Bucherer has been named as the launch partner for Rolex’s Certified Pre-Owned programme in the United States.
With its historic home in Switzerland, Bucherer was the natural lead-off partner for the Rolex initiative in Europe last year, and has followed that up by securing first-mover advantage across The Pond.
Tourneau the largest multiple for luxury watches and jewellery in the United Sates, was acquired by Bucherer in 2018, by which point the retailer had decades of experience in buying and selling second hand watches.
That expertise was a significant factor in the deal.
Rolex first announced the launch of its Certified Pre-Owned programme in December last year with Bucherer boutiques in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Denmark and the UK piloting the project in Europe.
As part of the programme, all pre-owned Rolex timepieces will be authenticated by Rolex, and given Rolex Certified Pre-Owned tags and a two-year international guarantee.
Tourneau | Bucherer offers pre-owned luxury watches at 20 of its showrooms, but has not said which will be first to offer certified Rolexes, which will appear on sale for the first time today.
The retailer has to buy the Rolex watches from customers, and they must not be less than three years old.
They can be checked and serviced by a Rolex accredited watchmaker by the retailer but must be authenticated with a hands-on check by Rolex before being certified.
Only then can they go back on sale.
“Because they are built to last, Rolex watches often live several lives. And because they may be worn on new wrists, the Rolex certified pre-owned program now enables retailers in the brand’s official distribution network to sell second-hand models that are certified as authentic and which come with a new two-year international guarantee,” Rolex said ahead of last year’s launch.
WatchPro visited Bucherer showrooms in the UK and Switzerland to see the CPO project in action.
The retailer has created space within existing CPO areas for the tagged second hand Rolex watches, which were in many instances offered at considerably higher prices to the same pieces new.
Rolex CPO watches can also be sold online, which is not the case for new.
Bucherer already has its own sophisticated CPO program for all luxury watch brands, including its own versions of wax seal-style tags and guarantees for each piece.