Who is purchasing watches?

Anyone who wants to turn a watch into cash typically has two options: Either the direct sale or auction via an online platform such as Chrono24 or the purchase through a professional, commercial dealer. The latter can be a jeweler, for example, or an online store like Uhrinstinkt, whose business model is based on trading in timepieces. In abbreviated form, it works as follows: The watch owner contacts the buyer, gets a purchase offer and receives the estimated monetary value in return for the watch. Alternatively, many buyers offer a trade-in, which is often rewarded with bonus benefits and represents a “watch exchange” for a product from the dealer’s store (differences in value are compensated). In order to get a precise and fair estimate of the watch value, you should not sell your timepiece to just any source, but choose a buyer specialized in watches, who entrusts experienced professionals with the valuation.

When is the purchase of watches reputable?

Regardless of whether the ticking treasure is worth 2,000, 10,000 or 50,000 euros: high amounts of money are the rule with timepieces and make the seriousness of the buyer a central criterion. Anyone who has had experiences with dubious watch dealers knows that there are all kinds of risks, from knockdown prices to missing payouts. Therefore, when choosing a buyer, one should first pay attention to his reputation: Big names like Uhrinstinkt cannot afford to make any mistakes, because every unfair purchase represents a potential scandal with serious consequences for the success of the business. Providers who have been established for ten years or more create additional security.

Furthermore, the dealer’s purchase offer should be free of charge and non-binding: reputable addresses do not put you under pressure with a quick deal, but leave you free to decide whether you want to sell until you have given your explicit consent. If the buyer uses in-house experts for the valuation, as is the case with Uhrinstinkt, the central criterion of transparency is also fulfilled. In the best case, the buyer additionally facilitates the process by providing a free pick-up service, for example.

Purchase form: The first step to success

A watch purchase is reputable if it is based on a stable data basis and is not the result of a “pi by thumb” estimate. For this reason, the purchase process at most trustworthy addresses begins with a form that collects all the important information about the timepiece and incorporates it into the subsequent valuation. Uhrinstinkt, for example, asks not only for basic information such as brand and model, but above all for the scope of delivery; if the original box and paper are present, owners can expect prices that are sometimes considerably better. The same applies to unworn luxury watches, as they are often found in larger collections. Optionally, it is possible to add pictures to the purchase form, which are not mandatory, but nevertheless strongly recommended: Sharp, well-lit photos of the watch from all sides accelerate the appreciation and make the result more reliable.

In addition, Uhrinstinkt asks the owner’s asking price when buying watches, whether he or she purchased the timepiece in the seller’s online store, and what type of sale (ordinary sale vs. trade-in) is desired. While this information is not used for immediate value estimation, it can be accompanied by financial benefits for the watch seller, such as a bonus for trade-ins.

How does a typical purchase work? The example Uhrinstinkt

A transparent process is the be-all and end-all of making the purchase of watches reputable. The example of Uhrinstinkt shows how a sensible process works: After the owner has submitted his purchase form with all the data on the timepiece and personal information, the online retailer’s experts will promptly inspect the facts about the watch (and at best its meaningful photos).

After the appraisal is completed, the owner receives a non-binding offer from Uhrinstinkt for the purchase or trade-in. The offer is free of charge. If the seller agrees, Uhrinstinkt provides a pick-up service, also free of charge, which transports the luxurious piece of jewelry to the buyer by insured means. There a final appraisal of the time indicator takes place, in order to ensure that all information and pictures correspond to reality. If the check does not deliver any unpleasant surprises, the agreed amount of money is transferred to the seller’s account and the watch purchase is completed. If a trade-in was agreed instead, the amount will be offset against the new watch.

Which brands are purchased?

In addition to the question “Who buys watches?” it also plays a role which manufacturers are accepted by the respective buyer. Some providers limit themselves to the brands of their own assortment or certain price regions, while other buyers can demonstrate the necessary expertise to accept various manufactures outside of the permanent assortment. At Uhrinstinkt, for example, luxury manufacturers such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille can be purchased, even though they are not permanently available in the provider’s online store. In case of doubt, it is worthwhile to briefly inquire by phone or e-mail whether the respective manufacturer and watch model are suitable for purchase before the photo shoot and submission of the purchase form.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying watches compared to other sales channels?

As long as a watch purchase is reputable, it offers the owner of the valuable timepiece two decisive advantages over other sales options: firstly, the expert valuation and secondly, the high security of the process. Established buyers live on a certain margin by reselling the watches, so that the owner does not get paid 100 percent of the market value, but in return they guarantee a safe sale in the region of the fair market price.

If, on the other hand, you try your luck with an independent sale or an Internet auction, you run the risk of ending up miles below the appropriate market price due to a lack of expertise. On the other hand, in contrast to a professional purchase, an independent sale opens up the chance of being paid the full value by a solvent end customer. The bottom line is that buying a watch reduces the risk and eases the nerves, but often does not bring in the maximum possible price that you could get for the watch.

Der Beitrag Selling watches seriously: who buys them? erschien zuerst auf Uhrinstinkt Magazine.

