How Does the Pre-Owned Luxury Market Work?

The process begins with an online sales inquiry. Customers submit the key information about their watch and then receive three different offers. These are based on different sales routes, each with its own pricing, conditions, and processes: direct sale, trade-in, and consignment sale.

Customers can then choose one of these options and either drop off the watch in person or have it collected.

Although the direct sale is the fastest option, around 80 percent of watches at Chronext are sold via consignment. In this model, the customer sells their watch through our platform while we handle the entire sales process. Once the watch has been accepted and thoroughly inspected, it is listed on the website. From that point, a period of 90 days usually applies during which Chronext attempts to sell the watch. If it is sold within this timeframe, the customer receives the agreed payout amount minus the commission rate.

If the customer later changes their mind or if the watch is not sold within the 90 days, a fee of €199 is charged for the inspection and handling, and the watch is returned to the customer. Alternatively, the watch can remain listed so that a new sales attempt can be made.

The final option is the trade-in model. Here, the customer’s pre-owned watch is exchanged for another watch from the assortment. The value of the old watch is credited, and depending on the purchase price, the difference is either paid out or offset. This is particularly attractive for customers who want to sell their luxury watch while purchasing a new one at the same time.

Whether it is a direct sale, trade-in, or consignment: before pre-owned luxury watches can even be offered, they must be inspected. But how is the authenticity of a luxury watch verified?

After acceptance, the watch is examined by watchmakers and goes through multiple quality checks. The goal is not only to confirm that the watch is authentic, but also to verify details such as installed components, materials, and the condition of the movement.

In addition, the documentation is reviewed: do the papers and serial numbers match? Is the watch technically sound and running reliably? Only once all criteria are met is authenticity confirmed. Chronext then issues its own certificate of authenticity and provides a two-year warranty.

After successfully passing inspection, the watch is professionally photographed. The images are edited, product data is entered, and the condition is documented transparently. Only then is the model listed online and made visible to potential buyers.

Depending on the watch and current capacity, this process can take several weeks—often up to three or four.

The modern pre-owned luxury watch market is a highly structured process. From acquisition and inspection to the final sale, a professional workflow ensures that both buyers and sellers are protected.

Customers can choose between direct sale, trade-in, and consignment sale. This is followed by authenticity verification, quality control, and professional marketing. The result is a process that does not rely on gut feeling, but on transparency and traceable standards—which is exactly what matters in the trade of pre-owned luxury watches.