Luxury watch on a dark surface prepared for auction photography

Auction fees

ChronoBid publishes auction fees before you bid or consign. The buyer’s premium is 7.5% of the hammer price. Every lot shows current bid, that premium, and an estimated total before shipping in AUD.

Quick answer

ChronoBid’s published buyer’s premium is 7.5% of the hammer price. Win deposit is 5% of hammer (card, on win only). On a $20,000 AUD hammer, the premium is $1,500 AUD and the estimated total before shipping is $21,500 AUD. Published seller fee is 6% of hammer; written consignment terms can override. GST treatment is shown on this page and on your invoice.

What every lot page shows

Open any live or upcoming lot. Beside the current bid you will see the published premium and a running estimated total before shipping. Use that total when you set your limit.

Current bid
$20,000 AUD
Buyer’s premium
7.5%
Win deposit
5% of hammer (on win only)
Estimated total before shipping
$21,500 AUD

The win deposit is not the buyer’s premium. Shipping, insurance, card surcharges, storage after a free collection window, and currency-conversion costs sit outside this estimate unless a lot says otherwise.

Why ChronoBid publishes fees up front

Australian and international watch auctions charge more than the hammer. Houses differ on who pays what. Some platforms advertise that sellers keep 100% of the hammer while buyers fund the house through a premium. Other Australian houses publish buyer’s premiums around the mid-teens to 20% or higher, sometimes with GST stated as included or added on top.

ChronoBid’s rule is simpler. The percentage that changes your invoice must sit on the lot before you bid. You should never discover the buyer’s premium only after you win.

For a plain-English walkthrough, read what a buyer's premium means.

Omega Seamaster chronograph photographed for an online auction catalogue

Fees that apply when you buy

If you win, you pay the hammer price plus the published 7.5% buyer’s premium. That premium is ChronoBid’s house fee on the buyer side.

A 5% deposit on the hammer is charged to your card only if you win — never when you place a bid. It is not a platform fee and not the buyer’s premium. The balance is hammer + premium − deposit.

Shipping and insurance are usually arranged or paid by the buyer and are quoted by destination. Payment-processing surcharges, storage after the free collection window, late-payment charges, and currency-conversion costs can apply when those lines are charged.

  • Buyer’s premium: 7.5% of hammer
  • Win deposit: 5% of hammer (card, on win only)
  • GST on fees: shown on Auction Fees and your invoice; ask if you need the GST position confirmed in writing
  • Shipping and insurance: quoted per lot and destination
  • Payment-processing surcharge: may apply when card or provider fees are passed on
  • Storage for delayed collection: may apply after any free collection window
  • Currency-conversion costs: may apply when paying outside AUD
  • Late-payment or cancellation charges: may apply if a winner fails to settle
Citizen Eco-Drive chronograph prepared for consignment review

Fees that apply when you sell

Seller costs are separate from the buyer’s premium. The published seller fee is 6% of the hammer. Written consignment terms can override that rate for your watch.

Assessment under Our Watch Assessment Process is a basic catalogue review. Any assessment fee, catalogue fee, or photography fee for that work is listed here when charged.

  • Seller fee: 6% of hammer (published default; written terms control)
  • Listing or catalogue fee: may apply before a lot goes live
  • Assessment fee: may apply for the initial auction assessment
  • Photography fee: may apply for professional catalogue images
  • Unsold-watch charges: may apply if a lot does not sell

More seller detail sits on Seller Fees and Our Watch Assessment Process.

Published fee schedule

Every fee line that can apply to a ChronoBid auction is listed below. Buyer lines and seller lines are grouped so you can scan the side that applies to you.

Buyer-facing lines

  • Buyer’s premium

    7.5% of the hammer price (published default; each lot shows its rate). Separate from the card deposit.

  • Win deposit

    5% of the hammer price charged to your card only if you win. Not a platform fee and not the buyer’s premium. No money is taken when you place a bid.

  • GST

    GST treatment is shown on Auction Fees and your invoice. Ask ChronoBid before you bid on a high-value lot if you need the GST position confirmed in writing.

  • Payment-processing surcharge

    A card or payment-provider surcharge may apply on settlement when charged.

  • Shipping and insurance

    Quoted per lot and destination. The buyer usually arranges or pays shipping and insurance unless a lot says otherwise.

  • Storage fee for delayed collection

    Daily or weekly storage may apply after the free collection window.

  • Currency-conversion costs

    Bank or provider FX costs may apply if you pay from outside AUD. ChronoBid estimates remain in AUD.

  • Late-payment or cancellation charges

    Fees may apply if a winning bidder fails to complete payment. See Auction Rules and your invoice terms.

Seller-facing lines

  • Seller fee

    6% of the hammer price (published default). Written consignment terms control the rate for your watch.

  • Listing or catalogue fee

    A catalogue fee may apply before a lot goes live. Confirm in your written consignment terms.

  • Assessment fee

    An assessment fee may apply for the initial auction review. Assessment itself is a basic catalogue review under Our Watch Assessment Process.

  • Photography fee

    Professional photography for catalogue images may be charged separately. Confirm in your written terms.

  • Unsold-watch charges

    A charge may apply if a lot does not sell. Confirm in writing before consignment.

Luxury wristwatch used to illustrate bidding and fee totals

Worked example in AUD

Use this example to set a bid limit. Numbers use the published 7.5% buyer’s premium only. They do not add GST, shipping, or card surcharges.

  1. 1. Hammer / current bid

    $20,000 AUD

  2. 2. Buyer’s premium

    7.5% × $20,000 = $1,500 AUD

  3. 3. Estimated total before shipping

    $20,000 + $1,500 = $21,500 AUD

To reverse the math, divide your all-in ceiling before shipping by 1.075. That is the highest hammer you can afford at the published premium, before GST and shipping.

Fees

Frequently asked questions

Answers about ChronoBid auction fees in Australia: buyer’s premium, GST, seller commission, lot-page totals, and charges that sit outside the hammer.

Buyer fees

What is ChronoBid’s buyer’s premium?

The buyer’s premium is 7.5% of the hammer price. It is charged to the winning bidder on top of the hammer. On a $20,000 AUD hammer, the premium is $1,500 AUD before shipping.

Where do I see fees before I bid?

Every lot shows current bid, the 7.5% buyer’s premium, and an estimated total before shipping in AUD. Open Auction Fees for the full schedule.

What is the win deposit?

A 5% deposit on the hammer is charged to your verified card only if you win — never when you place a bid. It is not the buyer’s premium. The bank-transfer balance is hammer + 7.5% premium − deposit.

Does the estimated total include shipping?

No. Estimated total before shipping is hammer plus the published buyer’s premium only. Shipping, insurance, storage, card surcharges, and currency-conversion costs sit outside that figure unless a lot says otherwise.

Can the premium stay hidden until after I win?

No. ChronoBid’s rule is that the published buyer’s premium appears on the lot before you bid. If a special sale ever used a different rate, that rate must appear on the affected lots.

Still have a question?

Ask about a specific lot total, GST treatment, or a written seller quote before you consign.

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