Chrono24 Direct — Estates
Selling inherited watches
Usually the paperwork is gone, often there is more than one watch, and nobody knows what any of them are worth. We identify, examine and assess the whole holding — and tell you which pieces have no market value.
First of all
Five things you are better off not doing
Damage done in good faith is the most common cause of lost value in an estate.
1. Do not have it polished or cleaned
Polishing removes material. On a watch whose value rests on crisp case edges and original surfaces, a well-meant polish costs more than it adds in appearance. Collectors spot an over-polished case immediately. Leave the watch exactly as you found it.
2. Do not take it to the nearest repairer
A movement that has stopped is not a problem and often only a matter of servicing. But if the watch is repaired with non-original parts, the value drops permanently — and by then the original parts have usually been discarded. Hold off on any technical work until the value is known.
3. Do not throw away anything that was with it
Boxes, hang tags, spare links, old invoices, service records, even a worn leather strap: any of it can affect the price or establish provenance. Gather it all, even the parts that look worthless.
4. Do not sell to the first buyer who offers
Gold-buying and pawn businesses not infrequently assess a luxury watch by its material value, or well below market level across the board. On a watch worth several thousand, the difference runs comfortably into four figures. Get an assessment before you hand anything over.
5. Do not act without the other heirs' agreement
Where an estate belongs to several heirs, individual items usually cannot be disposed of by one person alone. Before a watch is sold, the heirs should be in agreement. How that works in your case depends on the country and on the estate, so settle it with your own notary or solicitor — we are sellers, not legal advisers.
Process
How we handle an estate
We treat a holding as a whole, not as a series of separate enquiries.
Taking stock
You send us photographs of everything you have found — front and back of each watch, plus any documents that exist. You need not know the brands or models, and you need not sort anything. If you cannot read what is written, simply describe what you see.
A first assessment at a distance
We tell you in advance which pieces are worth examining and which are not. That saves you sending a whole box when only two watches are relevant.
Examination in the workshop
Our watchmakers identify each watch, open it and examine the movement, serial number, originality of the components and condition. Chrono24 Direct is the only certified authentication and consignment partner of Chrono24 in Europe. Missing papers are no obstacle — more on that under Selling without papers.
Assessment of the whole holding
You receive a schedule covering every piece: what each one can be expected to achieve, and expressly also which watches have no relevant market value. In a division among heirs, that second piece of information matters as much as the first.
You decide, piece by piece
Sell, keep, return — for each watch individually. There is no obligation to hand over the whole holding, and there are no upfront fees. Commission applies only to the watches that actually sell. What reaches you in the end is explained in detail under What is my watch worth?
Several heirs
When more than one heir is involved
Here, figures that can be verified matter more than a high price.
With several heirs the real difficulty is rarely the sale. It is reaching agreement on what things are worth. As long as values are estimated across a kitchen table, the suspicion lingers that somebody is losing out.
So we document what we find: which watch it is, in what condition, with what assessment — and, once sold, the price it actually achieved. Everyone involved sees the same figures, and the final proceeds are an evidenced amount rather than an assertion.
Consignment has one further practical advantage for a group of heirs: nobody has to agree on a value in advance. What gets divided is what was actually realised.
If you need a statement of value in a particular form, for a tax authority for example, tell us exactly what is being asked for and we will discuss what we can provide. Whether such a statement is required, and in what form, differs from country to country and belongs with your own notary or tax adviser — we do not advise on that.
For executors, administrators and notaries
If you handle estates professionally, we work to your brief: taking stock, examination in our workshop, a documented assessment and, if you wish, full realisation through Chrono24 — insured on every leg of the journey.
Write to us briefly describing what is in the file. We will come back with a view on whether, and to what extent, an examination is worthwhile.
Go to the page for administrators and notaries · Enquire directly
FAQ
Common questions about estates
This is our most common case. Send us photographs of the front and back and write down what appears on the dial and the case back. If you cannot read anything, simply describe what you see. Identifying it is our job, not yours.
No — with inherited watches they are almost always missing. Our watchmakers establish authenticity on the watch itself and document the result. The achievable price is usually lower without documents, and how much lower depends considerably on the model.
Yes, and we treat a holding as a whole. You receive a schedule covering every piece, including those with no relevant market value. You then decide for each watch individually.
We document identification, condition, assessment and later the price actually achieved, so that everyone involved has the same figures in front of them. What gets divided is what was really realised — nobody has to agree on a value in advance. Individual estate items can usually only be disposed of jointly; please settle the legal side with your own notary.
We need to verify your identity and to confirm that you are entitled to dispose of the watches. With an estate, proof of entitlement to deal with it may be relevant, and what counts as that differs by country. We clarify exactly what is needed with you before anything is shipped.
Please do not. Polishing removes material, and a repair with non-original parts lowers the value permanently. Where proper work in our workshop would raise the proceeds by more than it costs, we will propose it — but not before.
Whether one is required, and in what form, depends on the country and on your particular case, and belongs with your notary or tax adviser. Tell us what is being asked for and we will discuss what we can provide.
The enquiry is free of obligation and commits you to nothing. There are no upfront fees; commission applies only to watches that actually sell. Any watch you wish to keep is sent back to you.
Shipping is insured on every leg, including the return journey. We currently handle valuation and consignment for watches located in the European Union.
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A few details about your watch are enough — we will get back to you with an initial estimate within 48 hours.
Currently Available Within the EU
We handle appraisals and consignment sales for watches located in the European Union.
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The more precise your details, the more accurate our estimate of sale proceeds and market prospects.
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