Pre-owned watches

Pre-owned watches

When extinct brands achieve record results

DATA

By Lorenzo Maillard

December 2018

Pre-owned websites are flooded with vintage watches. Among the most sought-after are now defunct brands like Universal Genève or Gallet. The leading online marketplace Chrono24 shares data on their performance, especially the famous Compax model.

When extinct brands achieve record results

DATA

By Lorenzo Maillard

December 2018

When extinct brands achieve record results

Pre-owned websites are flooded with vintage watches. Among the most sought-after are now defunct brands like Universal Genève or Gallet. The leading online marketplace Chrono24 shares data on their performance, especially the famous Compax model.

I

f we take time to thoroughly explore the meanders of watch history, we quickly realise that a great number of brands, many of them no longer in operation, have contributed to the rich heritage of the industry. With the skyrocketing prices of the most famous vintage watches, an increasing number of aficionados are looking into lesser-known and more affordable alternatives. Chrono24 shares some of its massive database in order bring to light these unfamiliar brands.

When extinct brands achieve record results

When extinct brands achieve record results

WATCH FILES
Pre-owned watches

Understanding the Perpetual boutique concept by Phillips

Understanding the Perpetual boutique concept by Phillips

Phillips auction house is expanding its network of brick-and-mortar watch stores, with boutiques in London, Gstaad, Hong Kong and soon Zurich. This (...)

Watch Q&A with... Tirath Kamdar – eBay

Watch Q&A with... Tirath Kamdar – eBay

“Provide an added layer of trust and confidence in high value transactions”

A meeting with Watchfinder & Co. CEO Arjen van de Vall

A meeting with Watchfinder & Co. CEO Arjen van de Vall

The platform recently launched its own marketplace – an important development for the UK-based company, which belongs to Richemont and exhibited at (...)

Monaco Legend: meeting vintage expert Davide Parmigiani

Monaco Legend: meeting vintage expert Davide Parmigiani

AUCTIONS

Teaming up with Monaco Legend auction house, the Italian vintage expert is hosting a highly anticipated sale on April 22nd and 23rd, 2023, featuring a (...)

Should we still be talking about primary and secondary markets?

Should we still be talking about primary and secondary markets?

After a strong performance early in the year, the collectible watch market contracted with prices down for those models that had registered the biggest (...)

WatchBox: “We are watch portfolio managers”

WatchBox: “We are watch portfolio managers”

INTERVIEW

During the first Re-Luxury fair, dedicated to second-hand luxury and the circular economy, which took place in Geneva last November, we met Patrik (...)

What does Rolex's CPO mean for third-party dealers?

What does Rolex’s CPO mean for third-party dealers?

The watch giant’s announcement that it’s launching its own certification programme for second-hand models marks a turning point for the resale market. Given (...)

“Speculating on series-produced watches is not viable”

“Speculating on series-produced watches is not viable”

Online sales have truly exploded in a burgeoning secondary market – giving rise to unprecedented speculation in the watch industry despite a market (...)

Watchbox, moving from “pre-owned” to “collectible”

Watchbox, moving from “pre-owned” to “collectible”

STRATEGY

After securing a new investment round and acquiring watch brand De Bethune, WatchBox now intends to open multiple new locations in the US and around the (...)

Watchmaster's growing ambition in the pre-owned watch segment

Watchmaster’s growing ambition in the pre-owned watch segment

PORTRAIT

The German specialist in the sale of certified second-hand luxury timepieces may be more discreet than some of its competitors, but it has been busy. (...)

Chronext looks to level up

Chronext looks to level up

INDUSTRY

Watch trading platform Chronext has welcomed two bigwigs from the worlds of IT and watchmaking to its board. The company aims to assert its status by (...)

Christie's embraces digital transition

Christie’s embraces digital transition

INTERVIEW

Since the beginning of the year, the auction house has organised a growing number of online watch sales sessions from its hubs in Dubai, New York and Hong (...)

Phillips Watches: “Most successful year ever” in 2020

Phillips Watches: “Most successful year ever” in 2020

AUCTIONS

The auction house’s horological division declared an annual result of over US$133 million, up 20% from 2019. This result is also “a record for the highest (...)

