Pre-Owned Watches

Pre-owned watches have become much more popular among watch enthusiasts in recent years for several reasons: First, there's the tight supply situation. With popular brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, the wait time for a new watch from an authorised dealer can be several years. Second, you can usually save a lot of money by buying a pre-owned luxury watch instead of a new one.

Another factor that speaks in favour of buying a used watch is that certain models are simply no longer manufactured and thus are only available on the second-hand market. These watches are of particular interest to collectors in the UK and often offer excellent potential for appreciation.

The biggest advantage of pre-owned watches, however, is the enormous selection. The pre-owned watch market offers the right luxury watch for every taste and budget.

Advantages of Used Luxury Watches

• Huge selection caters to every taste
• Available now, without a wait
• Comparative price advantage over new watches
• Collector's pieces with the potential to appreciate in value

Just like the wider world, the pre-owned luxury watch market in the UK is dominated by the industry's big players: Rolex, Breitling, Omega and Patek Philippe. However, used watches from Panerai, Audemars Piguet and IWC are also in high demand.

Whether new or second-hand, vintage or contemporary, Rolex watches are always in demand, regardless of the model. A pre-owned Rolex ladies' watch such as the Lady-Datejust is just as sought-after as pre-owned Rolex classics like the Submariner, Daytona and GMT-Master.

Top Pre-Owned Rolex Watches

• Rolex Daytona 'Paul Newman' (ref. 6241): Vintage chronograph with 'Exotic Dial', very rare collector's item, excellent investment
• Rolex Submariner Date 'Hulk' (ref. 116610LV): Diving watch classic with a green bezel and green dial
• Rolex Day-Date 36 (ref. 18038): Dress watch icon with date and day of the week, 18-carat yellow gold case and bracelet

The Swiss watch manufacturer Breitling has a long tradition and a vast collection of very popular models. Pilot's watches like the Navitimer and Chronomat are at the top of the popularity scale, but models such as the Avenger, Superocean and Top Time also sell well on the second-hand market.

Top Pre-Owned Breitling Watches

• Breitling Navitimer 43 B01 (ref. AB0120): Famous pilot's chronograph with a slide rule bezel
• Breitling Chronomat 42 B01 (ref. AB0134101G1A1): Chronograph with Breitling's characteristic bezel rider tabs
• Colt Quartz (ref. A74350): Entry-level tool watch with a quartz movement

Based in Biel, Switzerland, Omega is best known for watches such as the Speedmaster and Seamaster. The pre-owned watch market offers numerous interesting options, including many limited editions. Pre-owned watches from the De Ville and Constellation collections are also popular. Vintage watches from the brand also have many fans in the UK.

• Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 'Snoopy' (ref. 311.32.42.30.04.003): Limited Edition of the Speedmaster Moonwatch with Snoopy on the dial, sought-after collector's item
• Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (ref. 210.30.42.20.01.001): Diver's watch with a helium escape valve, water-resistant to 300 metres
• Omega De Ville Tresor (ref. 428.18.36.60.03.001): Ladies' dress watch with a diamond setting and quartz movement

UK prices for pre-owned watches are as varied as the selection itself and depend on many factors, the most important being the condition of the watch in question and supply and demand. On Chrono24, for example, you can buy well-maintained vintage watches (which are available in large quantities) for just a few hundred pounds. Rare special editions and coveted collector's items, on the other hand, can easily require investments in the mid-six-figure range.

A few examples: While you can purchase a vintage Omega ref. 2495 in good condition from around 570 GBP, you should expect to pay around 4,160 GBP for a pre-owned Breitling Navitimer B01. While a used Rolex Submariner Date 'Hulk' ref. will set you back about 15,900 GBP, a used Rolex Daytona 'Paul Newman' in good condition demands an investment of approximately 138,800 GBP.

As the world's leading marketplace for luxury watches, Chrono24 offers a huge selection of pre-owned timepieces. You'll find almost every model from all the major brands, offered by sellers from the UK. And, thanks to Chrono24's Buyer Protection, you can rest assured that buying your dream pre-owned watch on Chrono24 is risk-free. The security Chrono24 provides includes strict dealer guidelines, a 14-day right of withdrawal and payment via an escrow service.

Why buy second-hand watches?

Second-hand watches are usually available immediately and often offer a price advantage over new watches.

Why are second-hand watches sometimes more expensive than new watches?

When demand for a model exceeds supply, market mechanisms kick in and prices rise. This is usually the case with discontinued and limited edition models.

What should I bear in mind when buying a second-hand watch?

When buying a second-hand watch, you should always make sure that you're purchasing a complete set, i.e., a watch with the original box and papers. The papers are particularly important as they provide proof of the origin of the watch and also give you an insight into the watch's service history.