Rough estimates where possible; your final offer follows inspection.
No obligation. Free tracked return if you decline. We aim to pay within one working hour of acceptance.
Watches old and new, sold by post anywhere in the UK. Solid gold and silver cases are valued for their metal; vintage, branded and modern watches are assessed individually and we make you a no-obligation offer. Ask first: send a photo on WhatsApp before posting.
Send a photo on WhatsApp for a rough estimate where possible, or arrange to post your items for assessment. We confirm our purchase offer after inspection, and you decide whether to accept. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Free Special Delivery label, usually within 30 minutesPurity tested in-house by X-ray (XRF)
Do you buy branded watches like Rolex or Omega?Yes, we buy branded and vintage watches and make a no-obligation offer. Some high-end or collectable watches may fetch more with a specialist, and where that is the case we will tell you honestly. Send a photo of the watch and any case-back markings on WhatsApp before posting and we will give you an honest steer and an indication of what we can offer.
Please send us photos on WhatsApp, and we will help you.
Send photos of your items and any hallmarks. We give a rough estimate where possible; your final offer follows inspection. You do not need to arrange postage to ask us a question.
We arrange postage with you after our conversation.
Before you post
The questions people ask before they send anything, answered here rather than at the end of the page.
Can I ask first?
Yes. WhatsApp a photo to 07944 014111, 8am to 9pm, every day, and we reply with an idea of what it is worth. Nothing is posted until you decide.
Is it safe to post?
Your parcel travels by Royal Mail Special Delivery, tracked and signed for. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post.
How is it tested?
Your parcel is signed for on arrival and opened at our Bristol office, where each item is weighed and tested with an XRF analyser, an X-ray test that reads the metal without marking it. Your written offer lists each piece with its weight, purity and figure.
What if I say no?
We return everything by Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost. Saying no costs you nothing.
When am I paid?
Only if you accept the written offer. We aim for the money to reach your bank within 24 hours of posting. We use Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, test your items promptly on receipt, and aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance. The 24-hour target is an aim, not a guarantee: it depends on posting before the local cut-off, the applicable working-day delivery service, prompt acceptance, completed identity checks and bank processing.
How long does an offer last?
Each written offer is dated and holds for a limited time, because metal prices move. If it lapses, we re-run it at that day’s rate.
Who am I dealing with?
GOLDPAID LTD, registered in England and Wales, run by founder Rocco Clayfield. Our office is at Unit 217, Bristol Business Centre, 179 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2AG. We are postal only, so there is no counter to visit. Before we pay, we ask every seller for a photo of their passport or driving licence.
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Ask before you post, always
You never have to commit to anything to start. Message us on WhatsApp or call, tell us roughly what you have, and send a few clear photos for a rough estimate. Nothing leaves your hands until you decide it should, and there is no obligation even then.
GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal gold and silver buying service. Wherever you are, you sell gold and silver watches by post with a free tracked Royal Mail label. There is no shop to visit and no counter pressure.
What we buy, and why you should ask first
We buy watches old and new. Solid gold and silver cases are valued for their precious-metal content, along with gold watch chains and Alberts. Vintage, branded and modern watches are assessed individually as timepieces, and we make you a no-obligation offer. We stay honest: for some high-end or collectable watches a specialist may pay more, and where that is the case we will tell you rather than buy it as scrap. Omega has enough of its own quirks to warrant a separate page: sell an Omega watch. Steel and gold-plated watches are the other common case, and they usually have no metal value at all, which is covered honestly further down this page.
That is exactly why every watch should start with a photo. Send a clear photo of the watch, the dial and any case-back markings on WhatsApp before posting. We will give you an honest steer and an indication of what we can offer.
Vintage and antique watches, wristwatches and pocket watches
Branded and modern watches, working or not
Solid gold watch cases, 9ct, 14ct, 18ct
Solid silver watch cases and fob watches
Gold watch chains, Alberts and fobs
Broken and non-running watches
Gold-filled and plated watches, note: little recoverable metal value
Are old Seiko and non-precious-metal watches worth selling?
Is an old Seiko worth selling for its metal?Usually not. Almost every Seiko has a stainless steel, gold-plated or base-metal case, so there is no precious metal to weigh and no melt value. The exceptions are the collected references and the rare solid-gold Credor or Grand Seiko, worth far more as watches. Photograph the dial and case-back and we will tell you which you have, free.
