Luxury Watch Hot Take

I love the thinking!

• Yes, totally agree 100% that box and papers were important signals of "care and attention" that have now gotten diluted, because everyone does it - like college...  used to signal something, but now that so many people go the college diploma is the new high school diploma!
• But, I can see papers being worth something.  If the watch is still within its warranty period, you have to have the card in order to get manufacturer warranty service, if you need it!  That's gotta be worth something, right?

I just appreciate the use of the word "shite" in an international forum. Carry on.

Ok, warranty, yes. 

I was kind of thinking post-warranty, cuz I would never sell before the warranty expired, but yes, some value in papers up to the end of warranty. 

There is still value in a box an papers that at least somewhat prove the origins of a watch. A stolen watch is unlikely to have the box, matching paperwork, and warranty card. 

Beyond proving the legitimacy of the origin of the watch, I agree with your assessment. 

Assuming it's off warranty and assuming that you can independently verify authenticity and assuming you can find a next buyer that thinks like you do that in that box and papers don't have an independent value of their own....then sure.

If any of those other preconditions are true, then they have an independent and even calculable value.  

Good point. I guess most people don't keep the watch in the box with the papers. 

I am a package peasant.  I am memerized by fancy packaging... like a little child... the box is more entertaining than the contents...  

Normally agree, but it is a money-in and money-out game. Save money buying, lose money selling. I never sell, so I guess I also kind of agree. I tend to only buy full sets, largely because I buy new, but for sub $2500, I kinda don't care most of the time.

I had to consult my car's owner's manual for something this week. I was struck my some inherited desire to keep the stupid book pristine while the car rusts away and falls prey to entropy. This is silly. Nobody cares about the car's owner's manual and it will go into a landfill with pristine pages.

Same with packaging and papers. This is all cargo cult stuff. Once upon a time it was rare for someone to keep the ephemera, so it was special like an original Barbie doll. Now all kinds of wierdos and even a few regular people save all that stuff, so it is all worthless just like a new NRFB Barbie doll. 

Ever been at a car show where some whacko has the original Monroney window sticker from decades ago? It's interesting but at the same point you have to wonder about the sanity of all the people that held onto this thing as if it were some sacred object.

I don't study second hand prices, but I seriously doubt this bonus wood pulp product is worth that much more. Although I suspect one can't separate it from the fact that it identifies the owner as a neurotic anal-retentive type that babied the item.

I would say it is similar to real estate and staging.  A staged house will usually sell faster than a cluttered house.  It shows better and you will more likely get the market value with less time on the market.  A watch with box and papers will sell the watch faster, not necessarily higher in value.  In my experience I have tried to buy with box and papers and have not paid the premium but also noticed the watch was not on the market long vs other watches with papers but costing a larger premium.

Like others have stated, I agree, as long as the warranty is expired.

Usually the box and paperwork are useless until you get into crazy prices and pieces that most collections will never see.

You are right and you are also wrong (I voted right). Box and papers were important when you wanted to pass your watch to the next generation. In other words this had an emotional value which is meaningless if they are stored on a shelve between sales. 

But not having an emotional value doesn't mean that there is no value. Watches with a full set of papers and box will usually sell faster and for higher prices than watches without. That's part of the game and we will keep doing it as long as it's the only game in town.

I have news for you: you are a cat.

We are toy collectors.

Boxes only mean something to collectors, not wearers.

Well I don't want to say you're wrong because I hate having to organize all my frickin Boxes. Just had to do it the other day.

The reason I was going through them was, I'm selling a few. Fact is it's a lot easier to sell a used watch if you have the original box and everything that came with it. 

I don't want to shoot myself in the foot if end up selling a watch and getting less because I recycled the box. Case in point, I just sold my black grenade dial king Turtle. Since I got a Willard I just don't wear it as they are very close.

The guy that bought it was ecstatic to get it and he mentioned that it was nice that everything was there. I of course sold him on watchcrunch as well😉

You shouldn't sell the watch with the costomers name on the receipt if it's stolen... That's just bad form😎

I’d like to have the box and papers for my watches. It’s like their home and birth certificate. 
A watch on its own is fine for stuff on the cheaper side but if I’m paying anything over 1k I’d like the full set. 

Sorry but I'm not sure I'm understanding the premise of this post correctly.

Are you all suggesting that there are folk out there who will go out and buy a watch then go on to sell it ! 🧐🤯😳🤢😵‍💫😆

Absolutely right, watches became investments, it would be a perfect world if every buyer buys a watch with the intention to enjoy it and not flip it, then yes no one would care about papers. Having said that, I've never flipped a watch but I always find myself asking for the papers when buying a watch, it's not a deal breaker for me, but it's nice to have the full set.

I basically agree with you. At best a “nice to have” - especially as it may mean something to the next person should you ever choose to sell.

But if I can get a better price without all that jazz that’s fine by me. Boxes too bloody big anyway!

That wasn’t an “It depends” option for us indecisive lot so I felt forced to go with the daft option. I don’t feel that strongly in either direction, but I tend to like to see the box and papers to help verify the authenticity of the watch (or more accurately the source of the watch), and I like the full experience of the box and papers. 
 

That said, I’ve only ever bought new watches and am unlikely to ever buy used (or many more watches at all, possibly, maybe) so not sure my opinion counts here. 

The box and papers mean nothing to me.  The stuff gets packed in a box and stored in some out of the way place in the house, I hardly ever see it again.

I see my word choice to encourage people on the fence to vote for me did not work on you. 

No offense taken where none was meant. 

Some senders like Stowa send you something in packaging resembling a suitcase 🧳. The inside bit is a cnc milled bit of high density mdf in a typically German precise way .  Its practical ! I sold that watch just packaged in the useful bit . Let’s define “ the packaging “ because there must be some nuts that literally keep all the packaging. Define packaging :)

Box, papers, candy, receipt AND one owner only for me if I’m buying second hand. 
 

my own checkbox’s (ridiculous to car collectors but not watch collectors but who’s comparing?) is down right absurd, but its saved me money from impulse purchases.

Because why not?