Watch Buyer

Hamilton Jewelers; Princeton (NJ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Hamilton Jewelers is seeking a Watch Buyer to lead the strategic development of our luxury watch assortment, including new, vintage, and pre-owned timepieces. You will manage vendor partnerships, drive profitability, and ensure authentic, market-aligned inventory for a premier client base.

You will collaborate with merchandising, marketing, store leadership, and auctions, mentor junior buyers, and represent the company at industry events to strengthen brand presence and client storytelling.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of buying or merchandising experience in luxury watches.
• Experience with vintage and pre-owned timepieces.
• Strong knowledge of authentication standards and valuation methodologies.
• Experience with premium watch brands and auction houses.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term buying strategies and assortments for new, vintage, and pre-owned watches.
• Source and acquire vintage/pre-owned watches with authentication standards.
• Build partnerships with brands, distributors, dealers, collectors and vendors.
• Develop open-to-buy plans, budgets, and gross margin targets.
• Collaborate with marketing for campaigns and events.
• Mentor junior buyers and train sales teams.

Skills

Luxury watches expertise

Watch authentication & valuation

Negotiation & vendor management

Financial analysis

Open-to-buy planning

Excel & planning systems

Communication & leadership

Vendor relationships

Market trend analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Merchandise planning systems (ASC)

Job description

Brief Description

Watch Buyer

Position Summary

The Watch Buyer leads the strategic development, financial planning, and execution of merchandise assortments across new and pre-owned luxury watch categories. This role owns key brand and vendor partnerships, drives category profitability, and ensures the watch assortment reflects brand standards, market trends, collector demand, and client expectations.

The Watch Buyer collaborates closely with merchandising leadership, marketing, store management, inventory operations, and service teams while mentoring junior buyers and representing the company at vendor meetings, industry events, auctions, and trade shows.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term buying strategies, assortment architecture, and growth plans for new, vintage, and pre-owned luxury watch categories aligned with company objectives.
• Source, evaluate, and acquire vintage and pre-owned luxury timepieces through trusted dealers, collectors, auctions, trade opportunities, and private clients while maintaining high standards for authenticity, provenance, and condition.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with watch manufacturers, authorized distributors, vintage dealers, collectors, and key vendors while negotiating pricing, inventory allocations, cooperative marketing opportunities, and favorable business terms.
• Develop and manage open-to-buy plans, category budgets, sales forecasts, gross margin targets, and inventory investments.
• Curate assortments based on market trends, collector demand, client preferences, competitive analysis, brand positioning, and product lifecycle strategies.
• Evaluate vintage and pre-owned inventory for authenticity, originality, condition, rarity, service history, and market value, partnering with internal and external experts as needed.
• Manage product introductions, replenishment strategies, discontinued models, vintage acquisitions, and inventory productivity across all watch categories.
• Analyze sales performance, gross margin, GMROI, inventory turn, sell-through, and vendor performance to identify opportunities and mitigate risks.
• Monitor luxury watch market trends, secondary market pricing, auction results, and collector activity to guide buying decisions and pricing strategies.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop promotional campaigns, product launches, collector events, and educational content featuring both contemporary and vintage watch collections.
• Partner with store leadership to support product presentation, merchandising standards, sales training, and clientele initiatives.
• Work closely with inventory operations and service departments to ensure product accuracy, warranty support, authentication documentation, restoration coordination, repairs, and inventory integrity.
• Mentor and coach junior buyers in buying strategy, vendor management, financial analysis, merchandise planning, and vintage watch evaluation.
• Attend domestic and international watch fairs, auctions, brand presentations, and vendor meetings to identify emerging trends, evaluate new collections, source vintage inventory, and strengthen vendor relationships.
• Deliver product knowledge and brand training to sales associates and leadership teams, with an emphasis on luxury watch brands, complications, vintage collecting, authentication, and client storytelling.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of luxury watches, including leading Swiss and international brands, movements, complications, pricing, collector trends, and the vintage watch market.
• Expertise in evaluating vintage and pre-owned watches for authenticity, originality, provenance, condition, and fair market value.
• Strong understanding of the luxury watch marketplace, authorized dealer relationships, secondary market dynamics, and competitive landscape.
• Proven ability to negotiate favorable business terms and cultivate long-term relationships with brands, vendors, collectors, dealers, and auction partners.
• Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to translate data and market insights into profitable merchandising strategies.
• Experience managing category performance, inventory productivity, and open-to-buy planning.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated leadership experience mentoring team members and collaborating across multiple departments.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and merchandise planning systems (ASC or similar retail systems preferred).

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 5–7 years of buying or merchandising experience in luxury watches, including significant experience with vintage and pre-owned timepieces.
• Demonstrated success managing luxury watch assortments, financial plans, inventory, vendor relationships, and vintage acquisitions.
• Strong knowledge of authentication standards, valuation methodologies, and current market trends for collectible luxury watches.
• Experience working with premium watch brands, authorized dealer programs, auction houses, and vintage watch networks preferred.
• Professional industry certifications or luxury retail education are a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform tasks including reading, writing, walking, climbing stairs, standing, sitting, kneeling, and lifting up to 25 lbs.