Advice - am I being ripped off?
Advice - am I being ripped off?
Author
Discussion

Silenoz

Original Poster:

938 posts

170 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
Hi. I've got an old Omega deville watch
I want to sell this and use the money to buy something that is more my taste/ style (separate thread about that!).

Watchfinder have given an indicated value of around £280. I realise this watch is an "acquired " taste, but when I had a new battery put in it last month to check it worked before looking to sell it (£90 for a battery!?), the guy at the watch shop suggested I should have it insured for about £1k.

So knowing nothing nothing about the watch market, is the Watchfinder bid competitive and there is a massive markup between buy and sell or am I being bid very low and the watch is worth more?

Grateful for any advice received. Thanks.

Lotobear

8,074 posts

145 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
There's one on Ebay now at a BIN of £475 so I'd say their offer is fair.

BrokenSkunk

4,900 posts

267 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
Well, you were certainly ripped off for the battery!
Take a look at ebay and use the filters to see what prices the watches actually sold for. The asking proces on ebay are frequently silly.

Watchfinder do have a reputation for lowballing, but there's not a huge market for 80's quartz watches of this style. I'd guess that they'll put it up for £800 ish. They'd have to in order to make it worth their while.

Are they ripping you off? Hard to say. They're offering less than you'd get through a private sale, in return for which you get a hassle free sale.

Silenoz

Original Poster:

938 posts

170 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
Thank you both for your replies, I really appreciate it

anonymous-user

71 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
BrokenSkunk said:
Well, you were certainly ripped off for the battery!
Take a look at ebay and use the filters to see what prices the watches actually sold for. The asking proces on ebay are frequently silly.
My girlfriend has a Longines, she took it to "The watch lab" a local place in a shopping centre and I was shocked when they said it would be £70. I questioned it as I am notoriously tight, but my girlfriend just wanted it done so paid it.

£70 for a minutes work taking the back off and fitting a new battery, nice work if you can get it.

SWoll

20,988 posts

275 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
Joey Deacon said:
My girlfriend has a Longines, she took it to "The watch lab" a local place in a shopping centre and I was shocked when they said it would be £70. I questioned it as I am notoriously tight, but my girlfriend just wanted it done so paid it.

£70 for a minutes work taking the back off and fitting a new battery, nice work if you can get it.
Madness. I paid £6 for 10 Renata batteries on Amazon and £10 for a watch repair kit. I've done 5+ batteries at this point so have saved myself £300+ apparently. Will have to buy another watch. smile

anonymous-user

71 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
Looks a nice watch
The offer is around the right ballpark as they are taking the risk.
Should get more selling it privately. But you’ll have to deal with the public!
Value too low for the great Ebay Authenticion process.
Why not list on here for a week or two?, more than the offer/less than max seen

Silenoz

Original Poster:

938 posts

170 months

Monday 13th November 2023
quotequote all
Thanks, have listed it on here.

Silenoz

Original Poster:

938 posts

170 months

Monday 27th November 2023
quotequote all
So just to update, I sent the watch to Watchfinder last week. Got an email back today saying "Your watch has now completed the testing process at our service department who have found your watch is a vintage watch, and the gold plating is badly worn. With this in mind, we are unable to make an offer on your watch and unfortunately we will be returning it back to you."

Really annoyed with this as I'd sent many photos of the watch with my initial enquiry.

Sy1441

1,282 posts

177 months

Tuesday 28th November 2023
quotequote all
Joey Deacon said:
My girlfriend has a Longines, she took it to "The watch lab" a local place in a shopping centre and I was shocked when they said it would be £70. I questioned it as I am notoriously tight, but my girlfriend just wanted it done so paid it.

£70 for a minutes work taking the back off and fitting a new battery, nice work if you can get it.
£70 for a battery change is a tad expensive. I'm certain they would re-seal and lubricate anything that needed done (not much in a quartz).

anonymous-user

71 months

Tuesday 28th November 2023
quotequote all
Sy1441 said:
£70 for a battery change is a tad expensive. I'm certain they would re-seal and lubricate anything that needed done (not much in a quartz).
It pained me to see her pay it, if I knew how to get the back off without damaging it I would have gladly done it myself.

Mandat

4,292 posts

255 months

Tuesday 28th November 2023
quotequote all
Joey Deacon said:
It pained me to see her pay it, if I knew how to get the back off without damaging it I would have gladly done it myself.
You know how that old adage goes:

It's £1 for the battery & £69 for knowing how to change it.

anonymous-user

71 months

Tuesday 28th November 2023
quotequote all
Mandat said:
You know how that old adage goes:

It's £1 for the battery & £69 for knowing how to change it.
I just watched a YouTube video, looks as easy as when I changed the batteries in my watches as a child. If it was my watch I would do it myself, but it isn't and we are not talking about a £30 Casio so I would rather someone else take the risk of breaking it.

Monkeylegend

27,824 posts

248 months

Tuesday 28th November 2023
quotequote all
My other half had a new battery put in her watch on a market stall last week for £6 cash.

Took all of 60 seconds.