The influential Munich watch expert, collector and author Christian Pfeiffer-Belli passed away on December 9, 2021. Made famous as editor-in-chief of the magazines “Alte Uhren” and “Klassik Uhren,” he shaped the world of timepieces since the 1970s with unparalleled knowledge and more than 50 specialized books. Companions describe Pfeiffer-Belli as a helpful and lovable person who knew a competent answer to every watch question.

Allies of the watchmaking world: Pfeiffer-Belli and Gisbert L. Brunner

In the early years of his career, Pfeiffer-Belli’s path intersected with that of Gisbert L. Brunner, who today probably is Germany’s most influential watch journalist. The two luminaries of chronometric passion met in 1978, when Brunner purchased a pendulum clock at the Auer Dult art and antiques market in Munich. Driven by a hunger for knowledge about his valuable piece, he became aware of Christian Pfeiffer-Belli through a friend, who liked to call himself “CBP” and at that time published a new book – the “Klaus Erbrich Präzisionspendeluhren” (Klaus Erbrich Precision Pendulum Clocks) in the Munich Callwey publishing house. It should be noted that there were no horological constructions about which the clock specialist did not have spectacular knowledge. No sooner had he called than he was standing at Brunner’s door, showing great interest in the pendulum clock. The foundation stone for an extraordinary watchmaking friendship had been set.

Competition of watch collectors

If the passion for ticking mechanics runs deep, every watch lover will one day turn into a collector. Brunner, a law graduate, was particularly diligent and started a collection in the 1960s that grew to more than 800 pieces during the 1970s. This must have impressed Christian Pfeiffer-Belli – who himself was an avid watch collector. Above all, the subject of wristwatches bonded the two and sparked a friendly competition between the collectors. This “battle” was rather fought with each other than against each other; in one day, the two watch connoisseurs together purchased half of all the watches in a store.

“Classic Watches”: Pfeiffer-Belli’s masterpiece

It was also Pfeiffer-Belli who convinced the lawyer Brunner to write his first article on wristwatches in 1981. The work appeared in the magazine “Alte Uhren,” a trade journal for historical timepieces launched by CPB in 1978. As editor-in-chief, the watch connoisseur left his mark on the magazine for more than 40 years, which was taken over by the Ebner publishing house in 1994 and renamed “Klassik Uhren”. Until it was discontinued in 2020, the bi-monthly magazine was the only one in the German-speaking world to focus explicitly on older timepieces.

Today, the magazines, in which articles by Pfeiffer-Belli’s companion Gisbert L. Brunner appeared again and again during their decades-long success story, are cult. Flipping through the magazine, one finds a literary treasure trove of CBP and selected authors who are among the best in the world in their subfields. Brands, models, complications – if you want to learn first-hand about timepieces and are looking for information that is not available on every Internet site, you should pick up one or two “Klassik Uhren”.

Book projects for eternity

Together with Brunner, Christian Pfeiffer-Belli realized dozens of important book projects over a period of 40 years. In particular, the work ” Armbanduhren” (“Wristwatches”) (Callwey), first published in 1983 and later expanded several times, brought the befriended connoisseurs great success, along with other books. More recently, the 500-page “The Watch Book” (teNeues publishing house) is considered one of the most important watch books and was created – like the earlier works – by Brunner and Pfeiffer-Belli in a familiar division of labor: Brunner produced the texts, CPB the pictures. The same applies to the popular Watch Book Rolex (teNeues), to which Pfeiffer-Belli contributed important images. In addition, the creative watch expert initiated significant brand books on Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, the latter work having a special history.

The story takes place in Mumbai in 1990. CPB and Brunner, in search of new information about the Audemars Piguet book, are walking through a cemetery and are threatened by a group of men with knives to hand over their hidden money. The duo manages a narrow escape. Back at the hotel, they celebrate their good fortune with champagne and become even closer.

Central head at Ebner Publishing House

It should also be mentioned that, in addition to “Klassik Uhren,” Christian Pfeiffer-Belli provided a number of other Ebner publishing house magazines with his knowledge. In addition to “Chronos,” “Uhren-Magazin,” of which CPB was editor for several years, also benefited from the expert’s knowledge. Pfeiffer-Belli was extremely popular among the editors of these magazines as well as the online magazine watchtime.net and used his experience well beyond retirement age to provide colleagues in need of help with pictures, books and manuscripts on all topics. A watch specialist with heart and willingness to help, who despite 20 years of illness still put all his energy into his horological passion at the age of 80. CPB was no ordinary watch author; he had a mission: to collect vast amounts of specialized knowledge and make it available to enthusiasts in an understandable form.

A work that does not fade

That the respected connoisseur died on December 9, 2021, at the age of 81, saddens the watchmaking world. Probably no obituary is accurate enough to adequately reflect Pfeiffer-Belli’s work and character. His works, on the other hand, are: With decades of work, the exceptional specialist has compiled an imperishable and such a rich fund of watch knowledge in magazines and books that whole generations of enthusiasts and authors will still benefit from him. The master is gone, but his work remains. May CPB be remembered by the watch world for a long time to come.

Der Beitrag Christian Pfeiffer-Belli erschien zuerst auf Uhrinstinkt Magazine.