A fixed price for your pocket watch, properly explained.
Send photographs and tell us what you know. We’ll reply with an offer and a short explanation of how we got there. If you accept, post your watch and get paid within 24 hours.
Tell us about your watchFree assessment · No obligation to sell · Takes about 3 minutes
Why sellers come to us directly
Auction makes sense for genuinely rare pieces. For most pocket watches, you’re looking at a wait of several months with no guarantee of what you’ll receive, and combined buyer’s and seller’s premiums that can take around 30–45% of the sale price when it does go through.
The other quick option is a scrap gold buyer. They weigh the case and pay for the metal, and that’s the whole assessment: no explanation, and nobody checking whether the watch was worth more as a watch. Once it’s melted, that question is closed for good.
We offer something more straightforward: a proper assessment and a fixed offer with a clear explanation attached. If our own estimate turns out to be off, we cover the difference, not you.
“Customers of our vintage watch business, Time Rediscovered, kept asking what to do with their pocket watches. I started The Pocketwatch Buyer to bring the same fairness, helpfulness and ease of dealing to people selling them.”Nick · Founder
How selling works
Step 1
Send photographs and details
Tell us what you know about the watch: brand, material, condition, any history. There’s no need to identify every detail yourself.
Step 2
Receive your offer
We assess the photographs and details you send, then email you with a fixed offer and a short explanation of how we arrived at the figure. Subject to the details you’ve provided being accurate, that price is fixed. We aim to reply within one working day.
Step 3
Post it when you’re ready
Once you’re happy with the offer, we confirm the posting address and arrangements. Take it to your nearest Post Office when it suits you. No waiting in for a courier.
Step 4
Get paid
We acknowledge receipt and check the watch against the details you provided, then pay by bank transfer, usually within a few hours. Including your bank details in the parcel is the quickest way to avoid any delay.
Pocket watch brands we assess
These are just examples: we assess pocket watches by every maker, named or not. Tell us what you know and we’ll explain what we can assess.
Unbranded
No name on the dial is completely normal, especially on older British watches. We have plenty of experience valuing these from photographs.
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Rolex
Some early Rolex pocket watches are more sought-after than people realise. Worth a proper look before deciding on a route.
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Omega
Victorian and Edwardian Omegas range from everyday pieces to railway-grade movements. We’ve assessed more than a few.
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Patek Philippe
Among the most collectible pocket watches ever made. If you have one, it’s worth taking the time to understand your options.
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Hamilton
American railway watches built to exacting standards, and often worth more than their owners expect.
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Don’t know the brand, or it isn’t listed? That’s fine. Most pocket watches can be assessed from photographs regardless of whether there’s a name on the dial. Tell us what you have and we’ll take it from there.
Tell us about your watchDisclaimer: The Pocketwatch Buyer is not officially endorsed by, affiliated with, or authorised by any of the brands mentioned above. All brand names, trademarks, and logos are the property of their respective owners and are used here for identification purposes only.
What sellers say
The Pocketwatch Buyer is run by the team behind Time Rediscovered. These reviews were left by people who sold their watches to us there.
“What can I say except that the courtesy and professionalism of this organisation is one of the finest examples of customer service I have ever encountered in any field. Nick is an absolute pleasure to deal with, the communication throughout has been absolutely first class. I would honestly give more than 5 stars if I could!”
Sold through Time Rediscovered
“I had 2 vintage family Omega watches to sell and I didn’t really want to go down the auction route with them as I wasn’t sure where to start. Google found me Nick at Time Rediscovered. After submitting a couple of forms with photos, Nick responded with a lovely email and a very fair offer for both which I accepted and I received payment the same day the watches were received. Very prompt and professional service.”
Sold through Time Rediscovered
“If you are looking for a good, honest and well informed trader, look no further. From start to finish the process was super easy. Communication is excellent. The price we were offered was thoroughly explained and more than fair at the highest end. Same day payment at the price agreed. I can’t fault anything. More than happy.”
