Five Things You Should Know About Selling a Watch in Boca Raton
Selling an expensive watch in Boca Raton can be a good way to make some extra money. Luxury watches and antique watches can fetch a good price if you sell them properly. Following are some tips on how to get top dollar for what you have to offer.
Do Careful Research
If you are not in a hurry to sell the watch right away, then do some research as to when is the best time to sell the watch. Supply and demand have a big bearing on how much you will get for your watch; if you are willing and/or able to wait until demand is high, you could make more money than if you sell your watch right away.
Have the Watch Cleaned and/or Repaired by a Professional
While the value of the watch does not necessarily depend on how pretty it looks, it is important to realize that looks plays a very large role in determining how much money someone will offer you for your watch. A watch that is old, grubby and has not been properly cared for will get lower price offers than an identical watch that is appealing and good looking. Presenting your product in the best possible light will not only enable you to fetch a high price but also sell the watch faster than would have otherwise been possible. This means that you will need to have the watch cleaned and repair any damage that it may have sustained.
Cleaning an expensive watch is no small task. Be sure to find a watch repairman or cleaning service that is licensed by the watchmaker. Check the company’s track record before trusting it with your valuable timepiece. On the other hand, if the watch is an antique, then you may want to avoid tampering with it. Adding new components to a genuine antique will drastically decrease its value.
Provide Papers
If your watch is an authentic antique, you may want to have it appraised. While stores may not want to pay as much as the appraisal indicates the watch is worth, a professional appraisal clearly shows that your watch is genuine.
If your watch is not an antique, then having it appraised is a waste of time and money. It’s better for you to keep papers that clearly show where and when you bought the watch. Stores and even individual buyer may ask to see these papers in order to ensure that you did not steal the watch. The papers also clearly show the watch is genuine and not a fake.
Comparing Prices
Many Boca Raton jewelry stores and watch stores are willing to buy watches for sale. If you watch is an antique, then take it around to antique stores instead of contemporary jewelers. You can also put out an ad in the newspaper or list the watch for sale on Craigslist. If you have a family member or friend who you think may be interested in your watch, this could be yet another option.
Avoid selling the watch to a pawn shop; such a sale is quick and easy but you will be getting the lowest possible price. You will also want to avoid selling your watch to the first potential buyer, especially if the buyer is pushy and insistent on buying the watch but is not offering a high price. While it may take some time and effort to take your watch to a number of stores and shops, it is well worth your effort and you will know that you are getting a fair price for what you have to offer.
You may even want to see if Boca Raton is the right place to sell your watch. If you are willing to drive a couple hours’ out of your way in any direction, then it could be a good idea to see if there are stores in nearby cities who are willing to offer you more than local outlets.
Selling Online is not Always a Good Idea
Instead of selling your watch in Boca Raton, you may be tempted to put it up for sale on eBay or a similar site. While many people have sold watches in this way, it is also important to realize that selling an expensive watch online does have its risks. There are a number of eBay buyers who are pretty unscrupulous; they may say that they never got the watch or return a cheap watch and claim that this was the product you sold them.
If you do put your watch up for sale on eBay, you will need to do some homework first. Copy the serial number of the watch, take photos of the original watch and/or initial the watch with a blacklight marker. Doing so will provide you with needed evidence in case a buyer tries to fraudulently claim that you sold him or her a cheap fake.
Another way to protect yourself if you sell your watch online is to choose your buyer carefully. Avoid working with international buyers or buyers who do not get positive feedback from other sellers. Ideally, choose a buyer in the local area who can pick up the watch in person (and pay in cash or by check).
If the buyer does not live in or near Boca Raton, you will also need to pay for secure shipping. FedEx and UPS shipping with signature confirmation are both good options, as is USPS overnight with insurance and signature confirmation.
If you intend to sell your watch in Boca Raton, consider the points outlined above. Choosing the right time and place to sell your watch will enable you to get top dollar for it. If you clean and repair the watch before you offer it for sale, then potential buyers will be more impressed than if you were to offer the watch for sale “as is”. You should also be prepared to contact a number of potential buyers to see who is willing to offer the best price, as doing so can help you earn hundreds of dollars more than you would have otherwise. If you take the time to sell your watch properly, you will be happy and satisfied with your sale and get the needed cash in hand to take care of yourself and/or your loved ones.
