How to Sell a Broken Clock

A broken clock is still worth selling — typically £2 to £15 at For Parts, against £8 to £60 in working order.

Can you sell a clock that does not work?

Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.

What actually goes wrong with clocks

These are the faults that move a clock down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:

Non-running movements needing servicing
Replaced dials and hands on collectable clocks
Missing keys, pendulums and weights
Battery quartz clocks, worth very little

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £4 to £27. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £2 to £15. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:

Note whether it is mechanical or quartz
Check the movement runs and keeps reasonable time
Confirm keys, pendulum and weights are present

Photographing the fault

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The clock face on, whole, showing the dial clearly
The back or the movement, including any maker’s mark
The case from the side
The dial close up, plus any crack, foxing, missing hand or damage

What to state in the listing

Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken clocks want these confirmed:

Type of movement, and whether it strikes or chimes
Maker and any marks on dial or movement
Dimensions, and whether it is wall, mantel or freestanding
Whether it has been run and keeps time, and whether the key or pendulum is included

Type, maker and size: “Smiths Mantel Clock, Mechanical 8 Day, Striking” or “Wall Clock, Quartz, 40cm”. Say mechanical or quartz plainly — collectors want the former and everyday buyers usually want the latter, and they are different listings.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“Does it keep time?”

Run it for a day or two and say how much it gains or loses. It is the only functional claim worth making and it is easily tested.

“Is the key or pendulum included?”

For mechanical clocks, say clearly. A clock without its key or pendulum is very hard for a buyer to get running and both are model specific.

“Has it been serviced?”

Say what you know. A recently serviced mechanical movement is worth considerably more, and an unserviced one is not a fault, just a fact.

Is it worth repairing first?

Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:

Working mechanical movements with keys
Recognised makers with a following
Original dials, hands and pendulums
Complete cases with intact glass

If the work would cost more than the gap between £15 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Steady year round with a Christmas lift. Mechanical and antique clocks sell to a patient specialist audience; modern wall clocks compete on style and price.

Getting it to the buyer

Immobilise the pendulum and remove any weights before posting a mechanical clock, or the movement is damaged in transit. Say you have done so — buyers of clocks know to ask.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full clock selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken clock worth anything?

Yes — typically £2 to £15 at For Parts against £8 to £60 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Non-running movements needing servicing

Should I repair it before selling?

Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are working mechanical movements with keys and a repair rarely restores those.

What do buyers ask about a faulty clock?

The fault itself, in detail. Run it for a day or two and say how much it gains or loses. It is the only functional claim worth making and it is easily tested. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.