Watch appraisal: $500 written report, free sale estimate

A watch appraisal states a value for a purpose. Insurance replacement cost may differ from fair market value, and a sale estimate shows what an owner may receive after fees. Define the intended use before commissioning the report: the same watch can properly have different figures on different bases.

Source: Passion Asset Advisory published valuation fees and report terms, 27 September 2026. Timing starts only when the required evidence and inspection are complete.

Report fees are credited in full if the watch sells through us within six months. Written reports above $100,000 include physical inspection. We agree the scope, intended use, fee and timetable before work starts. If an insurer, court or authority requires a particular appraiser qualification or format, confirm that requirement first so the report is suitable.

For example, two watches in one fair-market-value report cost $750: $500 plus $250. This is a fee example dated 27 September 2026, not a value estimate for either watch. Request the scope for your watch appraisal before commissioning a report.

Best fit: You need a dated value for an insurance review, estate file or collection decision, with the purpose and evidence agreed in advance. For an intended sale, start with the free sale estimate. For a watch you have found, define a pre-purchase review.

Not a fit: An appraisal is not a binding purchase offer or authentication from photographs alone. If the recipient requires a qualification or report format we have not agreed to provide, confirm suitability before paying. Choose private watch sourcing when you need us to find and negotiate for a watch, not just assess one.

The exact reference comes first. Metal, dial, movement generation and production variation can change the relevant market. Then assess originality, condition, service history, documents, provenance and the date at which the value is needed. A rare configuration should be supported by evidence, not only a seller description.

Source: Passion Asset Advisory watch-valuation evidence checklist. It organises the questions for a report; conclusions depend on the individual watch, inspection and supporting records.

A complete set supports buyer confidence and the evidence file, but does not authenticate the watch on its own. A missing box has a different implication from unclear ownership or a replaced dial. We describe material gaps separately, so a single condition label does not hide them.

The three-number rule keeps these price types separate. Retail records the manufacturer or authorised-dealer price for a stated market and date. Asking records what a seller requests. Transacted records a completed sale, with its date, currency and price basis. Mixing these can create a misleading range.

A listing can remain online because no buyer accepted it. An auction estimate is a forecast. A published auction result may include buyer premium, which the seller does not receive. A confidential offer indicates one buyer’s current willingness to pay and its conditions. The report identifies each evidence type and explains its use.

Every written F.P. Journe valuation includes three to five relevant closed-sale comparables when available. Each identifies the reference or generation, date, venue or source, known condition and completeness, and any adjustment. If fewer than three credible comparables exist, the report states the gap instead of substituting asking prices. Thin evidence means a wider range or more uncertainty, not false precision.

We start from clear photographs and papers. Before any sale, and for every written report above $100,000, we appoint an independent watchmaker to inspect the watch by arrangement in Geneva, London or Prague. The location and appointment are agreed before transfer; these are inspection locations, not walk-in offices.

The agreed scope covers reference identity, condition, originality and the functions relevant to that watch. A specialist opens the case only when needed and authorised. We record any limits, such as inaccessible components, missing records or a service requirement. A photograph-only estimate remains subject to those limits.

Before transfer, agree the inspection point, insured value, custody record and return instructions. We pay for insured transfer to inspection and inspection on our direct-purchase and private-placement routes. Other report logistics are confirmed in the written scope. Do not ship to an address supplied in an unverified message.

Authentication examines whether the watch and its parts are genuine and consistent. An appraisal assigns a value for a stated purpose and date. A watch can be genuine but contain service parts that change its collector value. A complete report can bring the inspection findings and valuation together, while keeping those questions distinct.

We do not treat a matching card as a substitute for inspecting the watch. Nor does a price opinion prove that the current owner has clear title. The file separates identity, ownership information, condition findings and market evidence so each can be checked.

A collection review records each reference, its condition and documentation, a dated value basis, and the issues that need attention. The review can identify gaps in insurance information, missing service records, concentration in a small collector market and likely sale routes. It can also explain which pieces may reasonably stay in the collection.

For an estate, keep the watch, box and papers together, photograph the set and establish who can authorise inspection or sale. The requested valuation date may be earlier than the report date. Tell us both. The estate’s professional adviser should specify any formal requirements before the report is commissioned.

For an acquisition review, send the candidate’s reference, condition report, asking price and transaction terms. An independent view can identify evidence that is missing before you commit. If you instead want us to search for the watch and negotiate, use a separate private watch sourcing mandate.

Yes. Appraisal is a separate service, with its scope and fee agreed in advance. You may keep the watch, refresh the documentation, review insurance or choose another provider for a later transaction. The sale estimate is also free of any obligation to sell.

We may buy a collector watch as disclosed principal in a separate transaction. If that route is proposed, we state that we are the buyer, not your adviser on that purchase. If we represent a seller or buyer under mandate, we identify that side and every fee before work begins. We never advise both counterparties in the same transaction.

For a planned sale, the Net Proceeds Calculator illustrates fee effects. It cannot inspect a watch or replace a written valuation. Reference-specific guides include the F.P. Journe value guide and Patek Philippe value guide.

What the written appraisal contains

The report states the purpose, valuation date, reference, evidence, adjustments and limits. A sale estimate instead compares suitable routes and expected net after fees. Read the report options and fees; the intended recipient should confirm any required format before you proceed.

Tell us the purpose, reference, documents and location. We reply within one business day with the next evidence steps and the report scope. You can decide whether to proceed after the fee is confirmed.

The valuation fee schedule was updated on 27 September 2026. We do not imply acceptance of every report by every insurer or authority; the agreed purpose and recipient requirements define the work.