Watches. Jewellery. Gold. Silver coins. Medals. Cameras. Clocks. Fountain pens. Antiques. Inherited collections. If it has collector, material or historical value — we assess it. Every single item individually, in writing, with the reasoning explained.
Not a bundled offer. Not a phone call. Not 7–14 working days. A written valuation per item. Paid in 72 hours. Guaranteed.
Cards marked Specialist page have a dedicated guide with deeper information.
Watches
Pocket, wristwatch, vintage, pre-owned — Omega, Cartier, Tag Heuer, Rolex, IWC, Longines, Seiko, Christopher Ward, micro brands
See specialist guide → Specialist pageVintage Watches
Pre-quartz, military, dress, field and tool watches. Movements, dials, cases and bracelets all assessed. Unrestored originals especially welcome.
See specialist guide → Specialist pageJewellery
Fine, antique, vintage, inherited — diamond rings, gold, silver, gemstone, Art Deco, Victorian, Edwardian, designer, costume with collector interest
See specialist guide →Gold
9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct jewellery — chains, rings, bangles, brooches. Gold sovereigns, half-sovereigns and gold coins. Gold bars and ingots.
Silver Coins & Bullion
Pre-decimal British, Britannias, world silver, proof sets, bars, ingots. Numismatic and melt value both assessed — never melt-only pricing.
See specialist guide →Silver & Silver Plate
Flatware, cutlery sets, candlesticks, tea and coffee services, salvers, entrée dishes, cruet sets, card cases, vinaigrettes, Mappin & Webb, Elkington.
Antiques & Collectables
Decorative arts, small furniture accessories, bronzes, enamel, ivory alternatives, papier-mâché, treen, Tunbridge ware, Black Forest, Mauchline ware.
See specialist guide →Medals & Militaria
Campaign medals, gallantry awards (MC, MM, DCM, DSO), named medals with paperwork, cap badges, regimental items, military watches and ephemera.
Vintage Cameras
Leica, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, Nikon F-series, Olympus, Contax, Pentax, Voigtländer — 35mm SLR, rangefinder, medium format, vintage cine.
Clocks
Carriage clocks, mantle clocks, bracket clocks, Vienna regulators, skeleton clocks. French, English and German movements. Working or not.
Writing Instruments
Montblanc, Parker, Waterman, Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd, Dunhill-Namiki — fountain pens, propelling pencils, dip pens, inkwells, writing sets.
Diamonds & Precious Stones
Loose diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and other gemstones. Old cut, rose cut, brilliant — stones mounted or unmounted, certificated or not.
Binoculars & Optics
Zeiss, Leitz, Ross, military binoculars, telescopes, opera glasses, theodolites. Brass and leather cased. Optical quality assessed.
Masonic Regalia
Aprons, collars, sashes, jewels, gavels, complete lodge sets. Named and dateable pieces command higher collector interest.
Brass & Metalware
Scientific instruments, navigational tools, scales and weights, candlesticks, inkstands, letter racks, door furniture with collector interest.
Vintage Handbags
Designer and collectible handbags — Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior. Vintage evening bags, beaded bags, mesh bags, minaudiéres.
Inherited Collections
Clearing a home, handling a probate estate, or sorting through a lifetime's collection — send it all. Every item assessed by the right specialist.
See specialist guide →Vintage Toys & Games
Diecast, tinplate, Dinky, Corgi, Meccano, lead figures, early board games with original pieces, pre-1980 Lego sets, vintage teddy bears.
Amber & Natural Curiosities
Baltic amber jewellery, amber with inclusions, coral, jet, ivory (pre-1947), tortoiseshell, natural history objects with collector provenance.
Pewter
English pewter — chargers, tankards, measures, flagons with touchmarks, commemorative pieces. Arts & Crafts Tudric pewter by Liberty especially sought.
Smoking Items
Vintage lighters (Dunhill, Zippo, Ronson), meerschaum pipes, silver cigarette cases, cigar cutters, vesta cases, table lighters with collector interest.
Vintage Electronics & Audio
Bakelite radios, valve amplifiers, early hi-fi, Braun, Dieter Rams designs, vintage turntables, reel-to-reel — design and collector value assessed.
We'd rather tell you now than have you pack and post something we can't help with. If you're unsure, email us a photo first — we'll tell you within one working day.
Email a photo first →The differences are not cosmetic. They directly affect how much you receive, how quickly, and how much protection you have if anything goes wrong.
| What matters to sellers | Fair Vintage | Vintage Cash Cow |
|---|---|---|
| How your offer is delivered | Written valuation per item, with reasoning explained | Verbal offer by phone call — no written record |
| Payment timeline | 72 hours guaranteed — +3% if we miss it, written in contract | 7–14 working days (up to 3 calendar weeks) |
| Insurance — standard, automatic | £5,000 both ways, included automatically | £300 standard — £10,000 requires a separate request |
| How your parcel is opened | Live on YouTube — publicly recorded, timestamped, undisputable | In private — internal CCTV only |
| Item pricing | Every item valued individually — nothing averaged or bundled | Lot valued together — individual pieces not separately explained |
| Decline individual items | Yes — sell one, keep nine, no pressure | Offer given on the lot — partial declines vary by advisor |
| Late payment protection | +3% added automatically — written into the contract | No contractual late penalty |
| Pre-shipment advice | Email us a photo — response within one working day | Free phone advice available, no pre-quote given |
Based on publicly available terms from both services as of 2026. Individual experiences vary.
