Art Basel Paris is on at the Grand Palais this week, with public days from 23 to 25 October [1]. Weeks like this one get many owners thinking about the painting on the wall or the watch in the drawer, and about what selling it would actually involve. Before they share a single photo, owners ask us the same questions: what do you buy, what does it cost, who looks at my piece, and when does the money arrive. Here are the 15 we hear most, answered in plain words.

The short answer: FinanceFarm buys art, watches and collectibles directly from their owners, from 25,000 Swiss francs. You add your piece with photos and the papers you have, request a free offer that does not commit you to anything, and our specialists send you an offer in writing. If you accept, you ship the piece insured and you are paid within 96 hours of inspection. There are no selling fees. Create your free account to start.

What do you buy?

We buy fine art, luxury watches and rare collectibles directly from the people who own them. Our specialists review every piece individually. If you own a work of art, a watch or a collectible worth 25,000 Swiss francs or more, you can add it to your account and request an offer.

How do I start?

You start by creating a free account and adding your piece [2]. From there, the whole route has five steps:

1. Add your piece. Take photos with your phone and add the papers you have.
2. Request a free offer. It is free and it does not commit you to anything.
3. Our specialists check the piece. Every piece is reviewed individually, and you receive the offer in writing.
4. Accept and ship it insured. Once the purchase is agreed, you send the piece insured. You ship it and you pay for the shipping.
5. Get paid. You are paid within 96 hours of inspection.

Before you press "request an offer", make sure your piece is ready. Our specialists need three things:

• Photos of the piece from your phone, taken in good light, including any signature or serial number.
• A Description of at least 100 characters: what the piece is, its size or model, and its condition.
• A Provenance of at least 100 characters: how the piece came to you, for example bought from a gallery in a given year, inherited, or received as a gift.

Photos and a one-line description are not enough. The Description and the Provenance each need at least 100 characters, because that is what lets our specialists look at your piece properly.

Do I need papers or a certificate?

No, you do not need a full set of papers to request an offer. Add the papers you have: a certificate of authenticity, the original invoice, the watch box and papers, an earlier valuation, or old exhibition and sale records. The more you add, the easier it is for our specialists to review the piece.

One rule applies to art: a work sold directly by the artist needs a documented earlier sale. If that is your situation, add the document that shows the earlier sale.

What if the invoice is lost?

A lost invoice does not stop you from requesting an offer. Add everything else you have, such as photos, a certificate, the box and papers, or an earlier valuation, and request the offer. If anything else is needed, our specialists will tell you.

Many owners no longer have the original receipt, especially for inherited pieces or works bought many years ago. A clear Provenance, written in your own words, helps a great deal here: who you bought it from, roughly when, and where the piece has been since.

Who checks my piece?

Our specialists check every piece. Each one is reviewed individually, and the offer you receive comes in writing.

If our specialists need more photos or another document to complete their review, they will ask you. You do not have to guess what they want in advance.

Do I need to prove my identity before requesting an offer?

No. You do not need to prove your identity or your ownership before you request an offer. You only need the piece itself: photos, a Description and a Provenance.

Our specialists may ask for identity and ownership documents later in the process. You do not need to gather them before you know whether our offer interests you.

How do I send the piece?

You send the piece only after the purchase is agreed. Once you have accepted the written offer, you ship the piece to us, insured. The seller ships and pays for the shipping.

Nothing leaves your home before then. You can request an offer, read it and think it over with the piece still in your hands.

When am I paid?

You are paid within 96 hours of inspection. Once your piece arrives and our specialists have inspected it, the payment follows within 96 hours.

There is no sale date to wait for and no waiting for an unknown buyer to pay first.

Why sell to you instead of at auction?

Because selling to us needs no sale date, gives you a written offer before you send anything and has no selling fees. The two routes differ in time, certainty and fees, and an auction can still suit some pieces and some owners. Here is how they compare, so you can choose.

Time. Auction houses need your piece well before the sale. Antiquorum, for example, asks for property no later than 45 days before the sale date [3], and the November sales in Geneva were consigned in the summer [4]. After the sale, payment also takes time: Antiquorum pays sellers within approximately 40 days of the sale, provided the buyer has settled [3], and Sotheby's remits proceeds within 45 days, provided it has received payment from the buyer [5]. With FinanceFarm there is no sale date: you request an offer when your piece is ready, and you are paid within 96 hours of inspection.

Certainty. At auction, a piece can fail to reach its reserve, the lowest figure the seller will accept, and stay unsold, which auction houses call "bought in" [6]. With FinanceFarm you receive a written offer before you send anything, and you decide whether to accept it.

Fees. At auction, the seller usually pays a seller's commission, a percentage of the hammer price, while the buyer pays a buyer's premium on top [6]. Antiquorum, for example, lists a seller's commission of 15% for lots sold up to 10,000 Swiss francs and 10% above that, plus a 1% insurance premium on the hammer price and a catalogue photography fee [3]. FinanceFarm charges no selling fees. The shipping to us is at your cost.

Requesting an offer from us costs nothing, so you can see a written figure before you choose either route.

What is FinanceFarm building next?

The FinanceFarm app is coming this month. Until then, everything in this article works today from your account on financefarm.com.

If you own a piece of art, a watch or a collectible worth 25,000 Swiss francs or more, add it with photos, a Description and a Provenance, and request an offer at financefarm.com. It costs nothing, and the decision stays yours.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a minimum value?
Yes. We buy pieces worth 25,000 Swiss francs or more. Art, watches and collectibles below that value fall outside what we buy.

Is the offer free?
Yes. Requesting an offer is free, and our specialists send it to you in writing.

Do I have to accept the offer?
No. A request for an offer does not commit you to anything. You can read the written offer, think it over and say no.

Is my piece insured on the way?
Yes. Once the purchase is agreed, you ship the piece to us insured. The seller ships and pays for the shipping.

Are there selling fees?
No. FinanceFarm charges no selling fees. The only cost on your side is the insured shipping to us.

Which countries do you buy from?
We buy from owners in the European Union, the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and the United Arab Emirates.

Sources

1. Grand Palais, "Art Basel Paris 2026", programme page, accessed 20 October 2026.
2. FinanceFarm, "Create new account", accessed 20 October 2026.
3. Antiquorum, "How to sell", accessed 20 October 2026.
4. FinanceFarm, "Missed the Autumn Auctions? Your Watch or Painting Can Still Become Cash This Season", 18 October 2026.
5. Sotheby's Help Centre, "When will I receive the proceeds from my sold item?", updated 13 April 2026.
6. Christie's, "Auction glossary", accessed 20 October 2026.