Let’s say you’ve decided to break up with your watch and have sought out a watch buyer. Before you go and take your timepiece, there are a few things you need to understand about the condition of your watch that watch buyers will be looking for that will affect the price.
Most watch buyers have a checklist of items that they will go over when they inspect your watch, such as the condition of the crystal of the watch and scratches on the bezel. They will make sure that the movement is original by popping the back of the watch off, and will also ask about any repairs that have been made.
In addition, they will also look to be sure it is an authentic Rolex, Cartier, or whatever brand you happen to have.
Watch Buyers Tip – The Watch Band
Although there are many things that you need to be aware of, I am going to focus on the watch band because most people that are selling a watch don’t think about the band, but watch buyers pay close attention to it!
Don’t Polish and Buff
You might have owned your watch for a few years or even many years, and if your watch has a band that is either stainless steel, yellow gold or white gold it can get scratched up and dull over time. The most common thing to do is to take it to your local watch shop or jeweler and have them buff and polish the bracelet up.
This is fine, as long as you don’t do it often.
The reason for this is that over time you start to wear and smooth down the edges of the bracelet, which ruins the watchband. Watch buyers look at the edges of the band and grade the bracelet on its condition, so if the edges are buffed out, worn and rounded the watch will be worth less money.
The Viagra Test
This is the big one that most consumers don’t know about and the one test that as a watch buyer I am going to let you in on. It will save you time and effort when going to sell your watch.
We can call it the Viagra Test, or the Hangar Test, either way, this is a test that all watch buyers will perform on your watch if you have a bracelet.
First, you grasp the ‘head’ of the watch between your first two fingers and your thumb. Make sure that you have two fingers on either side of the top of the crown and your thumb is securely on the bottom of the head. Grasp it tightly.
Slowly tilt the head of the watch until it is at 90 degrees. Watch how the bracelet hangs. Is it at fully ‘erect’ or does it need Viagra? In other words, does the bracelet hang or stand out straight.
If the bracelet hangs straight, your watch band is in excellent condition and watch buyers will pay a premium, but the more your band hangs the less your band is worth, thus, the less the watch is worth.
Prevention of Needing Viagra
It’s important to make sure that your bracelet fits you properly. If you can fit a half a finger in between your wrist and the watchband then the watch fits properly, if the watch fits loosely and slides around your wrist then the bracelet will stretch out.
Another way to ensure that the band stays in tip top condition is to keep it clean. Not polished and buffed, but cleaned so the grime and dirt and oils from your body that will naturally get in the bracelet are removed.
Here’s what we recommend if you can’t take your watch to be professionally cleaned:
Take some Windex and pour it into a shallow Tupperware container. Make sure when you set the watch into the container that either the watch face is not touching the Windex or that you have removed the watchband completely.
Place a waterproof vibrator into the container and let it rip. After about 10 minutes remove the band and rinse it with warm water and dry!
If you follow these rules, your watch won’t need Viagra and watch buyers will also offer your premium dollars when you are ready to break up with your watch and get the younger fresher model!
If you are interested in purchasing or selling a watch, give us a call or fill out our contact form. Check out our Facebook page for box openings and watch reviews by our in-house watch expert Sergio Nuncio!
