Introducing The Worldwatch Register: A Significant Leap Forward for Transparency in Pre-Owned Watch Market

Imagine a pre-owned luxury watch, such as a vintage Rolex Submariner, being handed down, sold, and resold numerous times over the decades. In its journey from one wrist to another, the provenance – the record of its ownership, services and modifications – is often lost. As of now, the information about its original purchase, the replacement of worn-out parts, or about its sale at an auction, resides fragmented with different dealers. Each of these pieces forms an important part of the watch’s history, but, alas, none of it is typically available to the current or potential owners.

This is all set to change with the advent of the Worldwatch Register. Launched by the Amsterdam-based company, Worldwatch, the Register aims to be a comprehensive source where watch dealers can record and retrieve histories of timepieces. The vision is to improve transparency in the trade across the globe and aid consumers and dealers alike.

Stan Duin, who co-founded the Horology Club Europe, is one of the enthusiasts behind this significant leap. Having experienced the fragmented nature of information flow in the industry firsthand through running his own dealership, Duin and his team have created this platform to tie up the loose ends. They envision this Register as a master ledger of the watch trade, bringing together all the dealers to consolidate their records on one platform.

Worldwatch Register, therefore, stands poised to revolutionize the pre-owned watch market. It marks a significant step towards ushering in a new era of transparency and authenticity for watch lovers and collectors around the world.