Luxury Watch Talk: How much is an IWC watch worth?

Hi guys! I own an IWC watch that my grandpa has given to me some years ago. I have never found out what’s the value of this watch but now I consider to sell my IWC watch because I need money for my vocational training. Please help me to find out how much is an IWC watch worth. Thank you!
Bradley from Seattle in Washington

Hi Bradley! Thank you very much for contacting us with your concern. My name is Steve Redrich and I will determine the value of your IWC watch. Unfortunately I don’t have your nice watch in hands but with help of photos and your personal assistance, I’m sure we will gain enlightening information concerning your watch’s value.
reDollar appraiser, Steve Redrich

Bradley wants to know, how much is an IWC watch worth

Bradley: Hi Steve! Thank you very much for getting back to me so quickly. I have sent you some pictures of my IWC watch and hope this photos help you to find out which model my IWC is.

Steve: Hello Bradley! Thank you very much for sending me such high-quality pics of your beautiful IWC watch. Before I go ahead with the evaluation, I would like to ask you if you have any certificates to your Swiss made watch.

Bradley: No, unfortunately not! I’m sorry! I don’t have any paperwork relating to my IWC watch. My grandpa gave me the watch in a watch case but there was no certificate included.

Steve: That’s no problem. I was just asking because a watch certificate can be helpful for the evaluation process, but it’s not a must. International watch and Company (IWC) is a Swiss watch manufacturer located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1868 from an American engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones. In the 1860’s he had been the director of E. Howard & Co., Americas leading Watchmaking Company located in Boston. F. A. Jones’s intention to found the IWC was to combine the modern engineering technology from the US with the outstanding craftsmanship of the Swiss watches. So you can see, the origin of your IWC is also connected with the US, a nice story.

Bradley: Yes, I didn’t know that before. I was sure the founder was Swiss.

Steve: No and that makes me very proud because actually the pure monopoly of outstanding watches is without any doubt in Switzerland.

Bradley: Yes that’s true. It is unbelievable how many remarkable and famous watch manufactures come from Switzerland. This little country has a leading position in manufacturing fine watches.

Steve: Yes, without doubt. Relating to your IWC I could find out the model. I think I have very interesting and promising news for you.

Bradley: Really? You make me curious Steve.

Steve: Your IWC is the Novecento Model, manufactured circa 1987. The watch case is made of 18 Karat gold and your IWC watch is an automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases. The watch is signed with IWC, Schaffhausen, the place where the watch was manufactured. To provide you with a binding appraisal I would need to open the watch very carefully to see the clockwork. The clockwork is the heart piece of a watch which shows the truly treasure of it. The clockworks make the watch masterpieces so valuable, nothing more. Please consider that I perform the evaluation from afar and I don’t have the watch in my hands but I’m pretty sure that your IWC watch has an automatic jeweled lever movement. We can see a silvered matte dial, where are applied baton numerals on an outer railway and four engine-turned subsidiary dials for day of the week, moon phases, date, and month. There is also an aperture for year indication between 10 and 11 o’clock. The buckle, dial, case and movement are signed.

Bradley: Wow that’s an extensive description of my watch. What does that mean to me? Is my IWC watch very valuable? And how much is my IWC watch worth?

Steve: Well, that’s in the eye of the beholder. For watches like your 18 Karat IWC Novecento, collector’s pay $5,000-$7,000. But there are also very rare and important watches which realize prices in the 6-digit area. So for us the watch is maybe very valuable, for wealthy collectors not.

Bradley: Wow! $5,000-$7,000 that’s a lot of money! I thought my watch is not more worth than $2,500, and this was my upper limit.

Steve: Well, you have to consider that a watch buyer can’t pay you the collector’s value but very reliable watch buyers like we would deduct around 10-20% from the collector’s value. It strongly depends on the watch model. For watch models which are very famous and which can be resold easily, we can pay much more than for vintage watches which are maybe more difficult to resale. Your IWC watch can be sold easily I think so. But some watches need special buyers and it can take time to find this buyers. For a scenario like that we have to be prepared, that’s why we offer for this special watches not the same price than for your watch for example.

Bradley: Ok, that makes absolutely sense to me. Your margin sounds good to me, I think I could live with it.

Steve: Our margin is not higher than the commission fees of famous auction houses. So if you would sell your IWC watch with a famous auction house, you would have the same or presumably more deductions and the big con is that watch auctions won’t be offered weekly or monthly. Sometimes you have to wait months until you can auction your lot. If you are in need of urgent money, selling via auction houses won’t be the right choice for you I think so. Above all it’s not granted that your watch will be finally sold. If there is no interested bidder who wants to pay at least the asking price, then you come away empty-handed. You see, it depends on your preference. I love auctions but I prefer to make the deal with a trustworthy buyer who I can blindly trust. Selling with a reliable dealer guarantees a quick transaction, quite contrary to auctions.

Bradley: And you are such a watch buyer Steve?

Steve: Yes we are and I don’t say that because I work for reDollar. reDollar is one of the most reliable and fair player in that business, without doubt.

Bradley: Thank you Steve, that sounds good to me. I will discuss your price offer with my wife but thank you for your brilliant appraisal. Now I have a clue of how much is an IWC watch worth, thanks to you.

Steve: Thank you too Bradley! It was a pleasure to make the appraisal of your IWC watch.

More information about IWC watches:

Interested in selling: Sell your IWC watch