Who Buys Watches Near Me

It’s time to let go of that watch and get some cash for it. Sure there is eBay, but you may not get the right price and you have to deal with too many people. What if your watch, doesn’t work….can you still sell it?  The good news, there are plenty of places willing to buy and sell watches in any condition, even not working. Below I’ll share where to sell a timepiece, the pros and cons of each option, where to get the most cash, and my experience with the place who buys watches near me.

Map of Who Buys Watches Near Me

For “who buys watches near me” or looking for “where to sell and trade my watch”, see the map below for locations…

If you don’t find many companies who buy watches near me you should expand the zoom on the map. Here are some of the best suggestions for places locally and online…

Who Buys Watches Near Me – Where to Sell Locally

There are many places that you can sell your watch near me. Regardless if you have a Rolex Submariner to sell or a Citizen Eco-Drive there is a buyer. Even if the one selling your watch doesn’t work, depends on what you’ve got, there still may be a buyer. With a timepiece, there is always someone casual looking for an everyday timepiece, a collector looking for something vintage, a stylish person on a budget wanting something luxurious and used, watch dealers or a watch technician looking for replacement parts.

Here are your best search options for finding who buys watches near me:

Pawn Shops

Summary: Fast Cash, Will Take Almost Any Working Watch, but Low Offer Well Below Appraisal

Pawn shops are an option for any kind of watch that works. The pawn shop that buys watches near me is your best option for fast cash, but not your best offer. When you bring a timepiece into a pawn shop they will appraise it and then make an offer well below the appraised value.

They will offer to pay a low price for the watch so that they can mark it up and make a profit. If you have a good story to go with the watch and a way to prove it, you can negotiate a higher offer. For example, if you have a watch that belonged to a celebrity or a war hero and you can prove it, you can negotiate up.

Auction Houses

Summary: Highest Potential Sale, but best for Luxury and Vintage Watches and Has Large Commission Fees

Watch Auctions are great because you can reach a much larger audience and take home more than the watch’s actual value. The downside to auctions is there are often large consignment fees and commissions associated with the sale. Some of the biggest auction houses are Christie’s, Bonham, and Soethby’s who all have watch divisions. These places make spectacles out of the events and are known for driving home the highest bids, by creating stories around the watches. Those are the big auction houses though and you need the right timepiece to be featured. You can find smaller local watch auctions which are sometimes part of larger fine jewelry, or antique auctions.

Watch Repair Shops

Summary: Low Offers, but Takes Broken Watches 

Watch repair shops are looking to buy watches for two reasons: To get replacement parts for popular models or to fix the watch and sell it themselves. You can take a working watch to them, but you can probably get a better offer from a jeweler. The watch repair who buys watches near me is going to offer you bottom dollar cash for a broken watch. The good news is you can get something for most watches as long as it is a popular brand, the bad news is probably not going to get much more money back. If you bring in a high-end watch that is broken, of course, it will sell for more cash, but far from what you could expect if it worked. Find a local watch repair shop here.

Local Jewelers

Summary: Decent Offer Just Below Appraisal, but Watch Needs to Be In Quality Condition

Jewelers can be a solid place to go for a brand-name watch in decent condition. They will appraise the timepiece and make you a fair offer, below the appraisal value. They need to leave room for a profit, but won’t stick it to you as hard as a pawn shop. The difference is a pawn shop will be more liberal with what they buy, a jeweler is going to be more picky about the brand and condition. The jeweler who buys watches near me will give you a fair offer. You can find local jewelers here.

Craigslist and Local Classifieds

Summary: You Set The Price, but Need to Haggle With Local Buyers

Craigslist will get you offers closest to your watch’s value, but you need to haggle to get it and you are marketing mostly to a local audience. If you are in a metropolitan area, this is not a bad option since you can get more views on your classified listing. I find these to be a good place to start if you don’t need cash quickly. You can set your own price and only deal with people who seem serious. If you don’t get the offer you want, you can then explore the other options. Also, there is no reason you can’t post a watch of any brand in any condition.

Who Buys Watches Near Me Online

There are a lot of options to sell a watch online. There are retail stores that purchase watches, online marketplaces, classified watch sites where you sell your timepiece and mail it to the buyer, and online auction sites. If you want to consider online options, the most important thing to consider is reputation. I wouldn’t just trust putting my watch in the mail to just anybody. I also wouldn’t just trust anybody to send me my money. That is why I have specifically selected these options…

Here are my best 3 suggestions for where to sell a watch online.

Tourneau

Tourneau is the largest authorized retailer of luxury timepieces anywhere in the United States and has the world’s largest selection of certified pre-owned watches. This company is a company that will know how to properly evaluate your timepiece and make a good faith appraisal and offer to you. They are the true experts in second-hand watches and turning them into certified pre-owned sales.

They have a simple 5 step process to purchase your watch:

1. Submit your watch’s information (model number, pictures, etc…).
2. Get an offer estimate (usually a range).
3. Send in your watch (they will send you a pre-paid envelope and they will insure it).
4. Receive a final offer based on their appraisal (the better the condition, the better the offer).
5. Receive a check.

This is an option good if you have a high end luxury watch you are trying to sell. They will be most interested in Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, IWC, Omega, Breitling, Panerai, Jaeger-LeCoultre, etc. Tourneau will make you a solid offer, but remember they need to make a profit, so it will be below the appraised value. This is part of their primary business they have been doing for over 100 years. Learn more here.

