Pre-owned watches in Birmingham

I buy and sell pre-owned and vintage watches from my base in Orléans, France, and I ship to the United Kingdom. If you are searching for pre-owned watches Birmingham, I want you to understand how buying from abroad works before you choose a watch.

Second hand watches in Birmingham

I work from Orléans, not from a shop in Birmingham. Every watch you see on Chronostyle is in my hands in France, and it ships from there. You can still see a watch in person at 29 rue de la Cigogne, 45100 Orléans, France, by appointment; the showroom holds no stock, so I bring the piece you want to see from the site on request.

When you search for second hand watches Birmingham, buying from France may seem less direct. If you would normally search for second hand watches Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, the change is mostly in distance, not in the way I work: you choose a watch, I give you time to ask questions, and I send it once you are comfortable.

How buying from Birmingham works

The online shop shows each watch with detailed characteristics and photos. Before ordering, you can write to me with any question, or ask for more photos of a particular angle, the movement, or the buckle.

Once you have decided, you pay for the watch. I own my stock, so I use no marketplace and no intermediary between you and the watch.

What I check before a watch is listed

Chronostyle has existed since 2022, and I have fifteen years of experience in watches, eight of them in Geneva. Every watch passes through my hands before it is listed. I open it, inspect it, and have it serviced. If it does not convince me, it is not sold.

Each watch comes with a one-year warranty. That applies whether you collect it in Orléans or receive it in Birmingham.

Shipping to the United Kingdom

Shipping to the United Kingdom costs €80 and takes about 2 to 4 business days from dispatch by DHL Express. The parcel is insured for the full value of the watch, packaged discreetly, and handed over against signature. I prepare it once payment is confirmed.

Customs duties, import VAT or local taxes, and the carrier's clearance fees are payable by you directly to DHL on delivery. They are not included in the price of the watch or in the shipping cost, and they depend on the country, the value, and the origin of the watch. I always declare the watch at its real value and with its true origin.

Rolex and Cartier: what to look for

In any pre-owned or vintage watch, I look first at condition, originality, and service history. Box and papers can be useful — they are not the whole story — because a full set does not replace a careful inspection, and a watch without papers can still be honest.

With Rolex, I pay attention to the bracelet, clasp markings, and the match between the case number and the paperwork. With Cartier, the dial signature, crown shape, and case proportions matter because small details often reveal a replaced part. The brands I work with include Rolex, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, Omega, Breitling, TAG Heuer and Universal Genève.

I also buy watches. Send me photos of yours, wherever you are, and I will appraise it personally.

Questions about a watch, or about shipping to Birmingham? Write to me or call +33 6 49 22 89 52.

Looking elsewhere? See all the cities I ship to.