Maybe it is a gold watch that stopped running years ago, a box of your father’s wristwatches, or a single piece you no longer wear. Before you let any of it go, it helps to know what a watch is actually worth and how a buyer arrives at the number. We buy watches at our Madison Avenue showroom in Midtown Manhattan, test and weigh each piece in front of you, and make a cash offer you are free to walk away from.
This page is about everyday, vintage, gold and estate watches: the mechanical and quartz pieces, the solid gold cases and bracelets, the pocket watches and the mixed lots that come with an inherited collection. If you are selling a Rolex or another high-end brand, the luxury watch buyers page is written for those pieces. Everything here is about the general watch, where the value often rests as much on the gold in the case as on the name on the dial.
Call for a free appraisal and tell us what watch you have.
The watches we buy
We buy watches outright for cash, whether they run or not. A watch does not have to be rare or expensive for us to make an offer, because many watches carry real value in their metal even when the movement is finished. We tell you plainly what you have, and the appraisal is free whether you sell or not.
- Gold watches. Wristwatches and pocket watches with solid gold cases, bezels or bracelets, in 10, 14 or 18 karat gold.
- Vintage and estate watches. Older pieces from a collection or an estate, including watches that have not been worn or serviced in decades.
- Pocket watches. Open face and hunter case pocket watches, in gold, silver or gold filled cases.
- Mid-range brand watches. Named mechanical and quartz watches below the high-luxury tier, valued on the brand, the model and the condition.
- Gold filled and plated watches. Pieces that are not solid gold are worth far less, but we will tell you what you have and why, at no charge.
- Watches that do not run. A broken or non-running watch still has gold, parts or collector value, and we weigh and test it the same way.
- Mixed lots. A drawer or a box of watches, which we sort and value piece by piece rather than as a single job lot.
A watch with a diamond-set bezel or dial is valued on the stones as well as the metal, and our diamond buyers page explains how a diamond is graded. A watch that is part of a larger inherited collection of rings and jewelry can be handled together with those pieces at the same visit, which the estate jewelry buyers page covers.
Two ways a watch is valued
Almost every watch is worth the greater of two figures: what its metal is worth, and what the watch itself is worth to a collector or a wearer. A plain gold dress watch from a maker few people chase is usually worth its gold. A sought-after model in good order can be worth well above its metal. Part of an honest appraisal is telling you which of the two is driving the offer on your piece.
The gold in the case and bracelet
A solid gold watch case or bracelet is valued like any other fine or scrap gold. Gold purity is measured in karats out of 24, so 18 karat gold is 75 percent pure, 14 karat is about 58 percent, and 10 karat, the lowest that can be sold as gold in the United States, is about 42 percent. We test the karat, then weigh the gold. Jewelers weigh precious metal in troy ounces and pennyweights, where one troy ounce is about 31.1 grams and divides into 20 pennyweights, so a scale reading in pennyweights is the troy system at work. The gold price is quoted per troy ounce, and a fair cash offer for the gold in a watch is worked out from that live spot price, the karat and the weight. Steel parts, the movement and the crystal are not gold and do not add to that figure. The way we price raw and scrap gold is set out in full on the gold buyers page.
The watch as a watch
Above the metal sits the collector or resale value, and this is where the name, the model and the condition matter. The first things we look for are the brand, the model and reference number and the serial number, because together they identify the exact piece and the market for it. Then comes the movement, mechanical or quartz, and whether it runs and keeps time. Condition moves the number up or down: scratches on the crystal, a worn or stretched bracelet, deep nicks in the case and a faded or redone dial all lower the value, while an original, clean, running piece is worth more. Original box, papers, the purchase receipt and any service records raise the offer, because they prove the watch is what it appears to be.
How the appraisal works
We appraise a watch in front of you, explain each step, and leave the decision with you. There is no fee for the appraisal and no pressure to sell.
- Bring the watch in. Walk into our showroom with the watch and anything that came with it. No appointment is needed for an appraisal, though you are welcome to call ahead.
- We identify and test it. We note the brand, the model and reference and the serial number, open the case where needed, test the metal for its karat, and check whether the movement runs.
- We weigh the gold in front of you. Any solid gold is weighed on the scale while you watch, and we show you the karat and the weight the offer is based on.
- We explain the offer. We tell you whether the metal or the watch itself is driving the number, and what is raising or lowering it, so the figure is not a mystery.
- You decide. If you accept, we pay cash on the spot. If you would rather think about it or take the watch elsewhere, that is fine, and the appraisal still costs nothing.
Bring your watch to our Madison Avenue showroom in Midtown, or call first to ask what to expect.
What raises and lowers the offer
- Metal and purity. A solid 18 karat gold case is worth more than 14 or 10 karat, and far more than gold filled or plated.
- Weight. Heavier solid gold means more metal value, which is why the scale matters.
