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Luxury Watch Consignment
Whether you own one exceptional watch or a large collection of timepieces, there comes a time when you might consider consigning your watch. To receive a complimentary estimate, simply submit images of your luxury watches along with any additional information to Sotheby's through our easy-to-use online estimate form, or contact a specialist below.
Today’s watches market is stronger than ever. Sotheby's watch specialists have cultivated strong relationships with the world’s most active collectors. To date, 100 countries across the globe have participated in our watch sales (up 17% from last year). In 2019, the total amount of watch sales reached an unprecedented 188.7 million USD (a 22% increase from 2018). Live watch auctions are held in London, New York, Geneva and Hong Kong, and online watch auctions and private sales have a growing appeal.
In fact, Sotheby's recently broke its own record for a watch sold in an online auction with an ultra-rare Rolex Daytona JPS that realised 1,215,000 GBP in the London single-lot sale. This historic event also marked one of the highest prices ever paid for a Daytona and set an auction record for a wristwatch sold in the UK, confirming Sotheby's as the market leader for watch auctions. When you are ready to sell watches in an online or live auction, Sotheby’s is at the ready to help you realise the highest price for your timepieces.
Timepieces from the Greatest Watchmakers in History
Find Out the Value of Your Luxury Watch
Submit photos and information about your watch to begin your complimentary estimate request.
Get an Estimate
Meet with a Specialist Near You
Talk to a Watch Specialist
Talk to a Watch Specialist
GENEVA: +41 22 531 00 24
NEW YORK: +1 646 568 1233
LOS ANGELES: +1 310 274 0340
HONG KONG: +852 2822 8117
LONDON: +44 20 3868 8955
TOKYO: +81 3 6770 2873
PARIS: + 33 (0)1 53 05 53 05
Watches Consigned with Sotheby's
Frequently Asked Questions
- What types of watches does Sotheby's buy and sell?Sotheby’s Watches sells the finest timepieces from the 16th to the 21st centuries, including pocket watches, wristwatches, tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Whether you’ve inherited your watch or are looking to update your collection, the worldwide authority in valuing and selling luxury watches, makes consigning easy and rewarding.
While Sotheby's does not buy watches directly, we offer year-round sales into which you can quickly and privately consign your watch. If you would like more information about a specific watch brand, please click below to find out more:
Cartier
Piaget
Audemars Piguet
Franck Muller
Patek Phillippe
Rolex
Omega
Chopard
Hublot
Vacheron Constantin
Richard Mille
A. Lange & Söhne
Panerai
Van Cleef & Arpels
Breitling - Can I sell watches online with Sotheby's?Absolutely. Throughout the year, we hold live and online watch auctions that attract global audiences competing for the top luxury watches. In fact, Sotheby's had recently launched Watches Weekly, a new fast and dynamic online auction format to meet collectors’ needs and respond to the rapidly evolving market. This new format offers a quicker turnaround between appraisal and sale. In the second Watches Weekly of the series, a Patek Philippe sold for 3,750,000 HKD, making it the most expensive watch ever sold in an online sale . When you submit a watch for review by one of our specialists, they will consider it for consignment in any of our online sales, whether our standard watch sales or for Watches Weekly.
- Which watch models consistently perform well at watch auctions?Watch enthusiasts are particularly fond of Rolex Daytona, Rolex Submariner, Patek Philippe Calatrava, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemar Piguet Royal Oak and Cartier Tank watches. Sotheby's is your best resource to sell these luxury watches and much more.
In addition to Sotheby’s live sales , online auctions also attract watch collectors and connoisseurs. From Patek Philippe's special edition of their iconic world time reference 5130, to A. Lange & Söhne's limited-edition minute repeater, and an experimental Rolex watch, Sotheby's online auctions are a top-quality option for consignors to sell their watch quickly and to a broad international audience. - What is the most elaborate complication in a watch?Typically, the first examples that spring to mind are watches incorporating perpetual calendars and tourbillons. While these are by no means easy feats in watchmaking, they are somewhat overshadowed by what is widely considered "the most complex of horological complications" – the grande sonnerie or grand strike complication. This can be seen on an example such F.P. Journe's Grande et Petite Sonnerie Souveraine. This piece combines a quarter striking mechanism with a minute repeating mechanism, which allows the user to hear the time striking as it passes and to activate a minute repeating function on demand.
- How much does it cost to have Sotheby's appraise my watch?Sotheby's does not perform appraisals but rather we provide auction estimates for all watches we believe we can sell at auction. Our auction estimate evaluations are complimentary and do not cost you anything. If your watch is a good fit for one of our auctions, your dedicated specialist will provide you with a sale recommendation and expected sale value. They will be able to assist you with any questions about commission, shipping, or sale timing. If we believe your watch would sell better elsewhere, we will try and give you a recommendation for an alternate venue.