Fratello Talks: Buying Watches Pre-Owned Versus Buying Them New
In this episode of Fratello Talks, we compare and contrast the ways to buy watches. Should you buy pre-owned pieces, or is new the way to go? Whereas RJ and Daan don’t mind buying their watches on the pre-owned market, Lex is not keen on doing so. Is it the result of a bad experience, or is there a deeper thought behind it? Let’s find out.
Wrist check
We always start with a quick check of the watches we’re wearing during the podcast recording. For this episode, we find Lex wearing his Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze (Fratelloris) from 2020. Daan is wearing his Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo Face (Medium), and I am wearing my Omega Seamaster 300M 2531.80. Lex and Daan bought these as new watches, whereas I bought my Seamaster 300M pre-owned.
Buying watches pre-owned versus buying them new
Lex owns “just” one pre-owned watch, a King Seiko. He bought this piece after seeing a watch with a 44GS case at a Grand Seiko event (organized by us). It wasn’t the right time for him to buy a Grand Seiko, so he bought a vintage King Seiko with a 44GS-style case. After he ran into issues with this watch, he decided to keep buying new watches. But on a more important note, he learned that he likes his watches in pristine condition when he buys them. It’s different for Daan; for him, it is about the price and availability. For example, he purchased his Blancpain Bathyscaphe pre-owned because the seller was another watch enthusiast and took good care of the watch. For Daan, a pre-owned watch must come with its box and papers. Also, his most recent purchase, a Rolex Explorer 114270, is from the pre-owned market but complete with the box and papers.
In this podcast, we discuss the pros and cons of buying pre-owned and why you should or shouldn’t do so. It’s a way to purchase discontinued watches or those you favored in the past when you could not afford them. It also might enable you to buy a gold watch for a more attractive price than you’d spend today on a gold watch at a boutique. There are many reasons to buy pre-owned, but be aware of the pitfalls. Buying pre-owned can also mean headaches when it comes to maintenance or repair. Do you prefer a worry-free life? Then buying a new watch might be your thing. We also mention the register of stolen watches, which you can find here.
Give this episode a listen, and let us what you think about buying pre-owned versus new watches in the comments.
