces with disputed ownership histories. By embedding this database directly into the authentication process, eBay is able to flag watches with a potentially problematic history before they change hands, giving buyers greater reassurance and creating a safer environment for legitimate sellers.
Since eBay launched its Authenticity Guarantee programme in 2020, more than 15 million items have been authenticated worldwide across categories including luxury watches, handbags, sneakers, jewellery, and fashion. The Enquirus integration represents the latest development in eBay's ongoing investment in trust and safety infrastructure across high-value categories.
How eBay Authenticity Guarantee for Luxury Watches Works
The authentication process for luxury watches on eBay involves a comprehensive multi-point inspection carried out by independent experts, verifying key details including brand, model, movement, case material, strap type, and reference number. Each watch also undergoes a structured condition assessment evaluating wear, functionality, and overall presentation, and where appropriate is carefully prepared and cleaned by specialists before being shipped to the buyer.
Only after successfully passing all checks, including the new Enquirus database verification, is the watch shipped. It arrives with an individual authentication card and a QR-linked digital record providing detailed information about the watch and its authentication journey.
In the UK, eBay Authenticity Guarantee for luxury watches is available as a complimentary service for watches from selected brands priced at £1,500 or above, and as an optional service priced at £99 per watch for luxury watches priced between £1,000 and £1,499.
What This Means for Marketplace Sellers
For sellers of luxury watches on eBay, the Enquirus integration adds a meaningful layer of protection to transactions involving high-value items and reinforces the platform's position as the most trusted environment for pre-owned luxury watch trading in the UK. For buyers, it provides a level of reassurance that goes beyond what any individual seller can credibly offer independently, which is likely to support continued growth in buyer confidence and transaction volume in the category as the pre-loved luxury watch market continues to expand.