Where to Buy a Vintage Watch

Your guide to finding the best options in a booming market— and getting the best deal

- Mark Bernardo

Wristwatches and other luxury goods have been sold and traded online at least since EBay was founded in San Jose in 1995, ushering in the age of the digital marketplace. Chrono24, one of the leading players in the secondhand timepiece business, was introduced in 2003. But a burst in interest in collecting, combined with the pandemic’s effects on in-person commerce, caused a rocketlike acceleration in the trade of vintage watches. According to McKinsey & Co., sales of pre-owned watches, which reached $19 billion in 2019, were forecast to grow to more than $30 billion by 2025. New versions of sought-after models are increasingly difficult to come by, which has also boosted the secondary market. Where does one go for the best prices, best selection, and most trusted authentication? Read on.

FOR DEEP-POCKETED SUPERCOLLECTORS

WatchBox

Drawing on the massive resources of its founding company, Philadelphia-based Govberg Jewelers, WatchBox Co. offers a feast of pre-owned models. Global Chief Executive Officer Justin Reis says its top four brands are historical titans Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and Patek Philippe, plus indie-market hitmaker F.P. Journe. There’s also a selection from red-hot independents such as H. Moser & Cie., Greubel Forsey, and De Bethune, in which WatchBox bought a majority stake in 2021. In contrast to many of the others listed here, WatchBox is not a marketplace; it owns all of the watches it sells on its site. In 2021, on track to earn $300 million in revenue and already having offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland, WatchBox secured an additional $165 million in equity capital. Reis told industry publication