Sold through Time Rediscovered
Insights
Insights
Identifying valuable pocket watch brands
Where to find the maker’s name, which brands carry a premium, and why a watch with no name on the dial can still be worth selling.
Learn more
Insights
Weighed as metal, or valued as a watch?
Every gold pocket watch has two possible values, and which one you’re offered depends on who’s looking. The details that separate them are easier to check than you’d think.
Learn more
Insights
How to sell an inherited pocket watch
Auction, scrap buyer or direct buyer: what each route pays, how long each takes, and how to choose without weeks of research.
Learn more
Not sure what you’ve got?
Most people who contact us have inherited a pocket watch or found one while clearing a house. You don’t need to have done any research before getting in touch. Part of what we do is look at what’s actually in front of us and give you an honest read.
Tell us about your watchLooking for something exceptional?
We’re not a shop or an open marketplace, but occasionally a piece comes through that deserves a collector’s home rather than a saleroom. If you’d like to hear about these when they arise, before they go anywhere else, get your name on the list.
Join the listCommon questions
Do I need to know anything about the watch before getting in touch?
No. Most people who contact us have inherited a pocket watch or found one while clearing a house. Send photographs and share what you do know: the brand if it’s visible, the material if you can tell, and an approximate weight if you have scales. We’ll take it from there and let you know if we need anything else.
How does the offer work?
We assess the photographs and details you send, then email you with a fixed purchase price and an explanation of how we priced it. Subject to the details you’ve provided being accurate, that price is what you receive. We don’t change it once you’ve accepted and posted the watch on time, and if our own estimation turns out to be off, that’s our error to absorb, not yours.
Is there a time limit to accept?
Yes. Offers are open for 48 hours from when we send them, and we’ll show you the exact deadline. Once you accept, we ask you to post the watch within three calendar days.
As a small business, we set aside the funds for each accepted offer straight away. The deadlines help us keep those funds reserved for you so we can pay promptly. They’re not a sales tactic, just how we manage things carefully. We’ll confirm the posting address and show you the exact posting deadline before you send anything.
Who arranges postage?
You do. We recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm, which includes up to £750 compensation as standard and additional cover available up to £2,500, both subject to Royal Mail’s claims terms. You can drop it off at any Post Office at a time that suits you, rather than wait in for a collection. Please keep your proof of posting and tracking number. If a carrier delay holds things up after you’ve posted on time, your offer isn’t affected.
Do I need to open the case?
For an accurate offer, yes: we need a photograph of the movement, the mechanism inside the case, as well as the dial and the outside of the case.
Most pocket watch cases open without tools: the back either hinges open with a fingernail or a small catch near the pendant, or unscrews anticlockwise. Please don’t force it. If it doesn’t open easily, stop and send what you have: we’ll talk you through it by email or phone (020 3815 6488), and if it really won’t open we can open it ourselves as a last resort.
When will I be paid?
By bank transfer within 24 hours of us receiving your watch (working days), usually within a few hours. The quickest way to avoid any delay is to include your bank details in the parcel when you send it. If you’d prefer, you can email or call us with your details after we confirm receipt. We’ll never ask for card details, a PIN, or any banking passwords to pay you.
What if the offer is lower when you receive the watch?
If the watch doesn’t match the description in a way that affects the price, we’ll explain why and ask you to agree to any revised figure before we do anything. If you’d rather not accept a lower offer, we’ll return your watch at our expense.
Do you buy pocket watches in any condition?
Generally yes: working or not, with or without a chain. Send photographs and tell us what you know, and we’ll let you know honestly whether we can make an offer.
Do you only buy gold pocket watches?
Not exclusively. We assess most pocket watches regardless of case material. That said, if your watch is silver, stainless, or base metal, it’s worth knowing that the offer may reflect a different calculation, and for some non-gold pieces another route might suit you better. We’ll tell you plainly either way.
Ready when you are
Send photographs today and you’ll usually have a fixed price, with the reasoning behind it, by tomorrow. Your watch stays with you until you decide.
Tell us about your watchPrefer to talk it through first? Call 020 3815 6488. Calls are answered by our parent company, Time Rediscovered.