What to Do If You're Selling a Luxury Watch

If you’re planning on selling a luxury watch, it can be difficult to know where to start. We hope this information will help you with your first steps to selling your timepiece!

Make sure it works

When someone buys a luxury watch, they want the assurance it will last a lifetime. Your watch must meet this expectation. Purchasing luxury watches is a big investment, and whoever you’re selling to wants their money’s worth otherwise it isn’t a viable sale. So before you attempt to sell your watch, check it’s functioning as it should.

Here are some areas worth checking:

• Monitor how accurately it tells the time
• If it has a clasp, check it’s secure
• If the bracelet has links, ensure they aren’t loose
• If the bracelet is made of leather, check it isn’t cracked or worn out
• Check the watch case isn’t scratched
• Make sure the crown is functioning properly

If you find there are big issues with your timepiece, get a quote from an expert on how much it will cost to repair. Depending on what they say, weigh up whether you think the repairs are worth it; whether a monetary investment to fix it will increase the watch’s sale price. 

Clean your watch

It goes without saying that you want your watch to be in the best possible condition when it’s sold. While the watch was in your ownership it should have been cleaned regularly, so ideally any cleaning you do now should just be precautionary. Cleaning your watch is simple; with a soft, slightly damp cloth you can clean metal watch bracelets and cases, but remember this process cannot be applied to leather watch straps.

Have your paperwork ready

Documentation validates your item and proves it’s as valuable as you’ve said. An original box and papers is desirable, along with a note of the watch’s service history and previous owners. Without this, your buyer might try and dispute your watch’s authenticity in order to lower the price. If you don’t know the exact worth of your timepiece but would like to get it appraised – at Cuttings we can give you and honest quote with the necessary documentation you can show your buyer.

Decide where to sell it

Deciding where to sell your watch is important, as it could affect how much you end up selling the watch for. Some sellers would like to sell watches privately, either online or otherwise. However, this can be a risky option as you might not receive the best price for your timepiece. Here at Cuttings, we recommend selling your watch with a trusted retailer or buyer – an expert in their field who will offer a fair price.

We’re always looking to expand our current stock and offer respectable quotes on luxury watches and jewellery. If you’re looking to sell a luxury watch, feel free to get in touch and have a chat with our experts.