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It’s easy to assume that a broken watch is worthless – but in many cases, this simply isn’t true. Are you wondering if a broken watch is valuable?
It sure could be!
The value of a broken watch depends on factors like its condition, rarity, and the resources (namely precious metals) that it contains. The original value is a big factor – for example, a cheap $50 watch that is now broken is likely not worth anything, whereas a vintage broken Rolex or other name-brand broken watch could be worth quite a bit.
This guide will answer the question once and for all – are broken watches worth anything?
Many broken watches have value. For instance:
We’ll now break down the different valuation components of broken watches.
“Scrap value” refers to the value of the individual components of a watch, if it were to be broken down further and sold for scrap.
In most cases, this refers to the precious metal content. For instance, a watch may have components made out of gold, platinum, or other rare metals.
For example, a solid gold Rolex might have substantial scrap value because of the gold it contains. Some solid gold watches are made with 18 carat gold, and may contain anywhere between 40 and 180 grams of material. At 18 carat purity, that’s between 30 and 135 grams of pure gold – worth thousands of dollars at today’s prices.
The scrap value of a watch remains even if the watch is significantly damaged. However, it might not be anywhere near the price the watch fetched originally.
This is particularly true of gold plated watches and platinum plated watches. Instead of being made with high purity solid gold, these plated watches are made of a cheaper base material and coated with a very small amount of gold. A broken gold plated watch isn’t worth much at all.
Another factor is whether or not the watch can be repaired. If it can, it could be worth more and could also be easier to sell.
Let’s say you have a valuable used Patek Philippe watch that is worth around $4,000 on the secondary market (in good working condition). Yours is not functional, but is in good physical shape with no major scratches or imperfections. In this scenario, your broken watch could still be worth a substantial amount – perhaps $1,000 to $3,000 – depending on the type of damage and how repairable it is.
Of course, finding a buyer willing to pay that could be tricky. Try a local watch shop or coin shop, and get a second opinion if necessary!
Alternatively, you could try paying to have the watch repaired, and then sell it yourself. This could be a better route to go if you know the approximate value of your watch, and are willing to invest in the repair.
Rare watches will be more valuable, even if they’re not functional. Antique and vintage watches have a strong collector market, and many collectors enjoy tinkering with watches and trying to fix them.
If you have a vintage watch, it’s best not to sell it for scrap, as it could be worth more to a collector. Of course, finding a collector could be tricky.
Some collector watches also have value due to the parts they contain. Online marketplaces like eBay are a decent place to sell spare watch parts and broken watches.
It’s important to keep in mind that a basic broken department store watch likely doesn’t have much value, if any at all. If the watch was originally quite cheap, it’s unlikely that it contains any precious metals – and it’s likely not worth repairing.
A watch shop or coin shop will be able to evaluate your item, but don’t get your hopes up if the original retail value was low.
Are you looking to sell a broken watch in the Seattle area? Bellevue Rare Coins is the Northwest’s trusted buyer of valuables, from watches to jewelry to gold. We’ve been serving the Seattle community since 1979, and have convenient locations in Bellevue, Issaquah, Lynnwood and Tacoma.
