Does anybody know anything about watches? I have a gold half hunter from around 1900, which I want to sell or trade for a contemporary watch which I can enjoy and wear.

I'd like to find a watch which may retain it's value, or possibly even increase, I've been offered a mint Breitling A73350 Colt, which I like the look of, but I think they are probably undervaluing my watch by quite a lot. On the other hand, they've got to make their margin.

Any experts out there?

Cheers,

David 2012 SDV8 Vogue SE

bozmandb9 wrote:

Does anybody know anything about watches? I have a gold half hunter from around 1900, which I want to sell or trade for a contemporary watch which I can enjoy and wear.

I'd like to find a watch which may retain it's value, or possibly even increase, I've been offered a mint Breitling A73350 Colt, which I like the look of, but I think they are probably undervaluing my watch by quite a lot. On the other hand, they've got to make their margin.

Any experts out there?

Cheers,

David

I'm only an expert at buying them!  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

i'm no expert but have a tag heuere aquaracer
superb watch
looks good and classy but not too flash
bought about 18 months ago for £1800
now going for about £2250
been valued at jewellers for £1900 so hasn't really gone up much but also hasn't devalued..
pity the same can't be said about my range rover...

iancollins wrote:

i'm no expert but have a tag heuere aquaracer
superb watch
looks good and classy but not too flash
bought about 18 months ago for £1800
now going for about £2250
been valued at jewellers for £1900 so hasn't really gone up much but also hasn't devalued..
pity the same can't be said about my range rover...

Sounds like I have as much luck with the value of watches as I do with cars!

I've never bought a watch taht has appreciated in value!  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

iancollins wrote:

i'm no expert but have a tag heuere aquaracer
superb watch
looks good and classy but not too flash
bought about 18 months ago for £1800
now going for about £2250
been valued at jewellers for £1900 so hasn't really gone up much but also hasn't devalued..
pity the same can't be said about my range rover...

bozmandb9 wrote:

iancollins wrote:

i'm no expert but have a tag heuere aquaracer
superb watch
looks good and classy but not too flash
bought about 18 months ago for £1800
now going for about £2250
been valued at jewellers for £1900 so hasn't really gone up much but also hasn't devalued..
pity the same can't be said about my range rover...

That's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for, a watch which may appreciate a little, anybody know what factors determine if they'll appreciate?

alanm_3 wrote:

bozmandb9 wrote:

iancollins wrote:

i'm no expert but have a tag heuere aquaracer
superb watch
looks good and classy but not too flash
bought about 18 months ago for £1800
now going for about £2250
been valued at jewellers for £1900 so hasn't really gone up much but also hasn't devalued..
pity the same can't be said about my range rover...

That's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for, a watch which may appreciate a little, anybody know what factors determine if they'll appreciate?

Well all I can say is that I was told that there are only really 2 brands that come close to keeping their value and they are Rolex and Patek Phillipe. The rest (including "limited editions") don't really retain value.

Quartz had a bit of a bad name in watch making circles when it first made an appearance, much in the same way as when the RRS first appeared, and some watch "snobs" still consider a quartz movment to be less complicated to produce and hence of lesser value at resale time. There are a few second hand dealers that won't even entertain a quartz watch.
Thing is, quartz is so much more accurate than a mechanical watch, but you have to ask yourself how many quartz Rolexes and PP's you see?

For investment purposes I would stick to mechanical. Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Have a 4yr old Breitling Chronograph SelfWinding Ltd Edition etc.

Haven't heard of or seen a Used and Preworn example selling for less than RRP of New List Price since launch - as New and Unworn condition (collectors examples) have sold well above...

...Have worn mine every day (don't see point of having nice watch and not wearing it)

Quartz watches not a great investment IMO

Anyone have the correct time?

What you are told it is worth and turning it in to cash are 2 totaly different things. A rollex is the only thing as good as cash but only about half what you paid for it. letters not necessarily in the right order

If you want to retain a reasonable S/H value forget quartz. Whilst quartz is more accurate and cheaper to service it is not a proper watch. The best investments are classic and mint examples of Rolex, Omega etc.

If buying S/H buy from an approved dealer - there are far too many fakes turning up with proper paperwork and even "genuine" serial numbers. A watch dealing acquaintance says that some of the fakes are better than the original swiss item! So for goodness sake buy from a well known dealer who is approved.

There was an article on buying a Rolex in one of the tabloids last week - from memory they did a survey of s/h Rolex's appearing at very well known London Auction houses, only 1 in 20 were found to be genuine or without issue or doubt regarding its manufacture.

Dixy wrote:

What you are told it is worth and turning it in to cash are 2 totaly different things. A rollex is the only thing as good as cash but only about half what you paid for it.

Depends what you bought and when you bought it, a stainless steel black faced Rolex submariner cost £2350 new in 2005, the same watch today would cost almost 5000 new.

However a solid gold one doesn't hold it's value, which is probably due to the much higher cost new. 
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006

I have knowledge of the real and the replica (fake) watches.

Have a collection from around 8 watches (gen and reps) and I have to admit, the reps became better and better. My watches are all in the 5000-25000$ range,but nobody ever called me out with a replica.

in the last 1.5 years chinese repfactorys started to build these 1:1 super reps where they bought genuine watches and copied everything. They use machines like 3D scanner to improve their copies.

They even copied swiss movements: The Eta 7750 Chrono movement is copied quite good,but the rep isnt often properly assembled and lubrication is missing. I heard some rumors that they copied rolex movements and will realease them soon. The newest movement they copied is the ETA 7753 which is for example in the Panerai 250

the most dangerous watches are franken watches: they are build with rep and genuine parts.
for example case and dial is genuine and the movement is replica. So the serial no on the case is a genuine!!

the question why I own reps is simple to answer: I love watches and I'm very happy to change the watch twice a week. And a gen for example my rolex GMT master is quite expensive, I sent it to rolex for a movement overhaul,which you should do all 4-5 years. It costed me around 650$ for this money I get 2-3 great reps,not the street market quality,I get reps with sapphire crystal,automatic movement and AR Coating.

well I hope I gave you an insight to the world of replica watches

I have bought a few over the last ten years or so , a couple of Omega's an IWC and my all time favourite a Panerai witch I wear all the time , now the Panerai went up about a grand as soon as I bought it due to their rarity and obscure nature of releasing models but I wear every day so to sell it it would need a Service and valet wiping out most if not more than the potential profit . It's all market led and Rolex has a good market but then Rolex make and sell about a million watches a year making them about as special as a Mondeo in my eyes i.e. good but too common and frankly if you are spending a large sum on a watch you are doing it to say something about yourself you certainly don't do it to make money .
As for second hand obviously Boxes and papers as we say is every thing but the traders get it wrong all the time so be very aware .
My only advise is to buy new and buy the watch you want to wear for the rest of your life and no never buy quartz , their is no magic in a battery and buzzing christal . 2008 MY Supercharged
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