Trade In Your Watch
We have been in business since 1985, and we buy fine watches over the counter at our Rockville showroom. Tell us what you have and we will come back to you with a considered offer.
Selling a watch should be straightforward
Most people selling a watch have never done it before, and the advice online is contradictory. Our position is simple: we tell you what your watch is worth to us, we explain how we arrived at that number, and you decide. There is no obligation and no pressure, and you are welcome to take the valuation elsewhere.
How it works
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Tell us about the watch
Tell us as much as you know — brand, model, reference number, roughly when it was bought, and whether you still have the box and papers. Photographs help enormously.
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We review it
A member of our team looks at what you have sent and checks it against what the reference is currently doing at auction and in the trade. This is usually same or next business day.
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You get a figure
We come back by email or phone with a number and an explanation of how we reached it. If we need to see the watch in person before committing, we will say so rather than quote blind.
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Getting the watch to us
Local customers are welcome in the Rockville showroom. If you are further away, we will work out the most convenient arrangement with you. Payment is issued once the watch has been inspected.
What affects the offer
Two examples of the same reference rarely fetch the same figure. These are the things that move the number most:
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Box and papers
The original box, warranty card and any service documentation can add meaningfully to the value, particularly on modern sports references.
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Condition and originality
Unpolished cases, original dials and hands, and factory bracelets all matter. A replacement part is not fatal, but it does change the figure.
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Service history
A watch recently serviced by the manufacturer or a competent independent is worth more than one of unknown history.
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The reference itself
Demand varies enormously between references, and it moves. What a model traded for last year is not necessarily what it trades for today.
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Completeness
Extra bracelet links, spare straps, the original receipt — small things, but they are part of what a future buyer expects.
What we buy
We are always interested in Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. If your watch is not listed, ask anyway — we would rather see it than have you assume.
Why sell to us
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In business since 1985
Trading from our Rockville showroom, and a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors since 1985.
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We are the buyer
You are dealing with the people writing the cheque, not a broker taking a cut of someone else's offer.
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A real explanation
You will be told how the figure was reached. If we are wrong about something, tell us — often we can revisit it.
Common questions
Do I need the box and papers?
No. They add value, but we buy plenty of watches without them. Tell us what you have and we will price accordingly.
How quickly will I hear back?
Usually the same or next business day. If a reference needs more research we will tell you that rather than leave you waiting.
Will you buy a watch that needs servicing?
Yes. We have an in-house workshop, so a watch that is running poorly or not at all is not a problem. We factor the work into the offer and explain what it needs.
Can I trade toward something in your collection?
Yes. The figure we offer for your watch is the same either way — trading does not increase it — but rather than taking payment you can put that value toward another watch from our collection.
What if I am not local to Rockville?
Get in touch and we will work out the most practical way to get the watch to us. It is inspected on arrival and payment is issued straight away, and if we cannot agree on a figure the watch goes back to you.