Video: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Bucherer’s CPO Program
Numerous retailers and brands have rolled out their own certified pre-owned programs, but not all are equal. Here’s how the world’s largest watch retailer is setting the standard for CPO timepieces.
By Cait Bazemore
Contributor
In the past several years, we’ve seen the secondary watch market boom. What was once limited to glorified pawn shops and a handful of online marketplaces that may or may not have been reputable has grown into one of the most lucrative segments of the industry.
This evolution of the secondary market also prompted several brands and retailers to level up and develop their own dedicated Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs.
And one of the first retailers to accurately read the tea leaves and thus lead the CPO movement was Bucherer, the world’s largest watch and jewelry retailer, which launched its CPO program in 2019.
Fun Fact: Even eBay’s well-known and highly-publicized Authenticity Guarantee process, which helped it build greater credibility and reputability in the pre-owned watch space, didn’t get off the ground until 2022, several years after Bucherer’s CPO program.
The Early Days of Bucherer’s CPO Program
Of course, since the CPO program’s launch in 2019, Bucherer has gone through some pivotal changes. The biggest probably being Rolex acquiring Bucherer in 2023, just months after the “Crown” unveiled its own CPO program at the end of 2022. Interestingly, prior to being acquired, Bucherer joined Rolex’s CPO program in 2022. Thus, Bucherer was the first retailer in the world to join the program.
However, as influential as Rolex’s announcement of its own CPO program was for the company and the watch industry as a whole, Bucherer has, in the meantime, quietly continued to evolve its CPO program, from expanding its pre-owned inventory to implementing new buyer protections, making it into something truly worthy of paradigm-status.
Why? Because of Bucherer’s vast retail network, for starters. As a result of its global reach, Bucherer can offer CPO watches directly in its boutiques. It is one of the primary advantages that sets Bucherer apart from other CPO retailers, a majority of whom only operate online and require you to purchase a secondary market watch sight unseen.
How Bucherer’s CPO Program Works
Whether brick-and-mortar or online, with the growing prevalence of CPO programs available, it’s important for customers to understand each brand or retailer’s approach to assessing the condition and authenticity of the watches it sells so buyers can feel confident in their purchase.
For Bucherer, this process starts at any Bucherer boutique worldwide or at one of the brand’s 50 boutiques located around the world that currently offer dedicated CPO lounge services. In all Bucherer boutiques, customers may take the initial step of passing off their beloved timepiece to one of Bucherer’s experts to undergo a preliminary inspection right on site.
If the watch is approved, it’s purchased outright or available to trade in with a voucher. From there, the seller’s journey is over, and they can move on to the excitement of their next watch. However, the watch’s journey is far from over before it lands back in a Bucherer boutique for sale.
From here, the watch travels to Lucerne, a town in the heart of Switzerland where Bucherer has been headquartered since its founding in 1888. Here, the watch is carefully disassembled by an expert watchmaker from the case to the bracelet, and each element is meticulously cross-referenced against any available records and documentation. Thanks to Bucherer’s widespread network of dozens of brands, its team is able to work closely with its respective brand partners to confirm every detail of the watch is correct.
One of the most crucial elements in the process is, of course, the disassembly of the movement. Doing this not only ensures all the parts are original to the piece, but it also ensures the watch is in proper working condition.
After the inspection, each component is thoroughly cleaned in an ultrasonic water bath, and the case and bracelet are polished. However, it is important to note that while polishing the case and bracelet, Bucherer’s team of highly skilled watchmakers takes care to preserve as much of a watch’s patina as possible.
Once each element is ready, the watch is reassembled in a 100% dust-free environment.
Now that the watch is in tip-top condition, it goes through a series of quality control tests. These include the Cyclostest, which simulates various wearing conditions, and the Chronoscope, which automates the measurement of mechanical watches in the main test positions.
If the watch passes the tests, it’s photographed in Bucherer’s 360-degree photo booth before it finds a new home in one of Bucherer’s CPO Lounges.
Want to see the process for yourself? Then check out our exclusive video tracking the CPO process:
Bucherer’s Dedicated Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Lounge
For Rolex timepieces specifically, a Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Lounge was opened in April of this year in the heart of Geneva on the fourth floor of the Bucherer flagship on the Rue du Rhône. This particular lounge dedicated to the Crown spans nearly 300 square feet and features a design that perfectly blends the aesthetics of Rolex and Bucherer.
It offers the warm and relaxed feel of a living room and is beautifully bathed in light thanks to large windows that overlook Lake Geneva. Here, you’ll find an expansive selection of CPO Rolex watches dating back at least three years.
Bucherer’s CPO Guarantee
Finally, in addition to each and every one of Bucherer’s CPO watches going through a rigorous process of inspection, authentication, and servicing, the timepieces are also backed by an international two-year warranty. However, for a few brand partners, like Rolex and, in Switzerland only, Cartier and Breitling, the CPO warranty comes directly from the brand rather than through Bucherer.
Either way, you know you’re getting the guarantee of a high-quality timepiece and experience when you choose to buy a CPO watch through Bucherer. To learn more, please visit the Bucherer website.
(Photography by Pierre Vogel)