Leverage your Watch

Fine watches combine classic technical sophistication with beauty and elegance that go far beyond their time-telling utility. They are a major collectible asset class and a premier form of wearable art for men and women alike. This is one of the reasons why so many owners of fine art also own fine watches.

Another reason is investment performance. Like fine art, the fine watch asset class has a consistently strong track record of value appreciation. A recent notable case involves an Air Force veteran who recently learned of the power of a Rolex watch to appreciate in value. He brought the 1971 Rolex Oyster Cosmograph that he purchased while stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War to a taping of the PBS Antiques Roadshow program in West Fargo, North Dakota wondering what it was worth. He paid $345 for the luxury watch and kept it in a safe deposit box after returning home almost 50 years ago. While Rolex watches have always been prized for holding their value, what the expert appraiser informed its owner sent him reeling – his watch would sell at auction for between $500,000 and $700,000! This watch’s appreciation of over 145,000% was due to unique factors including the rarity of the 1971 Rolex Oyster Cosmograph model and its impeccable condition.

An even more stunning example of appreciation was the 2017 sale of Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona for $17.5 million, aided no doubt by its former owner’s celebrity. However, the value of every fine watch, be it from Rolex, Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Sohne, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Hublot, Richard Mille, or others is supported by its beauty, sophisticated design, high-quality materials, and meticulous production process its expert watchmakers follow.

While many owners of fine art may be aware of the long-standing practice of securing a loan using their art assets as collateral, they may not be aware of its popularity using fine watches. Unlocking their equity through private sale or auction takes significant time and effort but using luxury assets such as fine art or watches makes it easy to capitalize on their true value without the wait, and, more importantly, without the need to sell. Fine watches are consistently among the most popular luxury assets used to obtain collateral loans. Collateral loans are a reliable, fast, and easy way to access cash with no credit check, credit history, or financial disclosures. Instead, individuals can get a loan by using luxury assets such as fine art and watches. For example, fine watch owners and collectors can obtain loans of up to 75% of the current resale value of their watch or watches from collateral lenders such as Borro in only a few days. “Fine watch brands are so well known, respected, and always in high demand,” said Borro’s chief underwriter, Richard Shults, GG (GIA). “This generally makes them eligible for the highest loan to value (LTV) ratios we provide as a lender.”

Easy and efficient access to capital at the exact time it’s needed helps people with substantial income and high net worth solve problems, realize opportunities, and live dreams. While traditional financial institutions can cover most of the financial needs most of the time for most affluent and high-net-worth individuals and families, they often fall short when five to seven-figure amounts of capital are needed on short notice, when individuals are highly leveraged, or both. For owners of luxury assets, Borro is a specialty financial service provider that fills those and similar gaps with nearly immediate access to capital through confidential non-bank loans and lines of credit that use one or more of a borrower’s luxury assets as collateral. Borro provides exceptional security, care, and handling of luxury assets during transport, valuation, and storage. Assets are insured from when they are shipped or brought to a Borro facility, during storage in its vaults, and until they are returned after a loan is paid off. Borro uses advanced protocols for asset handling and tracking, and its vaults are among the most secure available anywhere.