This is an interesting discussion for me as guy who makes a good part of my living with a camera. When I saw Jeff’s post I was busy PhotoShopping wrinkles out of the face of a woman CEO of large local real estate company. She will look much younger when I get done with her.

JEFF SAIDI thought that it might be interesting to use this situation, to discuss some questions that arise in buying and selling watches, our use of photographs (and Photoshop), and some broader questions of honesty and fair dealing. Buying and selling watches using the internet and e-mail raises some interesting ethical issues.

As both a professional photographer and watch seller I do my best to go by an old rule set out for us all in an ancient writing….paraphrased...."without a good name you have nothing". Getting an extra couple of dollars out of a watch by deception should never tip the scales against what it will do to a good name.

JEFF SAIDSo let me pose a few questions, to get the discussion going:

• JEFF ASKEDwhen you are selling a watch that has some obvious blemishes, might you take multiple photos in order to get one or two in which the blemish is less visible (or even not visible at all)?

o It is my aim when making watch ad photos to show the watch as it appears to me in real life. As anyone who has taken watch photos knows, this is not at all easy. Sometimes lighting that hides one type of blemish will make another look much worse than it really looks. I use my camera, lights and computer/photo editing to make the watch look like what it looks like.

• JEFF ASKEDIs it fair game to use Photoshop (or a similar editing program) to remove the blemishes?

o Absolutely not.

• JEFF ASKEDIs there a difference between using a cloning or healing tool to remove a blemish and other less dramatic adjustments (exposure / saturation / levels / brightness / etc.)? What about posting smaller, darker photos that hide the details of the watch?

o Yes there is a difference but the key words above are “…that hide the details of the watch?”. Hiding the details of the watch is not ethical and will never work out for a seller unless he/she wants to have a bad name.

• JEFF ASKEDWould you expect different standards of conduct as between different types of sellers – reputable high-end auction house; eBay or other online auction; private seller?

o Yes I would expect different standards. I don’t think there should be different standards but I would expect a higher standard for the reputable auction house.

• JEFF ASKEDWhen you are buying a watch through an auction house, do you believe that the auction house is representing that photos of the watch have not been edited to remove blemishes and defects?

o No. I have too much experience with auction houses and photographers in general. I am always nervous when buying a watch in any venue where I have not held the watch in my hand. Even if I believe that the auction house is honest it is simply too difficult to take good watch pictures.

• JEFF ASKEDWhen you are selling a watch, do you volunteer information that might adversely impact the value or the prospective buyer’s decision (for example, that the watch has been running slow and probably needs an overhaul or that some parts have been replaced)? Does it depend on whether or not the prospective buyer asks the question? Does it depend on whether you are selling to a friend or to a stranger?

o I don’t like to write a book for an eBay ad…simple is good. Having said that if a watch is running but not keeping decent time I will state that. If a watch has a major part (not common of no consequence service replacement like a screw) I will always state this in the ad. I always state that a prospective buyer should ask me any questions they may have and I answer truthfully. If a prospective buyer’s question points out something important that I have not seen I make this question and my answer public. Whether selling to a friend or stranger should make no difference, if for no other reason that a stranger should be looked upon as a potential long-term customer.

I am far from a perfect human being and I am not a very religious man. I have done things in my life that I am not proud of. However, the older I get the more I know that the Mishnah is right. When I die the most important thing I can leave behind is a good name.

JohnCote