Sell your Breguet in Switzerland

Selling a Breguet in Switzerland works best with complete documentation and through a buyer who lets several specialist dealers compete. Value depends on the collection, the complication, the case material, the state of the guilloché dial, the individual number and completeness. Classique, Marine, Type XX and Tradition are the sought-after lines, and originality carries unusual weight with this brand.

Uhrenkontor is a platform of Solidas GmbH, entered in the commercial register of the canton of Schwyz with its registered office in Schindellegi SZ. Over 25 partner dealers across Switzerland assess your Breguet from watch data and photos; your contact details stay with Uhrenkontor. On working days the highest bid reaches you within 12 hours as a binding offer, free of charge, without obligation and valid for several days.

What determines the value of a Breguet?

Guilloché work and the state of the dial

Breguet dials are traditionally engraved by hand on a rose engine; the wave pattern of the Marine line and the fine motifs of the Classique are hallmarks of the brand. Scratches, traces of moisture or a dial replaced at a later date therefore weigh more heavily here than with other makers. An original, undamaged dial is the basis for a strong bid.

Breguet hands, secret signature and numbering

The recognition features include the blued hands with an eccentric ring known as Breguet hands, the secret signature introduced in 1795 that is only visible on the dial in raking light, and the individual number carried by every watch. Dealers compare number, reference and certificate; when all three agree, the authenticity check becomes considerably simpler.

Complication and case material

Breguet received the patent for the tourbillon in 1801, and complications have shaped the collection ever since. A tourbillon, perpetual calendar, power reserve, alarm or chronograph is assessed quite differently from a three-hand model. On the case, white gold, rose gold, platinum and steel all play a role, the latter above all in Marine and Type XX; the fluted caseband and the screwed lugs must be undamaged.

Completeness, certificate and service history

Every Breguet comes with a certificate carrying the individual number. A full set of watch, original box, certificate and purchase receipt makes resale easier and increases the number of interested dealers. Without papers a sale remains possible, but the inspection at handover becomes more thorough.

Which Breguet models are most in demand?

The Classique embodies the house style: a round case with a fluted band, a guilloché dial and Breguet hands. Both plain models with date and small seconds and versions with power reserve, moon phase or tourbillon find buyers.

The Marine is the sporting line, named after Abraham-Louis Breguet's appointment as watchmaker to the French Navy. Since the 2005 relaunch with larger cases and wave guilloché, the Marine has been available in steel, titanium and gold. Chronographs and models with a power reserve indication are asked for regularly.

The Type XX goes back to the pilots' chronographs Breguet supplied to the French air force and naval aviation from 1954; the characteristic feature is the flyback function, which restarts a running chronograph with a single press. On the secondary market, both the models of the 1990s and 2000s and the current generation are sought after.

The Tradition was launched in 2005 and shows the movement openly on the dial side, inspired by the founder's souscription pocket watches. Versions with retrograde seconds, tourbillon or power reserve have a loyal following among collectors who value technical watchmaking.

How selling your Breguet works

1. Fill in the form: In around 3 minutes you give model, reference, individual number, condition and completeness and upload photos, including the dial in raking light and the case back.
2. Valuation by over 25 partner dealers: Dealers only ever receive watch data and photos, never your contact details. On working days the highest bid reaches you within 12 hours as a binding offer.
3. Decide without pressure: The offer is valid for several days, free of charge and without obligation. It applies subject to condition, authenticity and completeness matching your description.
4. Handover in person and payment: Handover anywhere in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, for example at a bank branch, a notary's office, your workplace or your home. After the check, payment follows in cash, by bank transfer or by Twint. If the condition differs, you receive an adjusted offer at no cost.

How to recognise a reputable buyer

A reputable buyer explains before the handover how the inspection works, how long the offer stands and how payment is made. With a Breguet that includes comparing the individual number, the secret signature and the certificate, and being able to judge the movement.

Check the company behind the offer: a commercial register entry, a legal notice and a contactable address are the minimum standard. Anonymous listings, pressure to decide quickly or a request to send the watch in advance "for inspection" are warning signs.

Pay attention to a documented payment route. Cash against a signed receipt and purchase contract, bank transfer or Twint can all be traced. A handover at a bank branch or a notary's office protects both sides and is common practice with valuable watches; at a bank branch you can deposit cash straight away.

A detailed overview of the selling routes is set out in the guide to selling a watch in Switzerland and under how it works.