Tell us roughly what you have — a sentence is enough. We email you a free prepaid, tracked and insured shipping label the same working day. No specialist knowledge needed before you send.
Pack everything into any sturdy box, attach the label, and drop it at any Royal Mail or DPD point. Your parcel is insured to £5,000 from the moment the courier scans it.
We email you a unique parcel code and your broadcast time. Your parcel is opened on camera, publicly, in real time — every item recorded before a specialist touches it.
Every item is valued individually in writing, with the reasoning explained. Accept what you want to sell. Have the rest returned free. Payment within 72 hours — guaranteed in writing. If we miss it, we add 3%.
Brand, reference number, serial number, movement type and condition, dial originality, case material and condition, bracelet presence and condition, box and papers — every factor recorded individually. A signed dial with original hands and an unpolished case is worth considerably more than the same watch with a refinished dial. We know the difference, and we explain it in writing.
Watch specialist guide →Material value (gold, silver, platinum) is only one factor. Maker's marks, hallmarks, period, gem quality, design desirability, and collector demand are all assessed for every piece. A Victorian brooch by a named maker, an Art Deco diamond ring, or a signed Georg Jensen piece has value far above its material weight. Invasive testing — filing, acid — is never used.
Jewellery specialist guide →Two values are assessed for every coin: silver content (weight × purity × current market rate) and numismatic or collector value. Most buyers pay melt only. We do not. Rare dates, low-mintage pieces, proof sets and named proof coins are assessed by coin specialists who explain the full reasoning — metal price and collector premium — in writing for every piece.
Silver coin specialist guide →Named medals — those engraved with a soldier's name, number and regiment — carry significant collector value above face or metal value. We cross-reference medal rolls and service records where available. Gallantry medals (Military Cross, Military Medal, DCM) are always valued by specialists with access to current auction comparables, not by weight.
Selling inherited collections →Working condition, shutter speeds, rangefinder coupling, lens glass clarity, body condition and original accessories all affect value significantly. A Leica M3 with original viewfinder, correct lens and case in excellent condition is in a completely different category to an untested example with damage. We assess and explain the difference — not average across the lot.
Email us a camera photo →Gold nib size and condition, filling mechanism type and working status, barrel condition (no cracks, no shrinkage), original clip and trim — and for named makers, limited edition status and rarity of model. A Montblanc 149 in near-mint condition or a Conway Stewart 58 in a rare colour are collectables with their own secondary market, assessed as such.
Ask us about your pens →We buy gold jewellery at all caratages — 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct and platinum. The metal value is calculated transparently: weight × purity × current market rate, shown to you in writing. But maker's marks, hallmarks, period design and collectable status are also assessed — a Victorian gold locket or an Art Deco ring is worth considerably more than its melt value alone.
Gold jewellery guide →Many of our customers are sorting through a home after a bereavement — with no specialist knowledge, no time, and no desire to visit a dozen different dealers. Send us the box. Our specialists triage everything: watches to the watch desk, coins to the coin desk, jewellery to the jewellery desk. One postage label. One itemised written report. One payment.
Inherited items guide →If your question isn't here, call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk. We reply within one working day.
Get your free pack →No. Many customers are clearing an inherited home or sorting through a decades-old collection with no specialist knowledge. Tell us roughly what you have — a sentence is enough. Our specialists identify, categorise and value everything. You don't need to know hallmarks, references, makers or periods before you send.
Yes — and this is something we handle particularly well. Mixed collections go to multiple desks: watches to watch specialists, coins to coin specialists, jewellery to jewellery specialists. Every item gets the right expert. You receive one itemised report covering everything in the parcel — not one averaged offer.
Your parcel is insured to £5,000 as standard — included automatically, at no cost, on the outward and return journey. Cover begins from the moment the courier scans your parcel. For collections where individual items or total estimated value exceeds £5,000, contact us before sending and we will arrange enhanced cover.
You are under no obligation. Decline any or all offers and everything is returned to you, free, fully insured, within 5 working days. You can also sell some items and keep others — there is no all-or-nothing requirement. Partial acceptances are common and completely normal.
The main differences: Fair Vintage pays within 72 hours guaranteed (Vintage Cash Cow takes 7–14 working days). We provide a written valuation per item (they make a verbal offer by phone). Our standard insurance is £5,000 (theirs is £300). We open parcels live on YouTube (they open in private). We price every item individually (they value the lot together). See our full comparison above.
Yes. Broken watches, incomplete jewellery sets, damaged clocks and tarnished silverware are all considered. Condition affects value — but it does not disqualify an item. A broken Omega may still have movement, case and dial value. A cracked silver flatware piece still has silver content. Describe what you have honestly and let specialists assess it properly.
Your parcel is opened live on our public YouTube channel — time-stamped, on camera, in front of a live audience. Every item is visible before a specialist touches it. This creates an independent, undisputable record of what arrived and in what condition. It is the single most important reason sellers trust us with high-value collections — no other postal buyer does this.
No strict minimum. For single high-value items — a watch, a medal group, a signed piece — we consider individual submissions. For smaller or lower-value items, a selection works better than a single piece. If you're unsure whether your item justifies postage, email us a photo first and we'll advise before you send anything.
Request your free pack today. We'll open your items live on YouTube, give you a written valuation for every piece, and pay within 72 hours — or add 3%.