Consignment
We sell it, you keep the upside.
An outright sale gives you certainty today. Consignment gives you a better number, in exchange for a little patience. We take the watch in, check it and describe it as if it were our own stock, and offer it to our buyers - the site, the enquiry list, and the trade contacts who ask us for specific references.
When it sells, an agreed commission comes off the price and the balance is transferred to you. The commission is fixed in writing before the watch leaves your hands, and so is the reserve: the figure below which we will not sell without asking you first.
While the watch is with us it is insured, stored securely and only ever shown to serious buyers, by appointment. You can withdraw it at any point before a sale is agreed.
- Commission
- Agreed in writing before consignment
- Reserve
- Set by you
- Insurance
- Under our cover while with us
- Settlement
- On cleared funds, with a statement
Consignment is the better route if
- The watch is rare or sought-after enough that patience will find the right buyer.
- You want a higher final figure than an outright purchase can offer today.
- You would rather not manage listings, questions and time-wasters yourself.
- You want the watch checked and described by a dealer so buyers trust the listing.
- You are not in a hurry, but you do want it handled properly.
How it works
5 steps, in order
Nothing moves to the next step until you have said yes to the last one.
Agree the terms
Reserve price, commission and expected timescale, in writing. Nothing is signed until you are happy with all three.
Hand it over
Bring it in or send it by insured courier. It is logged, insured under our cover and stored securely from that point on.
We prepare it
Timing check, cosmetic assessment, photography and a written description in the same plain language as the rest of the vault. A service is arranged first if you agree it will help the price.
We sell it
Listed on the site, offered to our enquiry list and to trade contacts looking for the reference. You hear about any offer below reserve before we answer it.
Settlement
Once the buyer’s funds have cleared, the agreed commission comes off and the balance is transferred to you with a statement showing exactly how it was calculated.
What you get
Why people use us for this rather than doing it alone
A better number
You are paid from the retail price rather than a trade offer. For the right watch the difference is substantial.
Sold as our own stock
Checked, photographed and described to the same standard as everything else in the vault, which is what makes buyers comfortable.
Insured from the moment it arrives
Covered under our policy while it is with us, in transit both ways, and in front of a buyer.
You stay in control
The reserve is yours to set, offers below it are yours to refuse, and the watch is yours to withdraw before a sale is agreed.
Questions
Asked about consignment
How long does a consignment usually take?
Popular references priced sensibly often sell within a few weeks. Rarer pieces can take longer, and that is usually the point of consigning them. We will give you an honest expectation for your watch before you commit.
Who sets the asking price?
We propose it based on what the reference is achieving, and you agree it along with the reserve. Neither changes without a conversation.
What happens if it does not sell?
You take it back, or we make you an outright offer if you would now prefer certainty. There is no charge for a consignment that ends without a sale.
Is my watch insured while you have it?
Yes, under our cover, from the moment it is received until it is either sold or returned to you. That includes viewings and insured courier in both directions.
More general questions are answered on the FAQs page.
Discuss a consignment
Tell us what the watch is and roughly what you hope to achieve for it. We will suggest a reserve and a timescale.
Often combined with
Let it sell for what it is worth
A watch presented properly, to buyers who are already looking for it, with the terms fixed before it leaves your hands.