WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A PRE-OWNED WATCH

Like many watches, each watch model has its own specific size, design, and movement. Some watch models are designed and manufactured for certain events including films and red-carpet events. Like most items, those popular products aren’t part of the production line anymore, classing them as vintage watches. As watches are seen as collectable items, buyers will invest in these items hoping to gain a profit from them in the future. With many options to choose from when buying a pre-owned watch, you are guaranteed to find a watch that is unique, stylish and long-lasting.

Along with its history, many people choose used watches as they’re lower priced than the RRP. As watches are an expensive item to buy and upkeep, buying pre-owned is a good investment and good value. Read The Benefits To Buying A Pre-Owned Watch for more information.

Like any type of purchase, there are things that you should consider before buying a pre-owned watch. Knowing the market and what you’re after is key research to know before buying. We’ll go over some tips below of things you should consider.

Setting a Budget

Before going into a store or buying online, make sure to set yourself a budget. With pre-owned watches, they tend to be slightly less expensive than if you decided to buy them brand new. Despite the price being lower, this doesn’t devalue the product. Not only do you need to think about the initial budget when buying the watch but also be able to manage the upkeep of keeping the watch in the best condition possible.

Do Your Watch Research

Make sure you do your research before buying a pre-owned watch is important, as you want to be aware of what you’re investing in. Keeping in mind your watch budget, do some online research to see what the market is like for that watch. Is it a rare watch model? Is the upkeep of the watch expensive? Is it a long-lasting model? All these key aspects are important to research before buying your used watch. Whether you are searching for a narrow dial size, large dial size, automatic or manual watch, being very specific with your watch choice is vital when searching for the perfect pre-owned watch. Especially the size of the watch, pre-owned watches usually come in one size, so making sure you know your watch size is important.

Related: Watch Size Guide

Before buying a pre-owned watch from a seller, make sure you review the company's reputation for selling items. Not only do you need to do your research on the type of watch you are looking to buy and ensure you are buying from the correct seller. Reviews are a good place to start. Giving yourself the time to read through any reviews and noticing if the items are authentic, in good condition and great aftercare service is important when buying an expensive item. Online sellers should also have information about being a reputable seller such as being registered with the Financial Conduct Authority.

What to Check When Buying a Pre-Owned Watch

Now that you have the knowledge and identified what you are specifically looking for, we would recommend doing more detailed checks if you are viewing the watch in the shop. Pre-owned watches usually go through several checks by experts before going on sale, and despite viewing the watch online, it’s important to view the pre-owned watch in person to inspect it before buying.

Checking the Watch Movement

Most pre-owned or vintage watches will either have a manual, automatic or quartz movement. Making sure the watch's movement is working correctly and is the best option for you is important.

• Manual Movement: Also known as the “hand-wound movement”, these watches can be seen through the case-back. Not only are manual watch movements the oldest type of watch movement, but they are the most traditional movement and can be found in collectable and expensive watch types.
• Automatic Movement: Often referred to as “self-winding”, automatic movement is very popular movement choice because you don’t have to worry about winding the watch daily to make sure it’s working.
• Quartz Movement: this style of movement uses a battery to power a watch. The battery sends an electrical current through a tiny quartz crystal, which makes the crystal vibrate. These vibrations trigger the movement of the watch, which powers the watch to move its hands.

Making sure that these movements work correctly in the chosen watch is important, as this may be a costly repair if bought damaged. For more information, read The Ultimate Guide to Watch Movements: Automatic, Quartz and Manual.

When looking to buy a pre-owned watch, it’s important to check the condition that the watch is in. Look for any blemishes or scratches on the case, bracelet, bezel and crystal. If you’re buying a coloured dial watch, does the colour look in good condition? What about the index markers or even numbers, are they visible?

When checking the condition of the pre-owned watch you not only want to see if it looks okay, but also that everything works. Do the hands work? What about the date function or timer function if your watch has a start/stop. Test the crown of the watch, this should turn smoothly and click into place. And rotating bezels should move freely with no friction. Take your time in inspecting the watch before buying.

Usually, with preowned items, including watches, there are different levels to follow when checking the condition. This may also have a reflection on the price. The conditions you will usually find are labelled by the following:

• A watch with no signs of wear or is practically brand new is probably an unworn watch in perfect condition.
• A watch with very few signs of wear is in very good condition.
• A watch that is displayed in good condition will probably have scratches or signs of wear on the case or strap but is still working.
• A watch that is listed in fair condition will probably have clear scratches or signs of wear however it is still a working watch. Some parts of the watch may have been damaged and have been replaced but may not have their original parts.
• If there are heavy signs of wear and tear on the strap, multiple scratches on the case and other imperfections, this is a watch that is in poor condition. Any replacements which have been made on the watch may not contain its original parts either.
• A watch that is classed an incomplete is one that has some parts missing and can only be used and bought as spare parts for other watches.

Like most sellers, there is always a warranty that should come with all products, this includes pre-owned watches. If you're concerned about damaging or breaking your recently purchased pre-owned watch, certain secondhand watch vendors may offer a warranty and insurance coverage for the watch.

For example, at Ramsdens, we offer a warranty which only applies to the watch movement. The watch movement is covered under the warranty and will commence from the day of purchase for a period of 12 months. Despite it not being a necessity, it’s a great benefit to have when buying secondhand, as it provides you with some sort of protection.

Checking The Watch Service History

As well as a warranty, it’s also important to ask and check the watch's service history. Like most technical and expensive items, they always come with a service history. With Ramsdens, all of their watch models are reviewed and inspected before being displayed for sale. This is an important aspect of buying a pre-owned item, as they need to pass a quality check before going on sale. This allows the experts to make sure all features of the watch are working correctly.

A watches box and papers shows authenticity and model type information, all new watches come with this information. And most pre-owned watches are sold with their original box and papers, so you know the piece is genuine. With most Ramsdens watches, a box and paper are provided with the product which outlines its authenticity, item number and any other important specifications about the watch such as where it was originally sold. Not all pre-owned watches have these, as many people didn’t keep the documents, or they may have been lost to time if it’s an older or vintage model. But, if they do have their original box and papers, it may increase the cost as many people want to ensure they are getting a genuine luxury watch.

Buying a Pre-Owned Watch From Ramsdens

Whilst other watch sellers may sell pre-owned watches, there are many benefits you receive when purchasing a pre-owned watch from Ramsdens. We are a reputable seller and have watch experts on hand who do checks on each pre owned watch before being displayed for sale. You can even have a watch shipped to your local Ramsdens branch to view it in person before buying and have access to our experts if you have questions. From a 12-month warranty to secure delivery options, you are guaranteed to find a stylish pre-owned watch at Ramsdens.

As well as pre-owned items, Ramsdens stock a range of luxury watches from leading brands including Rolex, Tag Huer, Breitling and more.