TIME ZONE
BY CAROL BESLER
TIMELESS
PRE-OWNED WATCHES — GOOD FOR YOU AND THE ENVIRONMENT
O ver the past five years, online luxury watch resale platforms have evolved from bulletin-board-style marketplaces operated by largely anonymous sellers to organized professional dealers who own, authenticate, restore, and service their inventory. Many retail jewelers now offer a selection of pre- owned watches that rivals the breadth of their new collections. With access to top trained watchmakers or in-house watchmakers familiar with top brands, retailers can
offer pre-owned watches in top condition, some with warranties attached to them. The pre-owned boom is driven partly by the fact that previously owned watches are more readily available — including limited editions that were previously unattainable. A luxury watch has long been considered a long- term heirloom or investment, with a level of craftsmanship and engineering that means it can be worn for a lifetime and passed on for generations. But that doesn’t mean it has to be
worn on the same wrist for a lifetime. A decade ago, when a luxury watch showed up on the secondary market, it was often past its prime and in need of repair. Today, collectors are more eager to sell what they’re not wearing and move on to other pieces, and that means letting go of perfectly good watches. As aficionados broaden their collections, buying and selling more frequently, the number of great watches on the pre-owned market has exploded. Far from being worn out, many are almost new.
66 | IDC MAGAZINE
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