Sell Your Blancpain Watch with Sotheby's

Frequently Asked Questions

• When is the best time to sell my Blancpain watch?

  Throughout the year, Sotheby's hosts watch sales online and in multiple selling locations, including Hong Kong, London, Geneva and New York. In fact, in 2018, Sotheby’s New York sold $86.4 million worth of watches on behalf of our consignors, an increase of 32% in five years. Based on our specialists' understanding of the market and the current appetite of watch buyers, we are able to recommend the best location and time of year to sell a Blancpain watch.
  
  Sotheby's is also pleased to launch Watches Weekly , a new fast and dynamic online auction format to meet collectors’ needs and respond to the rapidly evolving market. This new weekly series offers a quicker turnaround between appraisal and sale and has already held new records for online watch auctions. Once you submit your Blancpain watch details for an auction estimate appraisal, Sotheby's watch specialists will be able to provide their recommendations.
• How much does a Blancpain watch appraisal from Sotheby's cost?

  Our auction estimate valuations are complimentary. Sotheby’s specialists will review your submission and provide a valuation for any wristwatch we believe we can sell at auction. If your timepiece is not a good fit for a Sotheby's auction, we will do our best to recommend an alternate venue to sell a Blancpain watch.
• What are the most coveted Blancpain wristwatch styles?

  The brand’s most coveted model came in 1953 with the Fifty Fathoms, the world’s first modern diving watch. Another Blancpain marvel was the 1956 debut of the Ladybird, then the world’s smallest mechanical watch. Clocking in at just 11.85mm in diameter, the first generation Ladybirds set off a craze for women’s watches — bolstered by the endorsement of Marilyn Monroe, who owned a dazzling diamond-studded version. The 1735 Grande Complication, introduced in 1991, was the world’s most complicated timepiece for several years, combining a tourbillon, perpetual calendar, moonphase, split-seconds chronograph and minute repeater in one exceptionally slim watch.
• Is every Blancpain watch marked with a signature?

  Generally speaking, each pre-owned Blancpain wristwatch bears a maker’s mark. Unfortunately, markings are sometimes forged, so our experts recommend that you submit images of your fine timepiece and trust a Sotheby’s specialist to interpret any maker’s marks. Simply send photographs to our experts, who will use their knowledge of Blancpain workmanship to confirm the piece’s authenticity.
• Must I have the original documents or receipts that came with my Blancpain watch?

  Our specialists will need clear photographs and as much information as you can provide. Although we can evaluate your Blancpain wristwatch with photographs alone, it is helpful to have any original paperwork. Once you submit your information online, you will be able to track the estimate process, and one of our specialists will contact you directly with any questions about your timepiece.