Luxury watches can cost as much as a car, which makes purchasing one second-hand a big financial decision. The pre-owned market opens the door for collectors to get their hands on discontinued models and coveted timepieces, but it also comes with risks. “Buyers need to consider authenticity, condition, and whether a watch has been looked after properly.” Audemars Piguet hopes to make that decision easier with its new certified pre-owned platform, The Watch Keepers.
The service launched in Switzerland and Europe on October 26, offering customers a way to buy and sell pre-owned watches through the manufacturer itself. With luxury watch prices continuing to climb, certified pre-owned programs offer a way for collectors to own the best timepieces without having to gamble their money on counterfeits.
What Buyers Get With Audemars Piguet’s New Service
The biggest advantage of The Watch Keepers is that buyers don’t have to take a seller’s word for it in terms of a watch’s authenticity. Audemars Piguet’s own experts check the watches before they go on the platform, and a five-point grading system helps buyers to assess the condition of the case, dial and bracelet.
Audemars Piguet says the service is aimed at watches that are a minimum of two years old. Sellers ship their watches to the maker, who takes photos and prepares listings for them. Buyers can either buy the watches at a fixed price or bid on them, depending on the listing.
Every purchase also includes a two-year functional guarantee. Audemars Piguet also takes care of the warehousing and shipping of the watches, adding another layer of oversight to the transaction.
At any given moment, buyers will see about 100 watches on the platform — a curated selection rather than an endless stream of listings. Digital assistants will also assist customers in browsing the available timepieces and discovering models that match their interests.
Audemars Piguet is not the first luxury watchmaker to do this. Rolex’s Certified Pre-Owned program authenticates pre-owned watches through its network of authorized retailers and offers a two-year international guarantee. Meanwhile, Chrono24 has buyer protection that covers eligible second-hand watches made on its marketplace.
For collectors, the appeal is simple: buying guarantees doesn’t mean having to accept needless uncertainty. But certification and guarantees differ from program to program, so buyers should see what each service covers before buying.
The Watch Keepers initially operates in Switzerland and Europe, but plans to expand to other markets, including the United States. U.S. buyers will need to wait for availability in their region.
