Before you buy a pre-owned watch, check ten things: the reference, the serial number against the papers, the originality of the dial and hands, the case condition, the bracelet, the crystal and bezel, every function, the timekeeping and service history, the water resistance, and the seller's warranty and returns. Most problems with used watches fall under one of these, and most can be spotted by asking the right questions and looking closely at photographs.
This checklist is about the watch itself. For judging the seller, see our guide to buying a luxury watch online safely.
The pre-owned watch checklist
1. The reference number
The reference tells you exactly which model you are looking at: the generation, the metal, often the bezel and dial. Confirm it, then check that the watch in the photographs matches it. A listing that gives only a model name, with no reference, is leaving out the most useful fact.
We have guides to reading the references of Rolex, Omega, Tudor, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet.
2. The serial number and the papers
The serial number is unique to one watch. If the watch comes with a warranty card or certificate, the serial on it must be the same as the one on the watch, and the reference on it must describe that watch. If they differ, the papers belong to another watch.
Ask what is included: box, papers, booklets, spare links. Our guide to what a full set means lists what to expect, and for Rolex, our guide to serial numbers shows where to look.
3. The dial and hands
The dial is where most of a watch's value sits, and where alterations do the most harm.
- Original or refinished? A repainted dial, called a redial, is worth far less. Look for printing that is too thick, uneven or slightly misplaced.
- Service replacements. On older watches, the maker may have fitted a new dial or hands at a service. They are genuine, and collectors still prefer the originals.
- Luminous material. On vintage watches it should have aged evenly on the dial and the hands. Bright new lume on old hands means they have been replaced or relumed.
- Aftermarket additions. Diamonds or colored dials added by a third party lower the value.
4. The case
Look at the shape before you look at the scratches. Scratches can be removed; metal cannot be put back.
- Lugs should be even in width and shape.
- Edges should be crisp, and the border between brushed and polished surfaces should be clean.
- Deep dents on the lugs or bezel are harder to deal with than surface marks.
Our guide to polished and unpolished watches shows how to recognize a case that has lost its shape.
5. The bracelet or strap
A bracelet is expensive to replace, so check it carefully.
- Is it the correct one for the reference?
- How many links are fitted, and are the spare ones included? Ask what wrist size the watch fits.
- Stretch. On older bracelets, wear between the links makes the bracelet droop when held sideways.
- The clasp should close firmly and stay closed.
- On a strap, check whether the original buckle or folding clasp is fitted; a maker's buckle has value of its own.
6. The crystal, bezel and crown
- Crystal. Chips at the edge of a sapphire crystal are common and mean a replacement. Light scratches on an acrylic crystal polish out.
- Bezel. A rotating bezel should turn with firm, even clicks and line up at 12. Check a ceramic insert for chips or cracks and an aluminum one for dents and fading.
- Crown. A screw-down crown should unscrew and screw back smoothly, with no grinding. A crown that will not screw down fully compromises water resistance.
7. Every function
Ask whether each function has been tested, or test it yourself.
- Time setting, in both directions.
- The date, including the quick-set and the change around midnight.
- A chronograph: start, stop and reset, with the hands returning exactly to zero.
- A GMT hand, moon phase, power reserve display or any other complication.
8. Timekeeping and service history
Ask two questions: when was the watch last serviced, and how is it running?
A mechanical watch needs servicing from time to time, and it is not cheap. A watch with a recent service by the maker, with the invoice, is worth more than one with an unknown history. If the history is unknown, assume a service may be needed and take the cost into account. Our guide to how often to service a watch explains the intervals and what is done.
A watch that gains or loses many minutes a day may simply be magnetized, which is quickly fixed; see is my watch magnetized?
9. Water resistance
The rating engraved on the case describes the watch when new. Gaskets age, and a pre-owned watch is only water resistant if it has been pressure tested recently. Ask whether it has been. Until you know, treat an older watch as not water resistant. Our guide to water resistance explains the ratings.
10. Warranty and returns
Finally, the terms of the sale.
- Is there a warranty, and what does it cover?
- Can the watch be returned, within how many days, and on what conditions?
- How is it shipped and insured?
On our site, every watch comes with a 24-month warranty and a 14-day return period; the conditions are in our refund policy.
Questions to ask a seller
If you remember nothing else, ask these:
- What is the full reference, and what year is the watch?
- Do the box and papers come with it, and does the serial number match?
- Is everything original: dial, hands, bezel, bracelet?
- Has the case been polished?
- When was it last serviced, and by whom?
- How many links are on the bracelet?
- Has it been pressure tested?
- Can I see live photographs of this exact watch?
A good seller answers all eight without hesitation. Vague answers are information too.
What a buyer cannot check
Some things need a watchmaker and an open case: the condition of the movement, whether its parts are original, and whether the movement number fits the watch. Photographs cannot show them. This is the main reason to buy from a seller who inspects each watch. Our specialist checks every watch before it ships, as our authenticity page describes.
New, unworn or pre-owned?
Not every watch that is not new has been worn. An unworn watch has never been on a wrist, though it may have been stored or owned before. Our guide to new, unworn and pre-owned explains the terms, and you can browse the pre-owned watches we have in stock.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check when buying a used watch?
The reference, the serial number against the papers, the originality of the dial, the shape of the case, the bracelet, every function, the service history, and the seller's warranty and returns.
Is it safe to buy a pre-owned luxury watch online?
Yes, from a seller who inspects each watch, describes its condition honestly, and offers a warranty and returns.
How do I know a pre-owned watch is original?
Compare the dial, hands, bezel and bracelet with what is correct for the reference, and ask the seller directly. Only an inspection of the movement can confirm the inside.
Does a pre-owned watch need servicing?
Possibly. Ask when it was last serviced. If the history is unknown, allow for the cost of a service.
Is a pre-owned watch still water resistant?
Only if its gaskets are sound and it has been pressure tested recently. Ask before you swim with it.
Do you check pre-owned watches before selling them?
Yes. Every watch is checked by our specialist before it ships, and each comes with a 24-month warranty.