- The gold price on the day. The offer on a gold watch tracks the live spot price, which moves daily.
- Brand and model. A watch from a maker and model that buyers seek carries value above its metal.
- Condition. Running order, an original dial, an unpolished case and an intact bracelet all help; damage and heavy wear reduce the figure.
- Completeness. Original box, papers, receipt and service records support a higher offer.
- Rarity and demand. An unusual or in-demand model is worth more than a common one in the same metal.
What to bring
You do not need to prepare a watch before bringing it in, and you should not polish or repair it first, since that can cost more than it adds. Bring the following if you have them.
- The watch itself, running or not.
- Any original box, papers, instruction booklet and purchase receipt.
- Service records or repair receipts.
- Any extra links removed from a bracelet.
- A government photo ID, which a buyer of second-hand goods is required to record at the time of purchase.
Why sell with a Madison Avenue buyer
Our showroom sits on Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, easy to reach from anywhere in the city. We have been buying watches, gold and jewelry directly from the public for more than 15 years, and that experience shows in the appraisal: we test and weigh each piece in front of you, explain how the offer is built, and pay cash on the spot. The free in-person appraisal carries no obligation, so you can hear the number, ask questions and still walk away with your watch. We buy directly, so there is no middleman between you and the offer.
What to ask any watch buyer
Whether you sell to us or to another buyer, a few questions separate an honest buyer from a quick payout.
- Will you test and weigh the watch in front of me, and show me the karat and the weight?
- Is the offer the metal value, the collector value, or both, and which is higher?
- Do you buy outright for cash, or only on consignment?
- Are you a licensed second-hand dealer who records each purchase?
In New York City, a business that buys used jewelry and watches must hold a second-hand dealer license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, record a description of each item and the person it was bought from, and generally hold a purchased item for 15 days before it can be sold, melted or refined. That waiting period protects honest sellers, and asking a buyer about it is a reasonable thing to do before you hand over a watch.
Selling more than a watch?
If your watch came out of a drawer with rings, chains and odd pieces of gold, we buy those too. See jewelry buyers for gold and gem jewelry of any kind, cash for gold for scrap and broken gold, and the home page for everything we buy. A high-end or branded watch belongs on the luxury watch buyers page.
Call for a free appraisal on your watch, with no obligation to sell.
Questions people ask
How do you decide what my watch is worth?
We look at two values and offer the higher one. The first is the metal: we test the karat of any solid gold case or bracelet, weigh it in front of you, and price it from the live spot gold price. The second is the watch as a watch, set by the brand, the model and reference, the serial number, the movement and the condition. We tell you which of the two is driving the offer.
Do you buy watches that do not work?
Yes. A watch that has stopped running still has value in its gold, its parts and, for some models, its collector interest. We weigh and test a non-running watch the same way we test any other and make a cash offer. There is no need to spend money on a repair first, since the cost of fixing it often outweighs what it adds to the value.
Is my gold watch worth more as gold or as a watch?
It depends on the piece. A plain gold watch from a maker that buyers do not chase is usually worth its gold, valued on the karat, the weight and the spot price. A sought-after model in good condition can be worth well above its metal. We check both and base the offer on whichever is higher, and we explain why.
Do I need the box and papers to sell a watch?
No, we buy watches without them. Original box, papers, the purchase receipt and any service records do help, because they prove the watch is what it appears to be and can raise the offer, especially on a branded or collectible piece. If you have them, bring them. If you do not, the watch is still worth its metal and its own merits.
Do you buy Rolex and other luxury watches?
Yes, but those belong on a different page. This page covers everyday, gold, vintage and estate watches. For Rolex and other high-end brands, where the reference, the serial number and the box and papers drive the value, see the luxury watch buyers page, which is written for those pieces and the way they are valued.
Do I need an appointment, and is the appraisal really free?
No appointment is needed to bring a watch in for an appraisal, though you are welcome to call ahead. The appraisal is free and carries no obligation. We test and weigh the watch in front of you and explain the offer. If you decide not to sell, you take the watch home and owe nothing.
How is a solid gold watch case valued?
Like any other fine gold. We confirm the karat, since 18 karat is 75 percent pure, 14 karat about 58 percent and 10 karat about 42 percent, then weigh the gold in troy ounces or pennyweights. The gold price is quoted per troy ounce, so the metal offer comes from the karat, the weight and the spot price on the day. Steel, the movement and the crystal are not gold and do not count toward that figure.
Do I need identification to sell a watch in New York City?
Yes. A business that buys second-hand jewelry and watches in New York City must record a description of each item along with the name and description of the person it was bought from, so bring a government photo ID. The same rules generally require the buyer to hold a purchased item for 15 days before it can be resold, melted or refined, a waiting period that protects honest sellers.
Free appraisal
Bring your pieces to the showroom or call first. Nothing is sold until you say yes.