- What is a WatchPassport?
- A WatchPassport is a digital record for an individual watch. It stores identifying details, photographs, accessories and documented events such as services and ownership changes, and the record can continue with the watch if it changes hands.
- Why have a watch passport?
- Because useful information about a watch is easily scattered across receipts, service records, photographs, notes and the memories of previous owners. A WatchPassport keeps that history together in one record, making it easier to document the watch while you own it and carry that history forward if it changes hands.
- What can I record in a WatchPassport?
- You can record the watch's brand, reference and serial number, specifications, photographs, accessories, service history, pressure tests, timegrapher readings, battery changes and ownership transfers. You can also keep private notes, photographs and acquisition details that stay visible only to you.
- What information transfers with the watch, and what stays private?
- Information about the watch itself, such as its identity, photographs, accessories, documented history and original sale details, can continue with the passport when ownership changes. Your private notes, private photographs and second-hand acquisition details, such as what you paid when acquiring the watch from a previous owner, stay with you and are not transferred to the next owner.
- What happens when a watch changes hands?
- The current owner can transfer the passport to the new owner. The watch's transferrable history continues with the passport, while each owner's private information stays with that person. Previous owners keep their own private information and a historical snapshot from the time they owned the watch.
- Can other people see who owned a watch before me?
- No. Previous owners are not identified. A current owner can see that the watch has changed hands and can see the transferrable history attached to the watch, but not the identities of the people who owned it before.
- Is the public lookup free?
- Yes. Anyone can use the public lookup without an account. It shows whether a watch is registered on WatchPassport and whether it has an active stolen flag.
- What is visible in the public lookup?
- The public lookup shows the watch's identifying details, whether it is registered on WatchPassport and whether it is currently reported stolen on WatchPassport. It does not show owner names, contact details, or other private information.
- Do I need the original box and papers to register a watch?
- No. Box, papers, warranty cards, extra straps and other accessories are optional. You can register a watch without any of them and add accessories later if you want to.
- What happens if my watch is stolen?
- If your watch is registered, you can flag it as stolen. The passport will show a stolen warning, the warning will also appear in public lookup results, and ownership transfers are blocked while the flag is active.
- What if the same watch is already registered to someone else?
- WatchPassport will not simply create a duplicate passport for the same brand, reference and serial number. Instead, a conflicting claim dispute can be lodged and reviewed, so the competing claims can be resolved and control of the passport assigned appropriately.
- Can I archive a passport?
- Yes. A passport can be archived if you no longer want it active, for example if you no longer own the watch and the passport was not transferred for whatever reason. An archived passport can later be reactivated by the current owner.
- Is WatchPassport useful if I never plan to sell my watch?
- Yes. It can help you keep track of servicing, condition, photographs, accessories and other details over time. For many owners, keeping a documented history of the watch is useful and enjoyable even if it never changes hands.
- Do I need a subscription?
- No. We are not fans of the subscription model here at WatchPassport, and WatchPassport is not subscription-based. The public lookup is free, and paid actions (watch registration, ownership transfer, and passport reactivation) are handled individually rather than through a recurring subscription.
- What does WatchPassport cost?
- The public lookup is free and does not require an account. Prices for actions such as registering a watch, transferring ownership and reactivating an archived passport differ slightly depending on region and currency, but approximate $15 for registration and reactivation, and $8 for ownership transfer.