It can be stressfull and confusing to sell a vintage watch, while it is often an emotional decision to let these objects go. At Perceptions, we are interested in building a long-term connection with our clients, whether you are buying or selling a vintage watch. We will always make you an honest offer. Condition and rarity can be considered the most important factors in our buying process. We focus on elegant and unusual vintage watches from the last century. We do not have an interested in new/sealed watches and are not interested in modern Rolex watches. We steer away from grey market activity all together.
We have an interest in brand watches up to 2010, with a strong focus on the period ranging from 1930-1990. Some of the brands we are interested in are:
The list above is to give you an idea of what vintage watches we are looking for. It is definitely not limited to this list however. We can be interested in the most obscure brands in Swiss watchmaking, as long as they capture our imagination. We are picky, very picky. So, this can serve as a guide to what we are and aren’t buying. If you are unsure if your watch fits our collection, simply fill out the sell form and we will get back to you within 48 hours. We will always assist you in evaluating your vintage timepiece for free, and if desired we can make you an offer. In a lot of cases we will decide not to make an offer. Not because we think your watch is not worth an offer, but because we only want the vintage watches we can call Perceptions watches. We love original and unmolested condition which is becoming harder and harder to find. Especially watches in NOS or new old stock condition spark our interest.
We want to make a clear distinction between originality and condition when it comes to vintage watches. There are countless opinions floating around regarding this subject, but we will focus on our own for now. The watch you are trying to sell can have countless origins. Maybe it was your own and you have worn it on a daily basis. Maybe it was gift and you only wore it to special occasions. Maybe it has been passed down for generations. Maybe it has been worn in battle. Maybe it has been to the bottom of the sea. Maybe it has not been worn at all. Whether you are familiar with the history of your watch or not, it will tell its story. Sometimes a vintage watch that looks very bad to you can get us all excited. Likewise, a watch that looks brand new, can put us of. This is often a balance between condition and originality. As an example, we look at the iconic Rolex dive watch, the Submariner. We could get one offered with a discolored dial, scratched case, non-operational movement and a stretched-out bracelet. The same watch could come in without a scratch, excellent dial, chronometer grade running movement and a flawless bracelet. Chances are we would be more interested in example number one, unless the second example is truly unworn. The first watch shows what the watch has been through, while on the second one those traces have likely been erased at some point. Not necessarily a bad thing as watches are intended to be worn and so most users would like an optimal product. Collectors are not average people though and are looking for the beauty of the untouched. The second watch likely had the following interventions in its lifetime: Polishing of the case and possibly laser welding to add new material, removing stretch from the bracelet, a service dial to replace the original discolored example and a full movement service.
We are never scared off by non-working mechanical watches. Most things can be fixed with time and love. My suggestion to whoever is selling a vintage watch, is to sell it in as is condition. Your dealer, whether that is me or someone else, will always see through the current condition and know what is best for your watch. I have had instances where the seller would offer me a watch after their watchmaker had gotten it ‘ready to sell’ and they did all the things to steer me away from buying those watches. Dealers and collectors love originality, while condition is something that can be created.
If you have read all the way down here I have probably provided you with too much information. You were just looking to sell your vintage watch after all. Now fill in that form and add some pictures and we will get back to you with an evaluation within 48 hours. When in doubt, just send it out. Our experience will be able to make a good judgement from the pictures you have provided. Go here to start selling a vintage watch.
Below are a handful of unusual watches that have passed through our hands. Hope to talk to you soon.