Here is the straight answer before anything else. GoldPaid pays for confirmed gold and silver content. A steel watch contains neither, so there is nothing for us to weigh and no offer we could honestly make on the metal. That holds well beyond Seiko: Citizen, Casio, Sekonda, Accurist, Rotary, Limit, Lorus, Pulsar and most modern fashion watches are steel or base metal. Posting one to a precious-metal buyer costs you a trip to the Post Office and earns you nothing. We would rather say so on the page than in an email after the parcel has arrived.
The case-back usually settles it in plain English, and one clear photograph of it is enough for us to answer.
What the case-back says
What it means
Metal value to a gold buyer
STAINLESS STEEL
The whole case is steel. By far the most common Seiko case
None
BASE METAL BEZEL, STAINLESS STEEL BACK
A plated base-metal front with a steel back
None
SGP
Seiko gold plating, a thin electroplated layer over base metal
Negligible, not bought for metal
GOLD FILLED, RGP, 10K RGP, rolled gold
A bonded gold layer, thicker than plating but still a skin
Little recoverable, not bought for metal
CAP GOLD, gold cap
A shaped gold shell over a steel case, thicker again
Small, looked at case by case
750, 585, 375, 18K, 14K, 9ct
A solid gold case. Uncommon on Seiko, normal on older Swiss and English watches
Yes, weighed and XRF-assayed
925, STERLING, or a British hallmark
A solid silver case. Rare on Seiko, usual on Victorian and Edwardian fob watches
Yes, weighed and XRF-assayed
The same reading works on any make. It is the marking on the case, not the name on the dial, that decides whether there is metal to pay for. For older cases specifically, the hallmark section on sell pocket watches goes through the British marks in more detail.
The collector exceptions, which matter far more than the metal
A watch with no metal value whatsoever can still be worth real money as a watch, and Seiko is the brand where that gap is widest, because the cases were cheap and some of the references are now seriously collected. These are the ones worth a proper look before anything else happens to them:
Grand Seiko and King Seiko. Read the dial under the 12: "Grand Seiko", "GS", "King Seiko" or "KS". These are the in-house high-end lines and they are worth many times an everyday Seiko of the same age.
Credor. Seiko’s luxury line, and the one place solid 18ct gold Seiko cases genuinely turn up.
The 1960s and 1970s mechanical divers, references 6105 and 6309. The quick tell is a screw-down crown at 4 o’clock rather than 3 o’clock.
The 6138 and 6139 automatic chronographs. A 6139 was worn in orbit on Skylab in 1973, which the Seiko Museum Ginza records as the first automatic chronograph in space. Collector demand has followed.
First-generation Seiko 5 automatics from the 1960s. They look much like the 1990s ones and are worth noticeably more.
Early quartz, the 1969 Astron and the 35SQ. Historically significant rather than ordinary quartz watches.
Anything with a solid gold or solid silver case, whatever the name on the dial.
There is a longer Seiko reference on the site, written for charity shop teams but just as usable at a kitchen table: the vintage Seiko guide. For other makes, sell vintage watches covers the same reasoning.
For the pieces on that list a watch specialist or a dedicated watch auction may well pay more than we can. Where we think that is true we say so before you post, not after. Being pointed somewhere else is a normal outcome of asking us first.
What to photograph so we can answer quickly
Three photographs answer almost every watch question. Daylight, no flash, the watch on a plain surface, and close enough that the small print is readable when you zoom in.
The dial, straight on. Close enough to read the maker and any wording beneath it. On a Seiko the words that change the answer are "Grand Seiko", "King Seiko", "Credor", "Automatic", "Chronometer" or "5".
The whole case-back. This is the important one. A Seiko case-back carries a reference in two parts, a movement code, a dash, then a case code, such as 6309-7040, plus a separate six-digit serial number. Together those identify the model and its production month.
Any metal wording on that case-back. Stainless steel, base metal, SGP, gold filled, cap gold, or a fineness number such as 750 or 375. That one line decides whether there is anything to weigh.
The edges of the case and the undersides of the lugs, if you can manage it. Plating worn through shows duller base metal at the corners, and a gold cap case shows steel beneath the lugs.
The clasp or buckle, and anything that came with it. Marks are often stamped on a clasp, and a box, papers, receipt or service tag all add to the read.
