Source a Watch

The Smiling Second finds specific watches for clients across Australia — a particular reference, a sought-after piece with no retail availability, a discontinued model, a watch that was never officially sold here. Give us the brief and we search our vast network of dealers, collectors and private sellers, in Australia and internationally, until we can put the right example in front of you.

If a sold watch brought you here, that piece has found its owner — but it is rarely the last of its kind we can reach. Tell us the reference and we will start looking for the next one.

What can we source?

Most briefs name a reference — often one that retail waiting lists rarely deliver: a Rolex Daytona 126500LN, a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15510ST, a Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V. Others name a configuration: a particular dial, bezel or bracelet combination, a certain production year, a full-set example with its original box and papers. Discontinued models are a large part of this work, as are watches that never reached Australian authorised dealers. If it trades anywhere on the secondary market, our network gives us somewhere to start.

Which brands do we hunt?

Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, Vacheron Constantin, F.P. Journe, A. Lange & Söhne and Omega. F.P. Journe deserves particular mention — we are especially active in F.P. Journe & Patek Philippe, buying and sourcing, and we take on briefs for pieces that rarely change hands.

How does the process work?

It begins with a brief: the reference or configuration you want, your expectations on condition, and whether the set matters — papers, box, service history. We then go looking. When we locate a candidate we present it to you with full details. Before any transaction completes, the watch is examined and authenticated in hand by our trained horologists — nothing settles until it has passed our bench. If you proceed, settlement is by bank transfer.

How does the deposit work?

A 20% holding deposit applies once we have located your watch and you confirm you want to proceed. It is applied to the purchase price, with the remaining 80% settled before collection or delivery. Before any deposit is taken we provide photographs of the actual piece, and video on request, so you are committing to a watch you have seen. The deposit is not refundable for change of mind. Where a question of authenticity arises, the piece is examined by our horologists and a refund is assessed on that examination; concerns about condition are considered case by case. Nothing in these terms overrides your rights under Australian Consumer Law.

Discretion works in your favour

Many of the pieces we handle never appear publicly. That discretion protects our sellers' standing with the brands they buy from, and for a sourcing client it cuts both ways: it is why we can reach watches that are not openly for sale, and it is the same discretion we extend to you. Your search, and anything we find for you, stays between us.

How long does a search take?

That depends on the brief. A current-production reference in a common configuration is a different search from a limited piece that trades privately a handful of times a decade, and we give you a realistic read on timing when we take your brief. Any estimate we give for having a watch in store is indicative only. We would rather present the right watch than a fast answer, and we keep you informed as the search progresses.

Start a search

If there is a watch you have not been able to find — or one of ours you missed — the form below is where a search begins. Tell us the reference and anything that matters to you about condition and set, and we will come back to you. We work with clients Australia-wide, and our Collins Street boutique is available by appointment if you would rather talk it through in person.