Audemars Piguet is moving deeper into the secondary market with The Watch Keepers, its official certified pre-owned service for watches from the Manufacture.
The platform gives collectors a direct route to sell eligible pieces and buy authenticated pre-owned watches with verification handled by Audemars Piguet itself.
For a brand with a long archive and a global service network, the move is less about chasing resale noise and more about controlling trust, condition and provenance after the first sale.
At a glance
- Audemars Piguet has launched The Watch Keepers, an official certified pre-owned service for buying and selling watches from the Manufacture.
- Each eligible watch is authenticated by Audemars Piguet watchmakers, checked against the brand’s archives and assessed for condition.
- The service begins in Switzerland and Europe before expanding progressively to other regions.
A direct route into Audemars Piguet certified pre-owned
The Watch Keepers is built as an end-to-end digital service rather than a simple listing page.
Collectors can use the platform to offer eligible watches for sale, while buyers can browse authenticated timepieces connected directly to Audemars Piguet.
The catalogue is visible to account holders, though transactional features require buyers to register.
Operations are overseen from the brand’s headquarters in Le Brassus, working with regional service centres.
Authentication backed by the Manufacture’s archives
The central promise is verification by the people best placed to understand the watches.
Audemars Piguet watchmakers authenticate each piece, cross-check it against the Manufacture’s archives and assess its condition before it is presented for sale.
That access to historical records matters in a category where small details can carry significant weight, especially for watches that have passed through several owners.
Once a watch is received at an Audemars Piguet Customer Service facility, it undergoes authentication and condition checks.
The Manufacture then prepares high-resolution photography and a detailed listing.
Each listing includes a five-point grading system covering the aesthetic condition of the case, dial and bracelet.
How selling works on The Watch Keepers
Owners who want to sell must register, verify the watch’s serial number online and provide proof of ownership.
Eligible timepieces must be at least two years past their first sellout date.
Sellers can choose either a fixed-price listing or an auction format, and they retain control over the publication date.
The watch remains the seller’s property while it is securely stored until the sale is completed.
For buyers, completed purchases are delivered with a travel pouch, a certificate of authenticity and a two-year warranty covering proper functioning.
A more curated digital experience
The Watch Keepers also leans into a more branded online environment than the typical secondary-market platform.
Its digital interface includes colour-themed virtual rooms and digital avatars of dedicated Expert Watch Keepers.
Those guides are designed to assist users as they browse available watches, list a timepiece for sale or explore editorial content.
The service is accessible through thewatchkeepers.com and will initially roll out in Switzerland and Europe before expanding to other regions.
For Audemars Piguet collectors, the appeal is clear. The Watch Keepers brings resale, authentication, condition grading and warranty support closer to the Manufacture, adding a more structured path for watches whose lives continue well beyond their first owner.
