Terms of Service

Last updated: May 30, 2025

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of Timepiece Under Tension (“TUT,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) and every purchase, sale, or sourcing request you make through our website, social channels, phone, email, or in-person meetings in the Chicago area. By interacting with us, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you disagree, please do not use our services.

1. Eligibility

  • You must be 18 years or older and legally able to enter into contracts.

  • We do not require government-ID uploads for normal transactions, but we reserve the right to request additional verification if fraud is suspected.

2. Product Descriptions & Pricing

  • We describe each watch as accurately as possible; minor variations in color may appear due to screen settings.

  • Prices can change without notice until your order is confirmed.

3. Ordering & Payment

  • Payment methods: Stripe-powered cards, U.S. bank wire, or Zelle.

  • Standard orders: full payment is due before we ship.

  • Sourcing requests: a refundable deposit secures the search; the balance is due once we locate the watch. If we cannot source it within the timeframe we agree upon, we refund your deposit in full.

4. Shipping, Insurance & Risk of Loss

  • We ship FedEx Priority Overnight to a FedEx hold-for-pickup location; shipping and full-value insurance are included at no extra cost.

  • Saturday delivery is available for an additional fee.

  • Title and risk of loss transfer to you when you pick up and sign for the package.

5. Returns

  • You may return a watch within 24 hours of pickup for any reason.

  • You pay for return shipping using our prepaid insured label (cost deducted from the refund).

  • We inspect the watch immediately upon return and issue your refund to the original payment method.

  • The watch must be returned unworn, unaltered, and with all accessories and paperwork.

6. Warranty & Authenticity

  • If the manufacturer’s warranty has expired, we guarantee the watch movement for 12 months from the date of sale.

  • You cover inbound shipping for warranty service; we handle repairs and pay insured return shipping.

  • The warranty excludes damage caused by negligence, accidents, or misuse and is void if any unauthorized party opens or services the watch.

  • Most warranty repairs are completed in about one month; complex pieces may take up to three months.

  • All watches are backed by our authenticity guarantee. If a piece is ever proven non-authentic, your sole remedy is a full refund upon return in the same condition.

7. Taxes & Fees

  • A 10 % sales tax applies to Illinois residents; no tax is collected for customers outside Illinois.

8. Trade-ins & Buy-outs

  • Any quote we provide is contingent on physical inspection.

  • Once inspected and agreed, the offer is final and valid for 48 hours.

  • Trade-in value is applied as credit toward your new purchase.

9. Dispute Resolution

  • Any dispute arising out of these Terms or our services will be settled by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules.

  • The arbitration will take place in Chicago, Illinois.

  • Each party pays its own legal fees; arbitrator fees are split per AAA rules.

  • You may opt out of arbitration within 30 days of your first purchase by emailing timepieceundertension@gmail.com with “Arbitration Opt-Out” in the subject line.

  • If you opt out, you agree that any claim will be filed exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois.

10. Limitation of Liability

  • To the maximum extent allowed by law, our total liability will never exceed the amount you actually paid us for the product or service involved in the claim.

  • We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages (lost profits, lost data, reputational harm, or similar).

11. Intellectual Property

  • All content on our website and social media—text, photos, graphics, logos—is owned by TUT or its licensors. Personal use is allowed; commercial use requires our written permission.

12. Changes to These Terms

  • We may update these Terms at any time. We will post the new version with an updated “Last updated” date and highlight material changes. Continued use of our services after changes means you accept the revised Terms.

13. Contact

Timepiece Under Tension
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Email: info@timepieceundertension.com
Phone: 773-595-6674
Instagram: @TimepieceUnderTension