‘Spent all my savings’: Dodgy watch seller goes to ground as victims speak out

For years, watch enthusiasts would meet Ian Tilman inside his swanky Sydney ‘showroom’ to buy and trade high-end pieces. Now, he’s vanished without a trace.

A watch seller who sold Rolexes for hundreds of thousands of dollars then failed to deliver them has packed up shop and gone to ground, leaving dozens of Australians out of pocket. 

Director of WatchesRUs Ian Tilman is nowhere to be found after putting his company into liquidation with his “showroom” on Castlereagh St in Sydney’s CBD now empty. 

Several customers have lodged police reports as they try and recoup their money after many put down deposits for watches they never received. 

The customers have now set up a WhatsApp group together as they attempt to find out where Mr Tilman has fled with 18 members already joining.

Mr Tilman’s showroom for WatchesRUs. Picture: Facebook

One man Patrick Bradford, who is an avid watch collector from Perth, said he transferred Mr Tilman more than $158,000 over three months and “never received anything”. 

He reported the matter to police, but was told it was a “civil matter”. 

“I had a lawyer perform an assets search and he has nothing, so going after him legally isn’t an option, unfortunately, there’s nothing nobody claimed they could do,” he said. 

“I have spent all my savings.” 

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The showroom is now completely empty. Picture: News.com.au

Another customer, who wished not to be named, managed to trace the serial number of one of the watches he purchased from the company. 

He found it was being listed for sale in Dubai – and believes Mr Tilman could be there. He bought three watches from Mr Tilman for $100,000. 

“It was listed for sale in a Dubai-based watch shop. I know it is still around,” he said. 

“I just want the watch or the money.”

The social media platforms for the company are still active however their website has been taken down. Picture: Supplied

Mr Tilman would encourage customers to come to his “showroom” at the St James Trust Building. Picture: Facebook

WatchesRUs traded as part of the “Mazal Group” which has since been put in liquidation. 

The liquidator’s report, seen by news.com.au, states the company was officially wound up on February 16, 2024.

In the report, Hall Chadwick labels the investigation as “ongoing” as they have failed to receive any response from the director or any former director of the company. 

“Based on my investigations and Proofs of Debt (“POD”) submitted by creditors to date, I have calculated preliminary amounts owed to the ordinary unsecured creditors totalling $791,979,” the report states. 

“This figure is significantly greater than the figure advised by the Director.”

A win against the dealer

One of Mr Tilman’s customers managed to get her money back after a lengthy and “traumatic” battle in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal last year. 

Tasmanian woman Marian Ong bought a Rolex from WatchesRUs in 2022 through a friend who was an expert in high-end watches. 

Ms Ong bought the Rolex to propose to her partner. Picture: Supplied

The watch which Ms Ong bought from WatchesRUs. Picture: Supplied

After using the Rolex to propose to her fiance, the watch began to make a “clinking sound” with the pair taking the watch to a Rolex service centre. 

The centre informed Ms Ong the Rolex was fake.

“I just melted,” she told news.com.au. 

“I just thought this is Australia, you can’t sell fake goods.”

Ms Ong contacted Mr Tilman who accused her of swapping out the Rolex for a fake watch. 

She said she went to the WatchesRUs office in the CBD to meet with Mr Tilman and an offsider of his.

“I am a small, petite Asian person, and Mr Tilman was sitting across the desk accusing me of tampering with the watch,” she said.

She took the pair to NCAT, who ordered Mr Tilman to pay Ms Ong back the $23,500 she paid for the watch.

The watch came with an certificate of authenticity. Picture: Supplied

Ms Ong said she had no idea the Rolex was fake after paying more than $20,000 for it. Picture: Supplied

Court documents stated that NCAT ruled in favour of Ms Ong as Mr Tilman gave “inconsistent evidence under oath” and would not say where he got the watch from for “privacy” reasons. 

“This is misguided, and not consistent with the level of due diligence which Mr Tilman expected from the applicants,” the order stated. 

However, NCAT said that a “200 per cent guarantee” which was listed on the company’s website did not legally stand and it was ruled as an “advertising tactic”.

“I thought that was pretty unfair … to me when you make a guarantee that actually means something,” she said. 

Website gone 

Like Mr Tilman’s office, the store’s online website has also been closed. However, both the Instagram pages and Facebook pages for the company are still active. 

Prior to the website being shut down, WatchesRUs stated they did not accept payment of more than $2000 which had to be made in their CBD showroom. 

The disclaimer posted to the company’s website before it was taken down. Picture: Wayback Machine

“We take these steps to protect Customers (sic) Security and Anti Fraud,” the website stated. 

News.com.au visited Mr Tilman’s parent’s home in Randwick. His father told news.com.au: “I haven’t spoken to my son in two years” before shutting the door. 

The Australia Federal Police said the matter was within the juristriction of the state police. Both Victoria and NSW Police said they were not actively investigating the matter.