Inherited a Watch? First Steps
Reviewed
If you have inherited a watch or a collection, there is no hurry. Leave each watch as you found it, photograph it, gather every paper and story that came with it, and write down what you know before anything is cleaned, serviced, sold, or divided. A good record now makes every later decision easier, whether the watches stay in the family or not.
Leave them as they are
Resist the urge to clean, polish, or open anything. Polishing removes metal for good, and a dial or case left original is usually worth more to a collector than one that has been tidied. Don't force a crown that won't turn. Keep each watch in a soft pouch or its own box so they don't scratch one another.
Photograph everything as found
Before anything moves, photograph each watch where it was kept, then on its own: dial, caseback, sides, and clasp. Photograph the boxes, pouches, and any notes or labels with it. How a watch was stored can tell you something about it.
Gather the papers and the stories
Look for anything that belongs with the watches:
- Warranty cards, receipts, and service invoices.
- Letters, insurance schedules, or valuations that mention them.
- Photographs of the person wearing them.
- What family members remember: where a watch was bought, for which occasion, who serviced it.
Make a simple inventory
For each watch, note the maker and model if you can read them, the reference and serial number from the papers or the case (keep the serial private), its condition in plain words, and where it is now. Mark what you are unsure of rather than guessing.
Then decide, together
With the record in hand, the family can decide what to keep, wear, service, or sell, and who receives what. If value matters to that decision, get an independent valuation from a qualified appraiser. If the watches will be kept, think about safe storage and insurance.
Crown Quorum can hold the records for a collection while a family decides. It doesn't value watches or confirm whether they are genuine.
Common questions
- Should I get an inherited watch serviced straight away?
- Not before you have photographed and recorded it. Then ask a reputable watchmaker for an estimate, and tell them not to polish the case or refinish the dial.
- How do I find out what an inherited watch is worth?
- Ask a qualified, independent appraiser. Bring the watch and all its papers. Prices online are a rough guide at best, because condition and originality change a watch's value a great deal.
- How do we divide a collection fairly?
- Start from a shared inventory that everyone can see, with photographs and an independent valuation if value matters. Agree on the record first, then on who receives what.