Chrono24

Chrono24 is a classified watch site for luxury watches. You can post your timepiece, reach millions of watch buyers, and get paid securely. This platform has serious watch buyers on it, which means you aren’t gonna haggle like you would with other options. 9 out of 10 watches on here attract serious well informed buyers. What makes this a great service is that you set the price and it’s only going to cost you a 6.5% commission. That is better than you would get with all the places that buy watches near me. They also provide a free online appraisal to help you price your timepiece correctly.

To sell your watch on Chrono24:

1. You post your watch with pics and set a price (buyers can suggest a price as well).
2. You make a binding agreement with a buyer.
3. They make payments to an escrow account (that means the money is held to protect the buyer).
4. You ship and insure the package to the buyer.
5. You receive payment directly into your account as soon as the watch arrives.

This is another great for a high-end luxury watch buyer. This is one of the best ways to sell a high-quality timepiece since paying the middleman only costs you 6.5%. There is also no waiting for a check, when the watch arrives, money gets released from escrow right to you. You can Tourneau.

Reach Out to The Manufacturer

If you have a vintage timepiece, you may want to contact the manufacturer. They may be willing to buy it back from you. Sometimes at auctions, manufacturers of brands like Rolex and Breitling will anonymously proxy bid on vintage watches from their brands. You may find that having a vintage watch can give you a lot of negotiating leverage if you can get them interested in purchasing it.

Other Alternatives For Who Buys Watches Near Me

You can always go the Ebay and Facebook Marketplace, route, but there are much better options for those who buy watches near me.

Ebay is appropriate if you have a run-of-the-mill timepiece, no paperwork, and no warranty card. You can auction it or offer a buy-it-now price. The good part about eBay is that you set the lowest price, and you can sell a watch of any brand and any quality. Facebook Marketplace is great for reaching locals. The problem is that you deal with a uniform audience, which is not great for selling a watch that has real value.

Why People Sell Watches?

People often sell watches for a variety of reasons. One common motive is financial; sometimes, individuals find themselves in need of extra dollars and decide that parting with a timepiece is the best choice to quickly acquire the needed funds. This is especially true if the watch in question is of a notable brand, like Rolex or Tag Heuer, which can often fetch a top dollar in the resale market.

Another reason people delve into selling watches is the desire to upgrade to a new model. Watch enthusiasts and collectors, in particular, might sell a gold watch or a piece from luxury watches collections to fund the purchase of a newer or more desirable model, such as a Vacheron Constantin. This trade process is quite common in the watch buyer community, where aficionados seek to own the latest or most exclusive timepieces.

In some instances, individuals might sell watches or jewelry they’ve inherited or received as gifts because they might not align with their style or they might not have a particular interest in jewelry or watches. Selling your watch that is in excellent condition, or even brand new, can also provide a best price in return, particularly if it’s from a sought-after brand.

Lastly, the act of decluttering has become a popular trend around the world, prompting many to decide to minimize their possessions. In this process, items like watches, fine jewelry, diamonds, and bracelets might be sold to create more physical space and bring in additional funds. The process of selling watches can be made easy by visiting a store or a company that specializes in purchasing such items, ensuring a smooth deal for customers, both sellers and buyers.

How Much Money Can I Get for Selling My Watch

The value of your watch is determined mostly by the current demand for selling watches in the pre-owned marketplace. If you want to get your watch appraised, check here.

The amount of cash you get to pay will depend on:

• The make and model and is everything original.
• Where you sell it (which buyer you chose from above).
• What condition it’s in.
• Do you have the paperwork and warranty card?

There are too many factors to say with certainty how much you can get for a used watch. Some of it will depend on your negotiation skills as well in certain scenarios. The best place to size up what you can get for old watch is to look up similar models online and see what they sell for. At the place who buys watches near me, I normally get an offer of around 60% of the appraised value from the place who buys watches near me.

How To Get The Most Money For My Timepiece?

Condition, brand, model, and original parts are big determining factors in how you can get the most out of your sale.

Selling to a Local Place Who Buys Watches Near Me

If you are selling a watch in person you want to make sure to do the following to get the best offer:

1. Make sure the watch is clean and in the best condition, you can get it (if it’s a vintage watch, you may not want to polish it).
2. Find all of the paperwork, the original box, and the warranty card if you have them.
3. Find the original receipt if you have it.
4. If there is a story attached to the watch that gives it emotional value, you need to prove that story.
5. Look up similar watches online and see what they are selling for. You need to understand the market to know what a good offer looks like.

Selling a Watch Online

If you are selling a watch online want to make sure to do the following to get the best offer:

1. Make sure the watch is clean and in the best condition, you can get it (if it’s a vintage watch, you may not want to polish it).
2. Take really good pictures of your watch with high resolution (capture the dial, bracelet, strap/bracelet, buckle, case back)
3. Find all of the paperwork, the original box, and the warranty card if you have them.
4. Look up similar watches online and see what they are selling for. You need to understand the market to know how to price it to attract a buyer.

Who Buys Watches Near Me – Conclusion

There are many options to sell your watch both locally and on the internet. Several factors will impact how much cash you can get for it. If you need quick cash today, a pawn shop is your best option, but if you really want a return then selling online is significantly better.

While I have sold watches both ways it’s really just a matter of what you have. You aren’t going to sell a run-of-the-mill broken Timex at an auction, but at the same time, you may be able to get a few bucks for it from a used watch buyer or repair shop. You need to be realistic about what you have and properly evaluate the price it is worth. This is what I have learned from the place who buys watches near me.