Watch Grading Guide

At William May, we understand that shopping online can be challenging, especially when buying one of our luxury watches. Even though we can't match holding something in your hands, we can make the process easier.

As our watches are pre-owned, they are not always in mint condition and can be unique in their own ways. To help you better understand the condition of our watches, we have created our very own system of grading. 

Each grade is broken down into specific criteria, with one of our watches fitting any or all of them.

Please see the details of each grade below. 

0 New or Unworn 

• Completely new and has not been worn before
• No signs of wear or damage
• In mint condition with no signs of wear
• May have been stored for some time, but still in excellent condition

1 Very Good

• Shows little to no signs of wear
• The glass, hands, dial, case, and movement are all in very good condition
• Movement may have been serviced to a satisfactory level
• May have undergone polishing

2 Good

• Has light signs of wear or scratches
• The glass, hands, dial, case, and movement are all in good condition
• No major dents or hairline cracks
• Repairs have been made using original parts
• Movement may have been serviced
• May have undergone polishing

3 Fair

• Shows obvious signs of wear or scratches
• Fully functional, but may require maintenance
• Glass may have been replaced
• May have small dents
• May have undergone polishing
• May contain non-original spare parts
• Movement may require servicing

4 Poor

• Heavy signs of wear or scratches
• May not be fully functional
• Case heavily dented
• Dial, hands, and/or glass may need replacing
• May have undergone polishing
• May contain non-original spare parts

5 Incomplete

• Some components are missing or non-functional
• Only suitable for spare parts
• May contain non-original spare parts

Whether you are buying your first luxury watch or adding to your collection, we are passionate about making sure you buy with confidence. This guide is here to assist you with that, but if you're still unsure, our in-house watch expert is also here to answer any questions you may have. 

Reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

Or via telephone:

0161 205 3575