Why Buying Pre-Owned Watches Is On the Uptick
If you’ve visited our store recently, you may have noticed that we’ve been busy curating a great selection of pre-owned watches. Why? Because buying pre-owed timepieces is a consumer trend that’s on the uptick for a host of reasons. Among them: selection, price, and even sustainability.
A couple of years ago, at the start of the pandemic, when people were confined to their homes, many turned to new passions, including watch collecting. The digital platforms selling pre-owned and vintage watches became a nice alternative for those who couldn’t frequent their favorite retailers. While the online option still exists, there is nothing quite like seeing a watch in person, trying it on and walking out with a great purchase. That is the impetus behind offering stronger pre-owned options in store. And, while pre-owned watches will never take the place of buying a new timepiece, today’s watch collectors and watch lovers are finding that this category of watches has a lot to offer.
While most people prefer a new watch to a previously owned piece, collectors can have a hard time finding the watch brand or model that they want. Today, especially for certain brands, there are long waiting lists. The second-hand market isn’t about waiting lists. Sometimes, watch lovers get tired of waiting for the “new” watch to come into stock, so they seek alternative routes and pre-owned is the top way to find what you want without the wait. Similarly, by perusing the pre-owned market, you might just find a hard-to-get watch or a limited edition piece that has recently come onto the market.
It is also important to keep in mind that sometimes those pre-owned watches are almost brand new, as in timepieces that have been discontinued by the brand. It’s like buying a piece of art that was previously owned. It hung on a wall, but it still looks brand new. In fact, other than cars, watches are one of the few luxury categories that are called pre-owned or gently used. Buying a piece of pre-owned furniture is referred to as buying vintage, for instance.
The consumer must still do some research and make sure he or she is buying from a reliable source. For instance, here at C.D. Peacock, we do a lot more than polish up a trade in and put it into the showcase. We inspect our pre-owned watches very carefully, and, where possible, offer warranties.
Today’s more environmentally conscious consumers also love the idea of buying pre-owned watches. A mechanical watch, when properly maintained, can last forever, so it is a highly sustainable option to begin with – made even better by purchasing a watch that once belonged to someone else.
Another plus side to the pre-owned market is pricing. Often, consumers can get a good deal by buying a pre-owned watch. This isn’t the case with the high-demand pieces, but most of the time, pre-owned watches are a fraction of the cost of new. This opens doors to a new collector, or a lover of watches whose wallet may not be as big as someone else’s.
So the next time you are in our store, feel free to take a closer look at our pre-owned selection. You just might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
