Whoever buys a pre-owned luxury watch buys two things: the watch and the certainty that it is what it claims to be. The box and papers are that second part.
What a "full set" is
The watch with everything that was handed over on the day of purchase: the inner and outer box, the warranty card or certificate with the serial number and date, the manual, the tags and the spare bracelet links.
Why they matter
- Authenticity: the original warranty ties the watch's serial number to a point of sale and a date.
- Date: it gives the exact year, which in some models changes the price a great deal.
- Resale: a complete watch sells sooner and for more. The difference depends on brand, model and age; it is larger for modern, sought-after pieces than for vintage watches, where hardly any still has its papers.
What also counts
Service invoices from an official service centre say when the watch was opened and what was replaced. A recently serviced watch with its original parts is easier to sell than one nobody knows anything about.
If they have been lost
Do not look for a "similar" box or loose papers on the internet: papers that do not belong to the watch are worse than none. Some brands issue, after an inspection at their official service, an archive extract or a document confirming authenticity. And a watch without papers still finds a buyer: it simply has to be stated clearly, as we do in the record of every watch in our collection. If you want to know what yours is worth, ask for an appraisal.