There's a certain thrill to buying a watch with a story. A pre-owned watch in Singapore usually costs less than the boutique version, skips the waitlist, and sometimes comes in a model they don't even make anymore.
The trouble is knowing where to look. Singapore has a deep, slightly hidden second-hand watch scene, scattered across a handful of malls that most people walk past without a second glance. But not you. Not if you read up on this guide, compiled after countless conversations with my watch-freak friends, combined with my own excursions down to Far East Plaza.
On to the shops!
For pre-owned luxury: Rolex, Patek, and the serious stuff
If you're hunting a used Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Audemars Piguet, your first stop is Far East Plaza on Scotts Road. This (and I say this with affection) slightly worn 1980s mall is, improbably, the beating heart of Singapore's pre-owned luxury watch trade. Dozens of dealers sit floor upon floor, which is exactly what you want. Prices here are negotiable, and comparing three or four shops on the same reference can save you a chunk.
01 • Watch Exchange
Watch Exchange is Singapore's largest independent pre-owned dealer, and it's usually where people go to set a mental price benchmark before shopping around. They carry the heavy hitters, Rolex, Patek, AP, Richard Mille, along with Omega, Cartier, and Tudor. Their authentication process is rigorous, right down to inspecting movements under a microscope, and they're fully licensed and regulated.
⏱️ What I watched here: My face was glued to the display on the store’s exterior, which had a beautiful Piguet with a pastel offshore strap that made the trademark bezel pop even more.
📍 Address: 14 Scotts Road, #01-01/1A/02, Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213
⏰ Opening hours: 11am – 7pm daily
📞 Contact: 9672 0333
🌐 Website: watchexchange.sg
02 • Watchbook
Watchbook has carved out a lovely niche as Singapore's neo-vintage Rolex specialist. If your heart beats for the Rolexes of the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s, the ones with a bit of warmth and patina that the current lineup has polished away, this is your place. Each piece goes through their own certification, and they back sales with a one-year in-house warranty.
⏱️ What I watched here: Right inside the store was a pearly white 80’s (I think) rollie that barely cost me 2 months' salary and was so, so tempting.
📍 Address: 14 Scotts Road, #03-139, Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213
⏰ Opening hours: 11am – 7pm daily
📞 Contact: 9648 8555
🌐 Website: watchbook.sg
03 • House of Watches
Relatively newer to the physical scene but quick to earn a following, House of Watches is a good visit for first-timers. The team is a lot less pushy than most, which counts for a lot when you're nervous about dropping serious money on your first luxury piece. They're big on authentication and offer consignment with no upfront fees, so it works if you're selling too.
⏱️ What I watched here: You can’t walk past House of Watches without noticing the incredibly long watch display. Almost everything here blew my mind, but an exceedingly gold Rolex nearly blinded me.
📍 Address: 14 Scotts Road, #04-146, Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213
⏰ Opening hours: 11.30am – 7.30pm daily
📞 Contact: 8691 8918
🌐 Website: houseofwatches.sg
04 • The Watch Vault
Not everyone loves the Far East Plaza hustle. If you'd rather browse in calm, head to The Watch Vault at The Adelphi near City Hall, a quieter mall that's long been a haunt for watch and hi-fi obsessives. Their range runs from an accessible pre-owned Tudor to a serious Patek, all authenticity-verified, with a one-year warranty and a guaranteed buy-back.
⏱️ What I watched here: A Patek Phillipe with a bronze finish. A guy working there noticed me staring at it a little too hard, but I managed to spare myself the humiliation of asking for its price and made a swift exit.
📍 Address: 1 Coleman Street, #01-19, The Adelphi, Singapore 179803
⏰ Opening hours: Mon to Fri, 11am – 6pm | Saturdays by appointment | Closed on Sundays
📞 Contact: 6358 3476
🌐 Website: thewatchvault.com.sg
For some vintage character
Vintage is a different game from pre-owned luxury. Here you're after age, history, and the kind of design that's fallen out of fashion and quietly comes back alive from the other end of the trend cycle.
05 • Passions Watch Exchange
Passions is the grand old name of Singapore vintage, running since 1991. Founder Jonathan Tee started it as a teenager, and the shop has grown into a destination for collectors, with a curation that stretches from everyday classics to rare independents like A. Lange & Söhne and F.P. Journe. They also service and restore in-house, which matters when your watch is older than you are.
⏱️ What I watched here: Even with Swatch’s recent success in the field, I find myself reticent towards the prospect of becoming a pocket watch guy. Passions’ selection of sublime swingables almost changed my mind.
📍 Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-332B, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
⏰ Opening hours: 1:30pm – 8:30pm daily
📞 Contact: 6334 2221
🌐 Website: passions.com.sg
06 • Montres
Tucked along Balestier Road, Montres has been trading since 1982 and knows the value of a fair deal. They stock a mix of pre-owned and new-in-box Rolex, AP, Patek, Cartier, and IWC, plus a dedicated vintage corner. It's an unhurried, old-school kind of shop, and their strong following on Carousell is how you know people keep coming back.
📍 Address: 290 Balestier Road, Singapore 329732
⏰ Opening hours: Mon to Sat, 10:30am - 6pm | Closed on Sundays
📞 Contact: 6250 3931
🌐 Website: montres.com.sg
07 • Asia Timepiece Centre
For vintage Rolex and Omega, Asia Timepiece Centre in The Bencoolen has been a steady favourite since 2008. The reputation here is for a relaxed, no-pressure browse, which is a small miracle in a world where vintage watch buying can feel a bit like haggling for a used car. They range well beyond the big two, into Breitling, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Tudor.
📍 Address: 180 Bencoolen Street, #01-64/91, The Bencoolen, Singapore 189646
⏰ Opening hours: 11.30am - 6:30pm daily
📞 Contact: 9729 5744
🌐 Website: asiatimepiece.com
08 • Chuan Watch
Chuan Watch is a proper family affair. It was founded in 1995 by Henry Lim, a former Rolex technician, and his sons now run it alongside him. They deal in both modern and vintage Rolex, Panerai, Omega, and more, with pieces starting around $1,000, a one-year warranty, and a buy-back scheme. A gentle entry point into the collecting world.
📍 Address: 390 Victoria Street, #01-51/52, Golden Landmark Shopping Complex, Singapore 188061
⏰ Opening hours: Mon to Fri, 11am - 6pm | Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
📞 Contact: 6291 9118
🌐 Website: chuanwatch.com
09 • K2 Watch Co.
If you've ever fallen down the vintage Seiko rabbit hole, you already know K2. Run by the near-legendary Mr Goh since 1982, it's the spiritual home of Seiko collecting in Singapore, equal parts storefront and servicing workshop. King Seikos, old divers, and Seiko 5s sll pass through here, lovingly serviced. It recently moved to City Plaza, so check the address if you last visited years ago.
⏱️ What I watched here: The man himself was working on a Seiko when I rolled up, so I got to see him farm aura on the other side of the counter.
📍 Address: 810 Geylang Road, #04-01, City Plaza, Singapore 409286
⏰ Opening hours: Tue to Sat, 1pm - 7:30pm | Sun, 3pm - 7:30pm, closed Mon
📞 Contact: 9477 5299
🌐 Website: k2-watch.com
(Feature photo from: Asia Timepiece Centre)
