This must sound familiar: you’ve decided to splurge on a new watch, and the salesperson is putting it inside its enormous, fancy-looking box. It makes the watch look like it’s worth even more than it already is, and it kind of feels nice to carry the weighty thing out of the shop. But then you arrive home, take the watch out of that box, store it somewhere, and never think about it again. So, how much does watch packaging actually matter?
I’ll go over a few examples below, and then I’ll have my say on what I think would be the best way forward. But this article is also a request to you, dear Fratelli, to tell us what you think about current watch packaging. Make sure to leave your views down in the comments. But first, let me tell you about my experience with watch packaging.
My first experience with a typical example of watch packaging was with the box that came with my Oris Art Blakey. That’s a limited-edition watch that came in a special box and with a booklet about Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. I read the little booklet and then put everything except the watch back into the box. I stored it away and never looked at it again until I had to pack everything for my house move last week. It wasn’t like I had a lot of time to look inside every single watch box that I’d stored, though.
I quickly put all the boxes inside a bigger box, and I ended up with two big boxes full of smaller watch boxes. Now those two big boxes are sitting in the new house, waiting to be opened. But actually, I’m not sure when or if I’ll do that. I’ve thought about displaying the boxes in a nice place in the house, but that feels a bit flashy and over the top. It might also be nice to take out any cool reading material or props and put them on a shelf. Unfortunately, though, I think all those well-made boxes will stay hidden inside those moving boxes for the foreseeable future.
However, I do appreciate all those particular boxes for the different watches. The nicest one I have came with my Autodromo Intereuropa. It’s a flat blue and white lacquered wooden box that feels heavy in the hand. It has tiny hinges, closes with magnets, and oozes quality. It’s exactly what you’d expect with a luxury watch. If I were going to put any of my watch boxes on display, this one would work well for that.
Of course, my Cartier Santos Galbée XL came with La Maison’s signature red box. It’s another well-made box with a push-button mechanism to open it. I don’t think it’s something I would like to put on display, though, just like the green wooden and leather box that came with my Rolex Explorer reference 114270. It’s a nice little box, and that green color is very emblematic, but no, it’s going back into the moving box.
A year and a half ago, I bought the new Omega Speedmaster Professional. It came in quite a big box, inside of which was a little travel case. Although that’s a nice approach, even that travel case is still inside the bigger box. It’s simply not small enough to travel with.
The box that came with my Breguet 5907 is a beautiful wooden and leather one that was made by hand in Italy. It suits the watch, but again, it’s so big. In that sense, I prefer the small box that came with my Serica 5303-3. It’s big enough to ship the watch in, and it doesn’t take up as much space as the other examples I mentioned above. But more brands are thinking about how to package their watches too.
I know that when you order from Zenith’s online boutique, you can opt for more environmentally friendly packaging. I haven’t seen it in real life yet, but I can imagine that it’s similar to what Breitling is doing with its watch packaging. It’s a more sensible and modular solution made from 100% upcycled plastic bottles. Just like the Serica packaging, it’s easy to store away, and it can even be used when you’re traveling with your watch.
Another idea I just came across is this box from G-Shock that can also be used as ambient lighting. There’s an LED light inside, and the motif on the box makes for a nice spectacle at night. It’s a shame that only one of these will be made, but it could serve as inspiration for other brands.
I think I’d be happy if every watch came in a practical pouch or travel case. And even if I don’t use it for traveling, it won’t take up all my storage space in the new house. That’s why I totally get why Thomas chose to ship his future VPC watch in a nice leather watch pouch. But what would you prefer? Are you a fan of those big, luxurious (wooden) boxes? Do you put them out on display, or do you also store them in the attic? Let me know in the comments below.
And maybe you’ve come across really nice watch packaging that I didn’t mention. I’d be curious to hear what you’ve seen around. Maybe we can come to the perfect solution together.
Is it important to save the watch box? How much is the watch box really worth when reselling a second fine timepiece? Let’s investigate.
While it may be tempting to get rid of the box after you purchase your watch to save space and keep out the clutter, we would strongly advise otherwise. Even if you store your luxury watches in a watch winder, a specialized watch storage case, or in your side table drawer in no box at all- keep the original presentation box in a safe place.
This is because when it comes time to selling your used watch, the original watch box (and accompanying paperwork) can add a hefty premium to your timepiece. It’s estimated that a watch box can increase the selling price by anywhere from 15% to 50% depending on the model. Boxes that accompany older, vintage, and rarer timepieces add much more value than boxes for newer and more common models.
Even if you don’t think you’ll ever sell your watch, keep it for the person who’ll eventually inherit your watch. In fact, the famous Swiss watch company, Blancpain, wanted to buy back the original watch box of my late grandmother’s vintage Blancpain gold cocktail watch—they said that the box itself was more valuable than the timepiece! This was because not only did my grandmother keep it in fantastic condition but also because the company did not have any existing examples of that special box made for her particular model.
I’m happy to report that my father refused their offer and I have both her watch and ultra-valuable watch box securely tucked away in my safe. Ever since I heard that story from my father, I have meticulously kept every watch box that has come into my possession—and you should too.
You’ll find that it’s much easier to sell your second luxury watch when it comes along with its original box. This is because some buyers will not consider purchasing a pre-owned timepiece without one. In addition to indicating authenticity, having a watch box in tow also signals to the buyer that the watch was carefully taken care of. Someone who keeps the original packaging, paperwork, and any other accouterments is more likely to be a watch owner that was detailed enough to keep up a good service, maintenance, and cleaning routine.
One quick look at eBay and you’ll find countless sellers just selling watch boxes from several famous watch brands like Rolex, Omega, Cartier, Patek Philippe, and so on. Again, no watches, just the boxes. This is a clear indication that the box itself is worth a significant amount.
Although selling a used watch with its original box can add hundreds, if not thousands, dollars to your resale value, it is of course still possible to sell it without one. And while you may lose out on some money, if other factors such as brand, model, condition, paperwork, and service history are intact, then the price drop may not be too much.
At WP Diamonds we buy pre-owned luxury watches with or without boxes. With decades of experience in buying secondhand timepieces, we can offer you the best prices possible when you’re ready to sell your watch. Request a free quote from us today to take advantage of our easy, convenient, and secure process.
Alternatively, you can always schedule an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with one of our dedicated specialists at our offices in New York City, London or Birmingham (UK). Our service is free of charge and backed by hundreds of excellent customer reviews.