How to read a watch supplier's price sheet without getting burned

Watch price sheets look simple and rarely are. The same model can appear three times at three prices, and the difference is buried in a column most new buyers skim past.

Start with the tier column. A price quoted at 50 units is not available to you at 5, and asking for the 50-unit price on a first order is the fastest way to be deprioritised. Buy at your real tier and treat the lower number as a target for later.

Movement matters more than the case. Two watches with identical exteriors can differ entirely underneath, and that difference is what your customer notices in month three. Ask which movement is fitted, in writing, before you order.

'Ready stock' means it is sitting on a shelf right now. 'Production' means it will be made after you pay, on a timeline that is an estimate. Mixing the two in one order means your whole shipment moves at the slower speed — split them into two orders if the fast items matter.

Confirm what the price includes. Boxes, papers, tags and inner packaging are often priced separately in this category, and a watch that arrives bare is much harder to sell at the price you planned.

Last, get the quote re-confirmed on the day you pay. Metal and movement costs move, and a sheet from six weeks ago is a reference, not a promise.