Used Watches

The used watch, or pre owned watches as they are also known, market is vast and ever growing.

These time pieces find their way on to the market for various reasons and by various methods.

When deciding to buy a used watch there are several things to consider.

What kind of watch are you looking for?

Watches of every type and era can be found in the pre owned market. Anywhere from high end brands such as Rolex, Patek Phillipe, and Cartier. Through to more main stream fine watches such as Tag Heure, Omega, and Movado. Whatever your taste and budget, there are plenty of watches available for you. The great thing about the used watch market is the opportunity to find older and discontinued time pieces. It is not uncommon to be able to find watches from decades ago that are in excellent condition, even to the point of having original box and papers.

Obviously, another thing to consider is your budget.

Rest assured, you can find used watches to fit your budget, be it a hundred dollars or a million dollars, there are watches out there waiting for you.

Your next factor is of course where to buy your item.

Local Jewelers.

You are certain to be able to find a local jeweler that carries used watches. Most jewelers carry new pieces and one of the ways they promote the selling of these pieces is to offer a trade in option. Watch trade ins involve a person selecting a new watch and the sales person offering them a price on their old watch to reduce the financial outlay as far as cash. It is often compared to trading in an old car towards a new one. The concept is pretty much the same. Of course once the deal is done, the store now has a used watch to restore to a suitable condition for resale in their pre owned selection. Local jewelry stores often include a warranty on the pre owned watch which will usually cover basic repairs on the movement and sometimes outer cleaning.

Online auctions.

Everyone knows about online auctions such as eBay. Here you can find great prices and an amazing variety of used watches. When considering this option be sure to read carefully any descriptions, warranty options, and of course the sellers reputation and feedback. Online auctions are a great source for used watches, but of course a little extra caution should be exercised in this environment.

Watch fairs.

Occasionally you may have the opportunity to attend a watch fair. At these events you will find vendors that sell vintage watches and it is here you will find rare and old era watches. A fantastic source to find used watches, but again exercise a little caution and do some research on the kind of watch you are looking for, before making hasty purchases.

When you have selected a type of watch and a preferred place of purchase.

Get educated!

Do your research on your preferred brands and models of watch. Find out what a fair market price is. Learn what is an acceptable condition to expect the watch to be in vs price. Do not fall into the trap of buying a watch that is a little bit shabby thinking that because its used you are to expect some wear and tear. Watches are sometimes treasured and sometimes abused. Do not buy a watch that has been abused and not restored to an acceptable standard. Also learn what features the watch originally had and what were common after market additions. Some people modify their watches heavily. Do not end up buying a watch with a blue dial that was only manufactured with a grey or a black dial. That would seriously reduce the price of the watch because it does not have original parts and may hint at other modifications to the movement. It could have even been smashed and rebuilt for example.

Shopping for used watches is fascinating and can be very rewarding, just exercise a little caution and gain some education before committing money to an item.

Used Watches