Founder & Market Researcher
Where Can I Sell My Watch in the UK?
To a watch dealer or jeweller, a postal or online watch buyer, an auction house, or privately. Dealers and postal buyers pay quickly; auction and private sale can pay more but take longer. Get offers from at least three buyers before you accept one.
| Where | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Watch dealer or jeweller | They inspect the watch and make an offer, often paid the same day. Some also sell watches for you on consignment, for a commission. | The offer leaves room for their margin. Compare it with at least two others. |
| Postal or online buyer | You send photos for a quote, then the watch in an insured pack. They check it and confirm or change the offer. | The final offer can be lower than the quote. Check what the postal insurance covers and who pays to return the watch if you decline. |
| Auction house | The watch goes into a watch sale with an estimate and a reserve price. | Fees come off the hammer price: at Fellows, 15% commission, a £10 marketing fee and a 1.5% loss/liability charge per lot, each plus VAT. The sale can be weeks away, and the watch may not sell. |
| Private sale | You sell through a watch marketplace or forum, or to someone you know. | Often the highest price, but you handle the buyers, payment, fraud risk and any platform fees. |
| Part exchange | A dealer takes your watch as part payment for another one. | Only useful if you are buying anyway. Compare the part-exchange figure with a cash offer. |
| Pawnbroker | A loan against the watch, which you get back when you repay. Most also buy outright. | Interest on the loan. If you do not repay, they sell the watch. |
A dealer's “free valuation” is the price that dealer will pay you. Treat it as an offer to compare with others, not as an independent figure.
Selling a Rolex, Omega, TAG Heuer, Cartier or Other Luxury Watch
Specialist watch buyers deal in luxury brands with an established second-hand market, such as Rolex, Omega, TAG Heuer, Cartier, Breitling, Tudor, IWC and Patek Philippe, and most list the brands they buy. The same advice applies to all of them: find the model reference, gather the box and papers, and compare offers. Selling a Rolex? See our guide to selling a Rolex.
A gold watch from a maker that specialist buyers do not deal in may be worth more for its gold. London Gold Exchange's gold watch value guide explains how to work that out.
How Much Will I Get for My Watch?
Less than a dealer's asking price for the same model, which includes their margin. The offer depends mainly on these:
- The model reference. It identifies the exact model, metal, dial and bracelet, and whether the watch is automatic or battery-powered (quartz). It is on the guarantee card and engraved on the watch.
- Box and papers. The guarantee card, box and receipt show the watch is genuine and make it easier to resell, so a full set gets a better offer.
- Condition and original parts. Scratches, dents and a heavily polished case lower the offer, and so do replacement parts such as an aftermarket dial, bezel or added diamonds.
- Service history. Receipts from the brand's service centre help. If the watch is running badly or overdue a service, a buyer may take the cost of a service off the offer.
- Age and rarity. Discontinued, limited and vintage references can sell for more than current ones. The model reference tells a buyer which you have.
Asking prices on watch marketplaces are what sellers want, not what watches sold for, so use them as a rough upper guide.
Is It Worth Getting a Watch Valued Before You Sell?
For a current model with its box and papers, offers from three buyers usually show you what it is worth. An independent valuation (£100 to £130 per watch) is worth paying for when the watch is vintage, rare, gold or set with diamonds, has no papers, or is being sold as part of an estate or a divorce. An independent valuer is not buying the watch, so their figure tells you whether an offer is fair. For an estate, the watch's value has to be reported for probate anyway (see valuing jewellery for probate), and for a divorce see valuations for financial settlements. Our watch valuation guide explains what a valuer checks.
How to Sell a Watch Safely
- Get each offer in writing with how long it stands, for the watch described the same way to every buyer.
- Check postal terms before you send anything: what the insurance on the pack covers, whether it is tracked and signed for, and whether the watch comes back free if you turn the offer down. Photograph the watch first.
- In a private sale, wait for the money to clear in your account before you hand the watch over. A screenshot or email saying a payment has been sent is not payment.
- Take photo ID. Buyers usually ask for it, and sometimes for proof of address. Some check the serial number against The Watch Register, the Art Loss Register's database of lost and stolen watches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I sell my watch in the UK?
To a watch dealer or jeweller, a postal or online watch buyer, an auction house, or privately. Dealers and postal buyers pay quickly; auction and private sale can pay more but take longer. Get offers from at least three buyers before you accept one.
Which watches are worth selling to a specialist?
Luxury brands with an established second-hand market, such as Rolex, Omega, TAG Heuer, Cartier, Breitling, Tudor, IWC and Patek Philippe. Specialist buyers list the brands they buy. A gold watch from another maker may be worth more for its gold.
How much will I get for my watch?
It depends on the model reference, the condition, whether you have the box and papers, and the service history. A dealer's asking price for the same model includes their margin, so expect an offer below it.
Can I sell a watch that doesn't work?
Yes. Buyers take the cost of the repair off the offer. Tell each buyer what is wrong when you ask for a quote, so the offers can be compared.
Can I sell a watch without the box and papers?
Yes. Buyers check the watch is genuine by inspecting it and reading its serial number. Expect a lower offer than for a full set, because papers make the watch easier to resell.
Is a dealer's free valuation the same as a valuation?
No. A dealer's free valuation is the price that dealer will pay you. An independent valuer does not buy the watch, so their figure tells you what it would realistically sell for, which you can compare offers against.
Want an independent figure before you sell?
Tell us about your watch and we'll introduce you to an independent valuer who can tell you what it would realistically sell for. The enquiry is free.