Watchfinder & Co.: why e-commerce still values physical stores

Watchfinder & Co.: why e-commerce still values physical stores

INTERVIEW

In the midst of the pandemic, the platform specialising in pre-owned watches has just opened two physical stores, in Paris and Geneva. It is also (...)

Heuer, Rolex, Panerai: all results of Phillips' “Racing Pulse” auction

Heuer, Rolex, Panerai: all results of Phillips’ “Racing Pulse” auction

VINTAGEMANIA

The sale was led by Paul Newman’s Rolex “Big Red” Daytona, which achieved $5.5 million. The Heuer Monaco owned and gifted by Steve McQueen set a world record (...)

All about the “Iconic Watches of Hollywood” auction

All about the “Iconic Watches of Hollywood” auction

VINTAGEMANIA

Pre-owned specialist Bob’s Watches presents its most notable vintage watch auction to date: “Fresh Finds – Iconic Watches of Hollywood”, which takes place (...)

Facing the pandemic: is the secondary watch market more resilient?

Facing the pandemic: is the secondary watch market more resilient?

WATCH INDUSTRY

The specialist luxury watch platform Watchbox boasts that it has gained market share since the beginning of the year. Another recognised player in the (...)

The crisis-proof side of watchmaking

The crisis-proof side of watchmaking

INTERVIEW

While the turnover of the Swiss watch industry collapsed in the first half of the year, the online platform for rare watches A Collected Man announced that (...)

Pre-owned: it's been a long time coming, but now it's here

Pre-owned: it’s been a long time coming, but now it’s here

WHAT’S NEXT?

Nothing will ever be the same again. Long confined to the shadier corners of the digital grey market, fed by oversupply, short-term greed and brand (...)

“Bucherer is ready to revolutionise the pre-owned market”

“Bucherer is ready to revolutionise the pre-owned market”

INTERVIEW

The largest global watch retailer has opened a new dedicated service, beginning with its boutiques in Geneva and Zurich, soon to be extended to the German (...)

Towards a single watch market

Towards a single watch market

CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED

The secondary watch market gains a boost in legitimacy with the launch of a certified pre-owned platform by world-leading retailer Bucherer. As we’ve (...)

Chronext: “Towards a small number of global platforms”

Chronext: “Towards a small number of global platforms”

SECONDARY MARKET

In a rapidly changing landscape, Chronext is a key player in online watch sales. The German e-commerce company now wants to build trust with the main watch (...)

Performance of the Rolex GMT-Master and the GMT-Master II

Performance of the Rolex GMT-Master and the GMT-Master II

DATA

Since its introduction in 1954, the Rolex GMT-Master has always been the watch of choice for the world traveler. With each passing year, this model and its (...)

Chrono24 unveils its plans for the future

Chrono24 unveils its plans for the future

E-COMMERCE

The German company has established itself as a global leader in watch e-commerce. The platform is now aiming to forge direct partnerships with (...)

Aurel Bacs: “Brands have shifted from rejection to acceptance”

Aurel Bacs: “Brands have shifted from rejection to acceptance”

PHILLIPS/BACS & RUSSO

The most famous watch auctioneer in the world explores the radical change in the attitude of most brands when it comes to the secondary market, which is (...)

WatchBox: when a retailer successfully goes digital

WatchBox: when a retailer successfully goes digital

PRE-OWNED

Danny Govberg is the heir to an illustrious family of Philadelphia watch retailers. In just a few years, the American has shaken up his business model to (...)

Watch as weapon

Watch as weapon

EDITORIAL

The fact that the vintage wave, which arose from the younger generation, places a higher value on personality and authenticity than on function and (...)

“The second-hand market is the new China”

“The second-hand market is the new China”

E-COMMERCE

As additional evidence of the growth of the pre-owned watch market (thanks largely to the internet), several Swiss watch manufacturers, including Zenith (...)

Five underrated vintage chronograph calibres

Five underrated vintage chronograph calibres

PART II: MINERVA, MOVADO & PIERCE

Can you think of a single brand that doesn’t offer a chronograph in their current line-up? The chronograph is still perceived today as one of the most (...)

Five affordable vintage alarm watches

Five affordable vintage alarm watches

VINTAGEMANIA

If you snooze, you lose! A selection of 5 vintage alarm watches that you could wear everyday and won’t cost you a fortune.

