Hows the Watch game in the real world?

[Lauren]

Hey Scavengers.

I was going through a death box and found what appears to be a flat of watches from an auction. All no batteries, but working I have about 5 that range from the $50-$150 range. Did I just happen to find a good lot, or is this typical for watches. There’s a lot of disney/looney tunes/kermit collectors watches in that mix, and I had about 10 nothing special watches that don’t seem to be worth more than $15 each after putting a battery in. Is this some untapped potential in the world?

 

Always learning

 

-Lauren

[mickdog]

Hi Lauren, I bought one of those vases full of watches that the Goodwills sometimes do about  a year and a half ago.

I paid $38 for about 50 watches. I paid that much because I saw one that I was able to look up and knew it alone went for $50-$80 so I took a chance (a 1990s Peter Max Design watch). After sorting through all of them I sold 43 in a bulk auction AS-IS untested, and they were mostly worth $10 or less, and made a whopping $27.00 total. The Peter Max watch I sold for $60. I sold a Disney Frozen Watch for $17 and another watch for $15.00. I took a few more to my consignment shop and got $20 total for them. So all in I spent $39 and sold them for $139, so maybe $80 profit after expenses and fees.

So, not sure if it was worth it, money or time-wise, but it was a fun lot to go through and I learned a little. Obviously, if there had been a home run in there (like a $100+ watch) it probably would have been more exciting and the profit numbers would jump. Since that buy, I do still glance at these bundled watches in thrift shops, and occasionally in auctions, but unless there is a sure thing in there, I pass.

[Antique Frog]

This auction house (Arthur Johnson)  about 30 miles away from me, sells watches and watch parts regularly. If you go to Results and enter ‘watch’ in the search box it gives about 15 pages of results. I’m assuming that the relative prices, although in GBP, will also hold for the US market. There’s probably other auction house sites that are easy to navigate which could be used for research.

I’ve no idea where all the watch parts and tools come from, but that’s been going on for years! Someone must have a business liquidating watch repairers’ premises.

[Lauren]

Thanks!

I don’t know if I’d do another bulk buy for more than a couple bucks, but I’ll definitely start looking a little more closely. I thiink I got lucky on this one, because there were a good amount of 70’s/80’s/90’s pop culture ones. I did order a battery kit to keep on hand and learn how to change batteries, because if these aren’t ticking it seems like the price drops significantly.

Cheers!

[Retro Treasures WV]

I always take a look at the watches in hopes of finding a gem. 99% junk. I did get a women’s Seiko at a yard sale for $20 that I sold for $250.

[Lauren]

That’s awesome. Part of it is just brand recognition- I’ve heard of Seiko but didn’t really know the value behind the name

[Antique Frog]

Bought a Seiko in a square case at an antique fair for £2, not knowing anything about the brand. Sold it for £80 on eBay. Just a lucky hit- so look out for Seikos in square cases! That’s the only watch I’ve ever made anything on.

[Author]

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