Condition Guide

What to Expect When Buying Vintage and Preowned Watches

 

Not all watches are created equal, and time sends all things down different paths. When buying vintage or preowned watches, knowing what to expect from their condition is key.

This starts with high-quality photos, and you should always examine listing photos carefully to assess the condition of a watch before you purchase. Zoom in. Look for scratches, dents, and dings. Cosmetic flaws aren't a death sentence for vintage watches, and many people find charm in the marks that watches accumulate throughout their lives. The big things to look out for are broken or missing parts, non-OEM replacements, and especially moisture damage. Most things can be fixed or replaced with OEM parts, but knowing what you're getting into is crucial.

A good listing description should mention any known defects or flaws on a watch. Here at Balance Wheel, we make sure to call out where there's known damage to a watch band, case, or movement, clearly and concisely, so that buyers know what to expect when they receive their watch.

For mechanical watches (automatic or hand-winding), professional service is typically recommended every 5-10 years. Unless otherwise mentioned, it's usually safe to assume that a used mechanical watch will benefit from a service after purchase for optimal performance. That service may cost you $150 to upwards of $1000 depending on who does the service (an independent watchmaker or the original manufacturer) and whether or not any replacement parts are needed. Some can be quite expensive, especially on luxury watches.

Water resistance is another consideration when buying used or vintage watches. While a watch may advertise 300 meters of water resistance, if it's 25+ years old with no known service history, the gaskets that help keep it watertight may have degraded over time, and again, it's best to have the watch professionally serviced before swimming or diving with it. Most watchmakers will have the equipment needed to perform a test on the seals, but there may be an additional cost for that service.

Finally, when in doubt, ask the seller. Any trustworthy seller is more than willing to answer questions, take extra pictures, shoot a quick video, or even jump on a call with a serious buyer to help them understand the condition of a watch they're interested in. The last thing any seller wants is an unhappy customer and the hassle of a return that could have been prevented with a few quick emails.

 

Here at Balance Wheel, we use the following condition grading system to help provide a baseline understanding of a watch's condition:

  • New Old Stock: This is a watch that is unworn, in its original packaging, and usually still has stickers or tags on it. Because some new old stock watches are 25+ years old, this doesn't necessarily mean perfect condition. Watches shift as they're moved and may get scuffed inside their boxes. Straps may become brittle or degrade over time, especially if they're rubber, plastic, or faux leather. Boxes and papers may become damaged from friction, bumps, or scrapes. Expect a watch that hasn't seen any wear, but might have some light marking.
  • New Full Set: This is a watch that is new and unworn, but not old enough to be considered new old stock. Expect less aging and bumps from movement over the years, but there may still be some light scuffs, hairline scratches, etc. Keep a close eye on photographs and listing descriptions just in case.
  • Used: This is a watch that has clearly been worn and likely has some marks to show for it. It may not come in its original box or with original paperwork. The listing should still communicate any flaws and accurately describe its condition, but expect some imperfections going in.
  • Used - Non-running: In addition to being used, this watch is not currently running and needs service or repair before it will run again. We use this label to clearly call out when watches are not running to avoid any surprises on the receiving end.
  • Project Watch for Parts or Repair: This is a watch that has serious flaws that may or may not be repairable. To avoid over-promising, we sell watches with this label with the understanding that they aren't running and may need a lot of work to get running, if they can at all. That may mean missing parts, difficult to diagnose issues, or just unknown issues that we haven't pinned down yet.

 

A note on timekeeping:

For mechanical watches, timekeeping is a bit of a moving target. Where high-end modern watches may hold to a standard of up to -2/+2 seconds per day, the standards at the time for some vintage watches may have been, for example, -20/+40 seconds per day. While modern watchmakers can often regulate vintage watches to higher than vintage standards, it's important to understand that not all vintage watches will achieve modern timekeeping standards with 60+ year old parts. When in doubt, ask your seller for a timekeeping report and what a reasonable expectation for timekeeping after a professional service might be. They should be able to tell you.