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to a proliferation of luxury resale platforms and pop-ups offering stylish clothes and accessories – and premium watches are no exception.
Take Bucherer, the world’s largest global watch and jewellery retailer. At Bucherer’s building in Geneva, with its stunning views over the lake, the entire fourth floor was redesigned and refurbished to accommodate the company’s pre-owned operation.
Key to Bucherer’s decision to sell pre-owned was a belief that it could offer authenticated watches with integrity – and a fully comprehensive certification process.
“We thought we could offer something without risk,” explained Odilo Lamprecht, global director for certified pre-owned, as Bucherer moved into the pre-loved market in 2019. “Everyone knows someone who has had an issue buying pre-owned.”
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The luxury watches telling stories as well as time
LAURA McCREDDIE-DOAK
An anniversary gift, a
treasured heirloom… every pre-loved timepiece has a tale.
What would yours be?
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“Every watch is serviced by a certified watchmaker and at the end receives a two-year international warranty.”
Bucherer’s certification procedures received the ultimate seal of approval in 2022 when it was confirmed as the first authorised dealer to sell certified pre-owned Rolexes.
This “badge of honour” from a world-famous name means that when you purchase a pre-owned Rolex from Bucherer, it will be authenticated, approved and certified by Rolex itself, along with its own two-year international warranty.
The pre-owned agreement is a continuation of the longstanding partnership that Bucherer – founded in 1888 by Carl-Friedrich Bucherer with his first store in Lucerne – has enjoyed with Rolex.
In 1924, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf established a relationship with Bucherer’s sons, Carl Eduard and Ernst, with the retailer agreeing to add the burgeoning watch brand to its range. Rolex has been part of the collection ever since.
Sustainability is also a key motivation to buy pre-loved. “People like the idea of buying something that already exists and that, with a proper service, can be like new,” says Lamprecht.
Time check Choose a pre-loved watch that matches your personal sense of style
Every watch receives a two-year international warranty
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re-owned has never been more fashionable, thanks
However, at the heart of the move was a certain aura of romance around the idea of buying a watch with a history, a story to tell – a timepiece passed down through the generations, perhaps, or a gift bought for a loved one’s birth year or anniversary year.
“People are attracted to stories,” says Lamprecht when asked why people are drawn to purchasing watches with a previous owner. “And with our pre-owned line, we offer the possibility to get into that storytelling.”
There are plenty of watches with stories to tell, from vintage styles that would be catnip to collectors to more modern releases to tempt first-time buyers fascinated by a particular brand’s cachet.
Setting Bucherer apart in the world of pre-owned classics is its robust certification process, where strong links with watchmakers ensure reliable authentication. “Because we are certified by the brands we work with, we have access to their databases, their machines, their parts,” reveals Lamprecht.
Golden era Match the timepiece to your wardrobe – and mood
Rest assured Pre-loved watches purchased via Bucherer receive a full service
Watch connoisseurs can buy pre-owned masterpieces in the luxurious surroundings of one of Bucherer’s 50 certified pre-owned locations worldwide. Among them are some of the most prestigious addresses in London, including Covent Garden.
The watch world is full of stories from their owners’ lives, where timepieces tell intimate tales – a watch gifted to a much-loved friend; one bought for an anniversary; or passed from father to son, mother to daughter, its presence an intimate aide memoire for future generations. With Bucherer’s pre-owned range you can create your own story. You simply need to decide on which page to start, and the tale you will tell…
the test of time
How Bucherer’s certification process ensures its pre-owned watches tick all the quality control boxes:
1. Bucherer purchases watches, but also accepts them in exchange for a trade-in voucher for their value.
2. Every timepiece is assessed and authenticated by a team of watchmakers approved by the brand.
3. The case and bracelet are given an ultrasonic clean and polish, and all functions undergo diagnostic tests to ensure each one is in full working order.
4. The movement itself is authenticated and serviced, the time regulated, and power reserve assessed. Any parts that need to be replaced will be original ones.
5. Water resistance tests are carried out on the glass, crown and back seals.
6. On passing the tests, each watch receives a two-year international Bucherer warranty – except Rolex models, which
have a two-year international Rolex guarantee.
See the Bucherer certified pre-owned collection in store or online at bucherer.com