Please do not polish it, do not open the case, and do not force a seized crown or winder. Original surface and original parts are a large part of what a collector pays for, and a watch tidied up for sale is usually worth less than the same watch left alone.
Send the photos on WhatsApp to 07944 014111 and you will get an honest read, including the frequent answer that a watch is not worth the postage. That answer costs you nothing, and it is the reason this section is on the page.
How selling works here
Start on WhatsApp. A couple of clear photos of your gold and silver watches are enough for us to give you a rough estimate at no charge.
Claim your free postage. We issue a prepaid, tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery label, or a QR code for the Post Office.
Post in your own time. Any padded envelope works, and there is no deadline to meet.
Get a written valuation. Each item is weighed and read by XRF spectrometry, and the itemised offer is sent to you in writing, usually on the working day your parcel arrives.
Accept or walk away. Acceptance means payment by Faster Payments; declining means a free, fully tracked return.
Your parcel is signed for on arrival and opened at our Bristol office, where each item is weighed and XRF-tested before the written offer is prepared.
What decides your offer
Every parcel is opened at our Bristol office and each piece is handled on its own. Nothing is averaged across the parcel.
Weight. Each item is weighed on scales. Stones, steel springs, non-gold clasps and cores are not paid as gold. The written breakdown explains the payable metal weight for each item, rather than treating everything on the scales as precious metal.
Purity. Each item is tested with an XRF analyser, which reads the metals at the points tested without marking the item. A surface reading alone cannot establish the composition of a plated or filled piece. Hallmarks, construction and different components all need to be considered alongside the test.
The market on the day. Gold and silver are priced against the live precious-metal market at the time your parcel is assessed, not at the time you posted.
Condition and intact value. Broken is fine and does not reduce a metal offer. Where a piece is worth more intact (a named maker, a collectable coin, a locket with provenance) we tell you before testing, so you can choose.
Anything that is not gold or silver. Plated, rolled-gold and base-metal items are listed on the offer at nothing and returned to you free. We never quietly keep them.
Why we do not publish a per-gram price list. A single printed rate hides the things that change the figure: hollow versus solid, stones, mixed carats in one bag, a mark that does not match the metal. We would rather show you the weight, the tested purity and the figure for each item, in writing, and let you decide. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
What you see before you decide. A written, itemised offer by WhatsApp or email: every item, its weight, its tested purity, and its figure. Accept and we aim to pay by bank transfer within one working hour. Decline and the whole parcel comes back by Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost. No fee, no deduction, no questions.
GoldPaid buys watches as timepieces, not only for their metal, so the maker, model and condition count as well as any gold or silver in the case. Any precious-metal case is weighed and XRF-tested, and the written offer shows the figure for each watch before you decide anything.
For a watch sold as metal, the solid gold or silver case is weighed and XRF-assayed, and non-precious components, movement, glass, gold-plated or steel parts, are excluded from the figure. Gold-filled and plated cases have only a thin precious layer and little recoverable value. Where a watch appears to carry value as a timepiece beyond its metal, we will flag it rather than absorb it.
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
One parcel gets one written figure, itemised piece by piece. Any gold or silver jewellery in it is priced on the weight and purity we measure and the live precious-metal market, with our margin already inside the figure.
Postage and cover
Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: tracked end to end and signed for on delivery. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. If your items may be worth more, message us first and we can split them across more than one prepaid label, each with its own tracking number, at no charge. Full detail is on postage and cover, and is it safe to post gold? walks through posting valuables safely. If a parcel is lost on its way to us, the compensation claim goes to Royal Mail from you, the sender, using your Post Office receipt, and we give you our tracking records and help you make it. Lost parcels, step by step.
No obligation, ever
You are free to walk away at any point before you accept. Decline the offer and everything is repacked and returned to you free of charge, fully tracked and signed for. There is no assessment fee and no sales pressure afterwards. The detail is on what happens if I decline the offer.
The written offer is dated and holds for a limited time, because metal prices move. If it lapses before you decide, we re-run it against the live precious-metal market on the day, at no charge. You can also accept part of a parcel and decline the rest, with no minimum and no penalty for splitting it.
