Owning a designer watch is like having an investment piece that you keep on your wrist everywhere you go. But where do you go to sell it when it’s time to cash in? Bringing it to a big-box jewelry retail store will only get you the lowest price if they even decide to take it off your hands. But with a few tips and tricks and the right knowledge, you can get a way better deal by bringing your designer watch to a reputable pawn shop in Azusa.
Types of Designer Watches
Luxury watches come in varying styles and values. That’s why people have their preferences, after all. The first step to getting the most amount of cash is to identify exactly what you have so you can confidently put a price on it that you can stick close to.
Popular Watch Brands
You’re more likely to get a higher quote for your watch if it’s a popular brand that’s currently in demand. The point of a pawn shop is to resell your item to the local community, and that means your watch should be desirable enough for the shop to proudly put it on display. Some of the more popular brands in Azusa include:
- Patek Philippe
- Movado
- Rolex
- Citizen
- Hublot
- Gucci
- Nixon
- Fossil
Of course, the number of famous luxury watch brands is much more extensive. But if you own any of the big names listed above, you have a real prize on your hands. So what exactly do you have, and how much is it worth? Knowing this much will already put you ahead of the game compared to the average customer who will just walk into the pawn shop looking to sell without having any sort of idea as to what they’re doing.
How Watches Differ In Quality
Each watch brand stays close to its trademark design qualities to help people identify its pieces. For Movado, every watch displays its iconic circular logo right on the watch’s face. Movado watches also stick to a minimalist design so the logo stands out amongst the white space. While Movado is a well-known brand with distinct features, Rolex watches tend to go for a higher price since they’re made of heavy and high-quality precious metals. Every type of watch has different factors to consider when gauging its worth. It all comes down to the amount of research you’re willing to put in for the best possible price when negotiating its value.
Finding the Value of Your Watch
Perhaps the easiest way to find a starting point for your negotiations is to look up the exact year and model of your watch to see what it’s selling for online. Take note of all the different prices you come across and try to settle on a value somewhere in the middle. But if you have the time and dedication to be more precise, you can boil it down to the value of the materials used for your watch.
Aside from the design and functionality of your watch, all luxury watches are made with valuable precious metals and gemstones. Whether it be gold, silver, or platinum, any sort of precious metal can be classified, weighed, and compared to the current market prices. For instance, Rolex uses 950 platinum in their watches. You could weigh the amount of metal and cross-reference it with the current price of platinum. Although it’s not as likely for designer watches to be melted down and repurposed like most other types of jewelry, it’s still a possibility depending on who you sell it to or who ends up with your item.
Selling Watches At a Pawn Shop
Getting a rough estimate on your watch will definitely give you a place to start, but there’s more you can do to increase its total value and it’s all fairly simple. One of the most influential factors in making your watch more desirable is its cleanliness. Nobody wants to buy a grimy and dirty designer watch, and the pawn shop will likely knock down the price if they need to spend time cleaning it themselves. Making your item presentable is easy as long as you know the dos and don’ts of cleaning a luxury watch.
| Easy Ways to Clean Your Designer Watch |
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The exact pawn shop that you go to also plays a huge role in how much you’ll actually get for your designer watch no matter how clean it is. You want to find a place that’s reputable with many years of serving the area, and this can be discovered by reading through positive online reviews. It also helps to freshen up on tips for negotiating at a pawn shop to let the owners know that you have a general idea of what you’re doing and that you’re in it for serious business. You’re more likely to get a fair price for your designer watch by showing both knowledge of your item and confidence in your offer.