Michigan Watch Entrepreneur Mason Maressa Tops $10 Million in Sales Five Years After First Rolex Flip

Five years after purchasing his first luxury timepiece with high school savings, 21-year-old Michigan entrepreneur Mason Maressa reports that his pre-owned watch business, Clocked In, has crossed $10 million in cumulative sales. The milestone marks a significant expansion from a single online transaction into a physical retail operation serving collectors and enthusiasts.

The venture began when Maressa, then a 16-year-old high school student in Michigan, saved $3,500 from working. Rather than purchasing a car, he spent his entire savings on a vintage Rolex Air-King. According to Entrepreneur magazine, Maressa already harbored a strong interest in luxury goods and timepieces. Just days after receiving the watch, he listed it online and successfully sold it for approximately $4,000, netting a profit of roughly $500.

While the initial profit was modest, the transaction demonstrated the viability of the luxury resale market to the young student. Choosing to reinvest his capital rather than spend the returns, Maressa purchased another watch and continued trading. As his inventory grew, he immersed himself in the complexities of the pre-owned luxury watch market, mastering details such as pricing structures, physical condition, reference numbers, authentication processes, market demand, and customer relationship management.

What began as a part-time online side project gradually evolved into a serious commercial venture through his late teens. In January 2025, the business transitioned from purely digital operations to a physical storefront. Clocked In opened a brick-and-mortar location situated at 601 S Beacon Blvd, Suite 103, in Grand Haven, Michigan. Operating on an appointment-only basis, the physical store specializes in pre-owned luxury watches, featuring prominent industry names such as Rolex, Omega, and Tudor.

The physical retail location is designed to cater to both seasoned collectors seeking specific reference pieces and individuals purchasing a high-end luxury watch for the first time. The setup allows customers to handle, examine, and compare various timepieces in person before making substantial financial investments, an important consideration in a market where individual items frequently cost thousands of dollars.

Industry participants note that pre-owned luxury timepieces can vary significantly in condition, completeness, and market value, even among models sharing the same year and reference number. Consequently, establishing a reputation for integrity and transparency is vital for dealers. Clocked In emphasizes that building customer trust has been central to its expansion. Maressa aimed to create an approachable buying environment where novices and experts alike can ask questions and evaluate differences between pieces without requiring prior industry expertise.

The company actively engages in buying, selling, and trading pre-owned timepieces with individual customers and industry peers. In addition to pre-owned inventory, the business model also incorporates unworn watches through its official website. Today, Clocked In serves a customer base spanning West Michigan and beyond.

Now 21 years old, Maressa reports that the cumulative sales of Clocked In have exceeded $10 million, five years after his initial $3,500 investment in a single vintage Rolex.