Who this helps
This page is for any watch, old or new: a solid gold or silver case valued for its metal, a branded or vintage piece assessed as a timepiece rather than as scrap, or a broken watch where a repair would cost more than the watch is worth. Where a watch is sold as metal, the case is weighed and assayed with the movement, glass, crown and steel parts left out of the figure, so one that no longer runs is valued on the same basis as one that does. If a piece looks branded or collectable, the photo check points you to the right buyer, and sometimes that buyer is not us.
The payment step
Acceptance starts payment: we aim to send a Faster Payments bank transfer within one working hour of your acceptance, to the account you give us. Nothing to bank and nothing to chase.
Who stands behind the offer
Owner-run, with founder Rocco Clayfield personally accountable for the service
Every item XRF-assayed, the result shown to you in writing
Free tracked postage both ways, so a valuation carries no obligation
Honest about its limits, including when a specialist would suit you better
No fabricated reviews and no invented numbers, anywhere on the site
Common questions
Do you buy broken or non-running watches?
Yes. A non-running watch can still be worth buying, whether for a solid gold or silver case, for parts, or as a vintage piece. Send a photo and we will tell you what we can offer.
What about gold-plated or gold-filled watches?
Gold-plated and gold-filled cases have only a thin precious layer with little recoverable value. Send a photo of the markings first and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth posting.
Is my old Seiko worth anything?
For metal, usually nothing. Almost every Seiko has a stainless steel, gold-plated (marked SGP) or base-metal case, and none of those carry a melt value. As a watch, some Seikos are worth a great deal: Grand Seiko and King Seiko, Credor, the 6105 and 6309 divers, the 6138 and 6139 chronographs, 1960s Seiko 5 automatics and the earliest quartz. Send a photo of the dial and the case-back on WhatsApp and we will tell you which of those you have, at no cost and with no obligation.
How do I tell whether a watch case is really gold?
Read the case-back rather than the dial. "Stainless steel" or "base metal" means there is no precious metal at all. "SGP", "gold filled", "RGP" or "rolled gold" means a thin gold layer over base metal, with little or nothing recoverable. A fineness number such as 750, 585, 375, 18K or 9ct means a solid gold case, and 925 or a British hallmark means solid silver. Those are the only two that carry metal value. Photograph the case-back and we will read it for you.
Do you buy stainless steel watches at all?
Not for metal, because steel has no bullion value. We do buy some steel watches as timepieces where the model has genuine resale demand, such as a vintage Seiko diver or a steel Rolex, Omega or TAG Heuer. Ordinary steel quartz watches from Sekonda, Accurist, Lorus, Casio, Citizen and similar makes are not worth posting to us, and we will say so plainly if you ask first.
What photos do you need before I post a watch?
Three usually do it: the dial straight on, the whole case-back in focus, and any wording on the case-back about the metal. Add the edges of the case and the lugs if you can, plus the clasp and anything that came with it, such as a box, papers or a service receipt. Daylight, no flash, and close enough to zoom in on the small print. Do not polish the watch or open the case first.
What if I think the offer is too low?
Decline it and your watch comes back free of charge by tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery, with no fee and no follow-up pressure. The written offer says whether the watch was priced for its metal or as a timepiece; a metal figure lists the case weight, the XRF purity and the rate applied, so you can compare it with another buyer’s written figure.
What happens if Royal Mail loses my parcel?
Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. While the parcel is travelling to us it remains yours, so a claim for a lost parcel is made to Royal Mail by you, the sender, using your Post Office receipt. Our normal claims process is sender-led, with our assistance, even when we paid for the label. Tell us straight away and we confirm whether it arrived, supply our records and walk you through the claim. If the watch may be worth more than the cover, message us before posting. Lost parcels, step by step.
Who am I sending it to?
GOLDPAID LTD, run by its founder Rocco Clayfield. Labels are addressed to our Bristol office, and there is no shop or counter. Every seller sends a photo of UK photo ID, and we only buy from people aged 18 or over.
Not the question you had? The full GoldPaid FAQ covers the rest, from postal cover and ID checks to what happens if you decline the offer.
Speak to us before you post
Please send us photos on WhatsApp, and we will help you. We give a rough estimate where possible and arrange postage with you after our conversation. Your final offer follows inspection.
Send a photo of the watch and any markings on WhatsApp and we will give you an honest steer and an indication of what we can offer. No obligation, free tracked return if you decline.
