How to catalog your watch collection
Two watches or twenty, a simple record pays off the first time you need to insure one, service one, sell one — or report one stolen. Here’s what to write down, and how to keep it private.
Short answer
For each watch, record the brand, model and reference, the serial number, when and where you got it and what you paid, whether you have the box and papers, its service history, and a rough current value. Take clear photos of the dial, the caseback and the serial, and of the papers. Keep the record where it’s private and backed up, and give your insurer a copy of anything valuable.
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Why bother
- Insurance: insurers ask for proof of ownership and value, often with photos and serial numbers.
- Theft or loss: the police and registries need the serial and a photo to have any chance of matching a recovered watch.
- Servicing: knowing when each watch was last serviced, and by whom, avoids both neglect and paying for an unnecessary service.
- Selling: a documented history helps the price. See how to sell a used watch.
- Your family: a clear record makes an inherited collection far easier to handle, and far harder to undersell.
What to record for each watch
| Field | Why |
|---|---|
| Brand, model, reference | Identifies it precisely. See finding the reference |
| Serial number | Theft reports, insurance, matching papers |
| Movement (automatic, quartz…) and calibre if known | Servicing intervals |
| Acquired: date, from whom, price paid | Proof of ownership, insurance, tax on sale in some countries |
| Box and papers: what you have and where they are | Value and provenance. See box and papers |
| Service history: date, who, what, cost | Planning the next service; resale |
| Condition notes: marks, replaced parts, bracelet size and spare links | Honest resale listings and insurance claims |
| Estimated value and date checked | Insurance cover; update it every year or two |
The photos to take
- The dial straight on in daylight.
- The caseback, with engravings readable.
- The serial number wherever it is (lugs, rehaut, caseback).
- The papers and receipt, and any distinctive marks or scratches that make the watch recognisably yours.
Spreadsheet, app or both?
- A spreadsheet is flexible, exportable and easy to hand to an insurer. It’s tedious to keep photos with, though, and easy to let lapse.
- A collection app is quicker to add to, especially with photo identification filling in the details. Check what the app stores, where it stores it, and whether you can get your data out.
- Many collectors use both: an app for the day-to-day, and a document with serials and receipts stored securely for insurance.
Keep it private and safe
- Don’t post serial numbers publicly, and be thoughtful about sharing a full collection with values attached.
- Back up the photos and documents somewhere other than the phone or computer they live on, such as an encrypted drive or a secure cloud folder.
- Tell someone you trust where the record is.
- Review insurance cover when values change. A watch insured at its purchase price years ago may be under-covered today.
About Loupe’s collection. Saved watches, their photos and your notes are stored only on your phone, with no account and no sync. That keeps them private, but it also means Loupe isn’t a backup and has no export. Keep copies of receipts, papers and serial photos somewhere backed up as well.
A private collection in your pocket
Identify a watch with Loupe and save it to your collection with its photo, brand, model, reference and estimated resale range. Add your own notes, and see the whole collection’s combined estimate. It all stays on your phone: no account, no cloud. Free trial, cancel in Google Play.