Five underrated vintage chronograph calibres

Five underrated vintage chronograph calibres

PART I EXCELSIOR PARK & ANGELUS

Can you think of a single brand that doesn’t offer a chronograph in their current line-up? The chronograph is still perceived today as one of the most (...)

‘There is no vintage bubble'

‘There is no vintage bubble’

ALFREDO PARAMICO

Alfredo Paramico is a world-class collector, primarily of Patek Philippe and Longines. This Italian former merchant banker, living in Miami, now manages an (...)

Watchfinder: a turning point for the pre-owned watch market

Watchfinder: a turning point for the pre-owned watch market

The pre-owned watch is the “next big thing” for the watch industry. The takeover of the British second-hand watch platform by the Richemont group indeed (...)

MB&F: avant-garde vintage

MB&F: avant-garde vintage

PRE-OWNED

The frontiers of vintage are constantly being pushed back. The brands have clearly taken this on board, as they are multiplying initiatives to regain (...)

Phillips: “We welcome brands that buy back their history”

Phillips: “We welcome brands that buy back their history”

INTERVIEW

An interview with Paul Boutros, Head of Americas & International Strategy Advisor at Phillips in association with Bacs & (...)

Can you dive with your vintage watch?

Can you dive with your vintage watch?

VINTAGEMANIA

Have you ever asked yourself that question? I’m sure that if you’re a collector, or simply the owner of a vintage watch, you’ve surely asked yourself at least (...)

Auctions: independent dominance explained

Auctions: independent dominance explained

VINTAGEMANIA

The most recent sales in Geneva have once again demonstrated the overwhelming supremacy of Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Why have collectors (...)

The school piece: an underrated gem

The school piece: an underrated gem

VINTAGEMANIA

Such timepieces are strangely overlooked on the vintage market: few collectors and aficionados understand their immense technical and sentimental value. (...)

A curated selection of vintage chronographs

A curated selection of vintage chronographs

VINTAGEMANIA

The ’50s, ’60s and ’70s were the apogee of the chronograph. These ten chronographs, selected from hundreds of models, demonstrate the technical vitality and (...)

The ambitious plan of Chrono24

The ambitious plan of Chrono24

12 DISRUPTIONS IN THE WATCHMAKING INDUSTRY

Chrono24 is one of the main new actors of the watch market in the digital age. This leading global online marketplace for buyers and sellers of vintage and (...)

The vintage tool watch vs. the modern luxury watch

The vintage tool watch vs. the modern luxury watch

VINTAGEMANIA

We all remember how our first mobile phone impacted our daily routine. Suddenly we were offered the ability of calling, texting, surfing on the web, (...)

Patina: the blue cheese of vintage watches

Patina: the blue cheese of vintage watches

VINTAGEMANIA

NOTA BENE: The word “patina” comes from latin and meant “plate”, at that time most of them were made out of bronze, a material that can be affected by time or (...)

Travel vintage tool watches

Travel vintage tool watches

VINTAGEMANIA

Travel today is not like it used to be. Not so long ago, travel and exploration could almost be perceived as two interchangeable terms. While today you can (...)

Universal Polerouter: one of the last affordable icons

Universal Polerouter: one of the last affordable icons

VINTAGEMANIA

I’m not the first or the last one to write about the Universal Genève Polerouter but my love for the brand and for this model in particular is deeply linked (...)

Watch auctions: three decades of a legend (part II)

Watch auctions: three decades of a legend (part II)

HISTORY

During the 2000s, the sector saw the arrival of so-called “modern” brands in the watch auction catalogues. Charity events began to (...)

Almost 20 million for a steel Rolex?

Almost 20 million for a steel Rolex?

AUCTIONS

The topic up for debate is whether the auction system is out of control. Is the race to beat the record counter-productive for the watchmaking sector? One (...)

“How can brands operate in the secondary market?”

“How can brands operate in the secondary market?”

BRICK & CLICK

“Online watch sales are soaring and they’re not set to stop. But you find all kinds of things on the internet and we feel it’s important to offer a serious (...)

Watch auctions: premium and everything else

Watch auctions: premium and everything else

ANALYSIS

’Everything beautiful is expensive’: such could be the slogan for the current collector watch market. But beyond the record prices for exceptional lots at (...)