At 16, a Michigan student spent $3,500 of his savings on a vintage Rolex and flipped it for about $500 profit; five years later, his watch business says it has topped $10 million in cumulative sales
At 16, Michigan student Mason Maressa had saved $3,500 from working while attending high school. He could have used the money to buy a car. Instead, he spent it on a vintage Rolex Air-King, a decision that later became the starting point of his watch business.According to Entrepreneur magazine, Maressa was already interested in luxury goods, especially watches. A few days after the watch arrived, he listed it for sale online. He eventually sold it for about $4,000, making roughly $500 in profit.The amount was not enough to change his life, but the sale showed Maressa that there could be an opportunity in a market he already understood and enjoyed. Rather than spending the money he made, he put it into another watch and continued buying and selling.That process gradually became a business. As Maressa bought more watches, he also learned about the pre-owned luxury watch market. Pricing, condition, references, market demand, authentication and customer relationships became part of his work.For the next several years, he continued trading watches while expanding his inventory. What began with one Rolex gradually became a larger operation, and by his late teens, the watch business had become a serious venture.
From online sales to a physical store
The next major step came when Maressa decided to take the business beyond online transactions. In January 2025, Clocked In opened a brick-and-mortar store at 601 S Beacon Blvd, Suite 103, in Grand Haven, Michigan.The store operates by appointment only. It specialises in pre-owned luxury watches, with brands including Rolex, Omega, Tudor and other recognised names in the industry.The store caters to experienced collectors who may already know the reference they want, as well as people buying a luxury watch for the first time.The store also gives customers the chance to sit down, handle different watches and compare them before making a purchase. This is particularly relevant for a market where individual watches can cost thousands of dollars.
Building trust in the market
Pre-owned luxury watches can differ from one another even when they are the same model and year. Their condition, completeness and value can vary, making the reputation of the seller important to buyers.Clocked In says building customer trust became an important part of its growth. Maressa wanted the buying process to be approachable for both experienced collectors and people purchasing their first Rolex.Customers can ask questions, compare different watches and understand the differences between pieces without already being experts in the field.The company buys, sells and trades pre-owned timepieces with customers and other participants in the watch industry. Its current business model also includes unworn pieces, according to the company’s website.Clocked In says its customer base includes collectors and enthusiasts from West Michigan and beyond. The company describes itself as a luxury watch dealer focused on authentication, quality and customer service.Five years after buying his first Rolex at 16, Maressa says Clocked In has crossed $10 million in cumulative sales. He is now 21.
