These Watches Are Worth A Ton Of Money (And You May Have Them Lying Around)

When you're done searching for spare change between your sofa cushions, consider rifling through your drawers for your old watches. At Money Digest, we've done stories about what valuable coins you may have lying around, as well as given you the scoop on what vintage magazines you may own that are worth a ton of money. Maybe you have a valuable watch that's been passed on to you by a family member lying around somewhere. Perhaps there's a family heirloom you haven't thought much about since you received it because living in the digital age means everybody has access to the time on their phones. Regardless, trust us when we tell you there's a possibility the family heirloom may actually be worth something.

According to a OnePoll survey via SWNS Digital, in 2021, 42% of Americans owned a family heirloom that was 50 years or older, and for almost half of them, those heirlooms represented their most valued possession. Also per the survey, watches were the fourth-most prized heirloom that people hoped to inherit, with 26% of people surveyed itching for grandpa's vintage watch. Those watches include names like Phillipe Patek, Rolex, or Omega, which can go for thousands of dollars. That said, it might surprise you what actually makes a watch valuable, and there are potentially manufacturers outside of the usual suspects worth more than you would expect.

Cartier watches definitely fall into the category of desired and valuable, with luxury prices in the ballpark starting in the $3,000s and reaching well over $200,000. While watches and jewelry are not generally considered appreciative assets, a genuine Cartier timepiece is something that actually retains a lot of its value after many years.

Tank watches (seen above), named for their square faces reminiscent of World War I tanks, and the Cartier Santos watch (recognizable for its steel casing, bracelet, and noticeable screws) are a few of the most likely Cartier-style watches to retain their value. As for the Santos de Cartier watch, it was named after Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, and like Dumont, the cost of one can soar to lofty heights on the high end. The Pasha de Cartier, meanwhile, was named after Thami El Glaoui, the Pasha of Marrakesh, who, legend has it, asked for a waterproof, one-of-a-kind timepiece in the early 1930s.

Although it's a French brand, Cartier watchmaking is done in Switzerland, which is accepted as the place where the world's best watchmakers reside. Cartier's most valuable watches come in different variants of gold (rose, gold, yellow), steel, and quartz, and the material used can affect the price of the watch, depending on collector trends. As for the Cartier heirloom in your family, according to the Grey Market, you'll want to check on a few things to determine its potential resale value, starting with the condition and whether or not the watch comes in its original box and has its papers. Of course, age and model are also two big factors, along with the watch's service history.

Aside from craftsmanship and materials, reputation can play a huge part in the value of a watch. Take Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet, for example. The brand, founded in 1875, is known for an artistic aesthetic, one that pushes against mediocrity.

To tell if your family heirloom is a real or fake Audemars Piguet, you'll want to first check for the original box and papers, as well as inspect the watch under magnification, looking closely at the dial pattern, engravings, and finish: all should be crisp, precise, and uniform. Another sign of an authentic Audemars Piguet is that you won't hear any ticking, according to London-based luxury watch retailer Trilogy Jewellers, which also says to check the serial number-and-letter combination found on the back of the watch's case. The letter changes once about every three years (~100,000 watches); this helps you approximate when your watch was made, as well as confirm if it's correctly formatted.

Of course, scarcity is a factor as well when it comes to old watches. For example, one Audemars Piguet chronograph wristwatch from March 1942 — one of only eight ever manufactured and one of only three sold by Casanova in Bologna, Italy — sold at auction (at Ader auction house in Paris) for 166,400 euros or nearly $181,000. Meanwhile, an original Audemars Piguet from the watchmaker's most popular collection, the Royal Oak — first introduced in 1972 with 1,000 pieces — could go for ~$250,000. Check charts like WatchCharts to compare the retail and market prices of Audemars Piguet pieces today.