VAULT 101

How to Buy Pre-Owned Cartier Pieces

By The Rebag Team, Jun. 26, 2023

How to Buy Pre-Owned Cartier Jewelry And Watches

For over a century, Cartier has established itself as a prominent French luxury brand that produces sought-after jewelry and timepieces. While investing in Cartier items can be a substantial financial commitment, the secondary market can be a more cost-effective avenue to acquire the house’s signature pieces. Given that every Rebag item is expert-verified and white glove-inspected, you’ll always enjoy the peace of mind you’re looking for when making any investment and can instead turn your attention to finding the model, size, and material that’s right for you. In this article, we share our expertly curated tips on how to utilize Rebag’s annual Clair Report, Clair Codes, Trade program, and more to make an educated decision around your next Cartier purchase.

Choosing The Right Style For You

Selecting the right Cartier watch or piece of jewelry is a thoughtful process that should involve considering your personal taste, existing collection, and lifestyle. While the maximalist might prefer pieces that stand out in silhouette or are adorned with gemstones, like a diamond-encrusted Juste un Clou choker or Panthère de Cartier watch, those who value subtlety may instead choose a timeless Trinity ring or understated Santos timepiece. Decide whether you’d like a statement-making style that will take any look to the next level or a versatile piece with minimalistic appeal. Next, consider the watches and jewelry you already own, and whether you like to mix and match silver, yellow, and rose gold or if you prefer a monochromatic look. If you typically stack necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or rings, you may wish to pair slimmer styles with those that are more substantial; if you plan on wearing your piece solo, contemplate whether you’d like it to be delicate or substantial. Finally, if you envision yourself wearing an easy, everyday piece day in and day out, you may want to consider jewelry from Cartier’s Love collection, which is screwed onto the wearer’s wrist with a miniature Cartier screwdriver, or a water-resistant Ballon de Cartier piece. Should you favor a design that gives you the flexibility to easily take it off to exercise or bathe and slip it back on for evening cocktails, the Juste un Clou bracelet and the sleek Tank watch may be better suited for you.

For more information on the most popular Cartier jewelry collections, click here.

Invest with Confidence

The Clair Report

Named after our proprietary software suite known as Clair, or Comprehensive Luxury Appraisal Index for Resale, Rebag’s Clair Report uses millions of data points on primary and secondary market pricing, demand, and trends to investigate the value of brands on the resale market. Each year we share what our data reveals as the most worthwhile investments, the pieces to hold onto to maximize value, and the styles to sell now to earn better returns. The 2022 Clair Report tells us that Cartier pieces retain an average of 79% of their value at resale and that the Juste un Clou, Love, and Trinity collections are among the brand’s most valuable. The Maison’s bracelets have a 96% average retention value on the secondary market, while rings carry 62% of their value at resale. In terms of bracelets, the Trinity on Cord is the most investment-worthy, keeping 109% of its retail value. Juste un Clou and Love bracelets follow, with 95% and 99% average value retention, respectively. Rings have a lower retention value, with the Love Wedding Band leading the group, holding 84% of its value at resale. 

Take a look at our latest Clair Report here.

Clair Codes

Clair Codes, Rebag’s proprietary tracking system, uniquely identifies styles by brand and model so they can easily be searched on our site. You can even track the value of most items over time; simply log into or create an account on Rebag.com and begin searching for a Cartier style within the “Sell” section of the site. After selecting the type, designer, model, and material (for example: watch, Cartier, Tank, 18K yellow gold), click the ‘Follow’ button to track that item’s price in real time. You can then visit the “Followed Clair Codes” section of your account to keep an eye on an item’s pricing history.

For more in-depth information on how to track prices using Clair Codes, click here. 

Trade Program

Rebag’s Trade program offers savvy consumers the best value towards today’s purchase when they buy and sell in one transaction, earning 15% more and in most states, enjoying tax benefits. For instance, you might be looking to upgrade your Cartier Love bracelet to one with four or six diamonds. Instead of selling your item, waiting for payment, and then purchasing something new later on, with Trade you’re able to buy and sell simultaneously, only paying the difference. In addition, we offer free shipping and returns on orders over $500, making the process even more convenient.

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