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Luxury Watch Houses Are Expanding Into The Resale Market

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Watches & Jewellery

Luxury Watch Houses Are Expanding Into The Resale Market

Luxury watch brands are buying back pre-owned pieces and restoring them before selling them to watch enthusiasts.

by Debby Kwong  /   June 29, 2021
luxury watch resale

Old is definitely gold as luxury brands like Vacheron Constantin are dipping into the resale market of their heritage models. Credit: Vacheron Constantin

In the past five years, independent brands like Richard Mille, F.P Journe and Audemars Piguet have realised the potential of the second-hand watch market.

So they’ve launched their own pre-owned programmes, cutting out the middleman and dealing directly with clients who sell and buy rare designs and iconic pieces. What makes them different from traditional resellers? They authenticate the watch and restore it to their original condition. Some even come with extended warranty.

This is exactly what Cartier has introduced with its Cartier Vintage initiative, which launched in London, Paris, then Singapore in 2021. The collection was available exclusively at the brand’s flagship store at Ion Orchard. Five of the six timepieces were sold on the first day.

READ MORE: Genderless, Elegant And Iconic: Cartier’s Tank Must Makes A Fashionable Comeback 40 Years On

Each Cartier Vintage watch comes with an opt-in eight-year warranty, new authenticity certification, and a beautiful Cartier red box. The provenance and authenticity of the watches are confirmed by archives.

Then, they are handed to watchmaking experts, who proceed with the restoration of the high-precision instruments. This includes replacing worn components, adjusting the movement and polishing the case.

Credit:Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin’s Les Collectionneurs collection is regularly offered for sale to brand aficionados at dedicated events organised at the maison’s boutiques around the world.

Audemars Piguet CEO Francois-Henry Bennahmias summed it up best when he said in 2018: “I want to be there when you buy your AP watch, and help you sell it off when you want to trade it in. It’s about time we recapture this business, which could be 10 times bigger than the one for new watches.”

Vacheron Constantin’s collection of vintage and antique watches in its Les Collectionneurs line are acquired mainly through auctions, but also through private buy-backs.

What’s unique is that Vacheron Constantin is the only luxury watch brand that offers digital certification via Blockchain technology, which is more secure and traceable. Now that’s keeping up with the times.

READ MORE: It’s A Rave Party For These Chanel Watches

Brands are constantly on the hunt for hard-to-find models. Zenith CEO Julien Tornare says: “We’re acquiring historical timepieces from sources who have cherished them for a very long time, and allowing others the opportunity to enjoy them.”

Credit:Zenith

A pristine restored model of Zenith’s most coveted early El Primero model.

Given the rarity of these historical references, Zenith Icons is available only at select boutiques. The first was in Tokyo in October 2020, then Shanghai, where the focus was on some of the earliest and most iconic El Primero references from 1969 to 1972.

Tornare says: “These rare pieces can now embark on a second life, and I’m really excited to share them with our customers. This is just the beginning!”


Related Articles

Genderless, Elegant And Iconic: Cartier’s Tank Must Makes A Fashionable Comeback 40 Years On

It’s A Rave Party For These Chanel Watches

How Many Facts About The Rolex Datejust Do You Know?

https://www.femalemag.com.sg/gallery/watches-and-jewellery/luxury-watch-brands-timepiece-resale-market-cartier-zenith-vacheron-constantin/
Luxury Watch Houses Are Expanding Into The Resale Market
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Cartier Vintage consists of a selection of restored watches from the ’70s to the 2010s.

Cartier
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Each of the Cartier Vintage watches comes with an opt-in eight-year warranty, new authenticity certification, and a beautiful Cartier red box.

Cartier
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In this way, the French watchmaker gives eager collectors the opportunity to acquire authentic creations from its watchmaking heritage, while avoiding the sky-high prices that are often seen at auctions.

Cartier
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Thus far, the highly exclusive collection of Zenith Icons are available only at select Zenith boutiques

Zenith
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The first Zenith Icons piece will be offered on Zenith’s online boutique on July 21st at 12 pm.

A version of this article  first appeared in Her World

Zenith
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  • cartier
  • cartier watches
  • luxury timepieces
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  • luxury watches
  • vacheron constantin
  • watches
  • watches and jewellery
  • zenith
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