Is Jomashop Legit? Grey Market Watches Explained

Jomashop is an online retailer that sells thousands of watches, sunglasses, fragrances, and more, at heavily discounted prices compared to authorized dealers.

Their prices may seem too good to be true, which may make you question if they are legit.

Jomashop is a completely legit and legal business. They operate as a “grey market” dealer that buys and sells offloaded stock from authorized dealers. Jomashop is not an authorized dealer of the brands they sell, and, unlike authorized dealers, is not required to sell items at full retail price.

In exchange for discounted prices, items from Jomashop may or may not come with original packaging or receipts, and don’t come with a manufacturer warranty. Instead, you’ll have to use Jomashop’s own warranty to resolve any issues that may arise.

Let’s dig into the grey market dealer a bit more in-depth.

Is Jomashop Legit?

Jomashop is a completely legit and legal business that is considered a ‘grey market’ dealer.

Their items may or may not come with original packaging or receipts (box and papers), which may be helpful, or even necessary if you were planning on selling them in the future.

Watches sold by Jomashop don’t come with a factory warranty. If something were to happen to a watch purchased from Jomashop, even during shipping, you would need to work with Jomashop to have the issue resolved, rather than the brand of manufacture.

My Jomashop Experience

My Seiko 5 Purchased from Jomashop
A Seiko 5 I purchased from Jomashop and the packaging it came in

I’ve personally purchased three watches from Jomashop including two Seiko 5s and an open-box (returned model) Hamilton Khaki Field that arrived in better condition than described. It arrived in what I believe to be the original Hamilton box.

Over a year and a half later, the watch is still in perfect working condition and a staple in my collection. Although it did not come with a Hamilton warranty (as expected).

Check out an unboxing of that watch below.

Unboxing a Hamilton Khaki purchased from Jomashop

Why is Jomashop So Much Cheaper Than Other Sites?

Items such as watches are much cheaper on Jomashop than that on official dealers.

Here are a few reasons why:

  • Jomashop sources its stock from dealers, distributors, and wholesalers, at a discount
  • Unlike authorized dealers, Jomashop isn’t required to sell items at retail price
  • Their items may or may not include original packaging
  • Their items do not include a manufacturer warranty

How does Jomashop Source Their Watches and Other Items?

Although Jomashop is not an authorized dealer, Jomashop is a ‘grey market’ dealer, that sources its watches from authorized dealers or distributors who are trying to quickly offload stock to make room, or cash flow, for new stock.

An authorized dealer, or jeweler, may also sell stock to Jomashop if they are going out of business, or having a closeout sale.

What are Grey Market Watches?

To understand the term grey market, we must first understand the white and black markets.

The white market consists of the supply chain directly from a dealer, or manufacturer, to a buyer. An example of this is buying Ray-Ban sunglasses from Ray-Ban.

The black market consists of stolen goods – this is completely illegal – and you should not buy anything on the black market.

The grey market simply refers to any item that is bought and sold, from a distributor outside of the manufacturer or authorized dealer. An example would be buying Ray Bans from a mall store, various Amazon sellers, Costco, etc.

In fact, Costco is the perfect example of a grey market watch dealer. At Costco, you’ll often find various discounted watches, only available at a discount because Costco is a grey market dealer, not an authorized dealer.

The name ‘grey market’ is a bit misleading, as it sounds like there might be legality issues with the business model. Grey market watches are completely legal, just distributed and sold outside of the standard intended supply chain.

Are Grey Market Watches Authentic and Legal?

Grey market watches and all products sold on Jomashop are 100% authentic and legal. They are bought directly from authorized dealers: jewelers, or other distributors/wholesalers, who are directly authorized by the brands they are selling and are respected in the industry.

Is Jomashop an Authorized Dealer?

No, Jomashop is not an authorized dealer. Authorized dealers typically receive watches directly from the manufacturer, and are not typically authorized to sell their watches at a discount.

Jomashop, on the other hand, is able to offer its products at a competitive rate, offering frequent discounts.

Does Jomashop Offer a Warranty?

Jomashop does not offer manufacturer warranties on its watches. Instead, Jomashop offers its own, in-house warranty on watches for a period of 1-5 years, depending on the brand.

What the warranty covers:

  • A watch movement that is abnormally gaining or losing time

What the warranty does not cover:

  • External damage
  • Water/moisture damage
  • Damage occurred by the service of a third-party

Jomashop Return Policy

Jomashop’s return policy allows you to return or exchange any item in new condition within 30 days of purchase (14 for pre-owned).

Where is Jomashop Located?

Jomashop’s headquarters is located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.

Who Owns Jomashop?

Jomashop is owned by Marvin Sternberg who founded Jomashop in 1987.

Jomashop Coupons and Discounts 2022

Head over to Jomashop.com and use the following codes for a discount on your next Jomashop purchase.

  • AMW10 for an extra $10 off of $150
  • AMW20 for an extra $20 off of $280
  • AMW50 for an extra $50 off of $1000

Disclaimer: We earn a small commission for purchases made through this link. You don’t pay more by using this link.

Summary

Jomashop is a legit online retailer that sources its authentic stock from reputable authorized dealers, jewelers, distributors, and wholesalers. Their items may or may not include the original packaging, and do not include a manufacturer’s warranty.

Jomashop is a legal retailer that only sells 100% authentic products, often at a discount compared to its original manufacturer, and authorized dealers.

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