How to Sell Vintage Watches

Find vintage watches to resell by frequenting thrift stores and flea markets.

In 1868, Swiss company Patek Philippe invented the first wristwatch---known as a "wristlet"---as a piece of lady's jewelry. Worn by women only for the next 50 years, wristwatches grew in popularity with soldiers, who found pocket watches cumbersome, and then spread to the mainstream. While many people forgo watches in favor of cell phones with digital time-and-date displays, new and vintage wristwatches are still popular with both men and women. If you know what to look for, you can make a steady profit selling vintage wristwatches, especially if you learn how to repair and restore them.

Instructions

1. Buy and read books on vintage watches, including Stefan Muser and Michael Horlbeck's "Classic Wristwatches: The Price Guide for Vintage Watch Collectors," Judy Dean's "100 Years of Vintage Watches," Rene Pannier's "Collectible Watches" and Isabella de Lisle Selby's "Wrist Watches: The Collector's Guide to Selecting, Acquiring and Enjoying New and Vintage Wrist Watches." Familiarize yourself with various eras, styles, designers and manufacturers so that you'll know which types of watches to buy. Study price guides to determine the values of your watches.

2. Enroll in watch-repair courses at a community college or through a university extension program. Learning to fix vintage watches can help cut the expense of sending them out for costly repairs. Ask your instructor about opportunities for learning watch restoration as well. You can enroll in an online watch-repair course at Tascione.

3. Buy vintage watches. Search thrift, consignment and antique shops, as well as flea markets and estate and yard sales, where you often can find hidden treasures. Also look for wrist and pocket watches on eBay, Craigslist and Shop Goodwill. Don't be afraid to haggle to get the best deals possible.

4. Repair and/or restore your watches if necessary. Buy replacement batteries at electronics stores, jewelry stores or online.

5. Set minimum prices you'll accept for your watches. Sell them at flea markets or to jewelry, watch, vintage-clothing and antique stores.

6. Sell your watches on auction sites such as eBay or set up an online vintage watch shop.

References

• Quality Tyme: History and Evolution of the Wristwatch
• Tascione: Clock Repair and Watch Repair Courses

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Retro Thing: Design Your Own Mechanical Watch
• Amazon: Vintage Wristwatch Books