Frieze closes in London today. Art Basel Paris follows at the Grand Palais from 21 to 25 October, and on 7, 8 and 9 November the big watch sales return to Geneva. It is the busiest time of year for art and watches, and the time when many owners decide to sell.

The short answer: the pieces in this season's catalogues were consigned in the summer. If your watch or painting is still at home, the live autumn sales have passed it by, but it can still become cash this season. Request a free, non-binding offer from FinanceFarm. We buy luxury watches, fine art and rare collectibles worth 25,000 Swiss francs or more, there are no selling fees, and payout follows within 96 hours of the physical inspection and your acceptance.

Why are the November sales already full?

An auction is planned months ahead. The house examines each object, writes the catalogue, photographs the lots and shows them to buyers. That is why consignment windows close well before the sale. Antiquorum, which sells in Geneva on 7 and 8 November, asks for property no later than 45 days before the sale date. [1] For this November, that was about 23 September. Koller in Zurich accepted consignments for its 4 December Swiss Art sale until the end of September. [2]

So if you consign a watch or a painting today, it is not going into the November or December catalogues. Geneva's next big live watch sales are in the spring. Your piece would wait for the next catalogue, the next viewing and the next saleroom, and then for the house to pay you after the sale.

What is still open this autumn?

Some online sales run on a shorter cycle. Sotheby's online Fine Watches sale runs from 27 October to 10 November and was still accepting consignments in mid-October. [3] An online sale can suit a well-documented modern watch, with the usual seller's commission and the usual wait for payment after the sale closes.

For everything else, the question is simple: do you want the saleroom, or do you want the money?

How does the direct route work, step by step?

With FinanceFarm there is no sale date to wait for, because we are the buyer.

1. Add your object. Create a free account and upload a few clear daylight photos, with any proof of ownership you have.
2. Request your offer. It is free and non-binding, and you do not need to complete an identity check first.
3. Our specialists review every object and come back to you with an offer.
4. If you accept, you sign the contract and send the object to us, insured, at your cost.
5. Get paid within 96 hours of the physical inspection and your acceptance.

There are no selling fees, so you receive 100% of the agreed price. Every object is reviewed individually, so meeting the 25,000 Swiss franc minimum does not mean automatic acceptance.

What changes when the FinanceFarm app arrives?

The FinanceFarm app is coming this month. It brings three things together: your pieces, with photos and papers added from your phone; your offer, delivered to your phone; and your payout, so you always know where the payment stands. One screen shows what is needed, what you have done and what comes next.

You do not have to wait for it: open your account on the web today and everything you add carries over to the app. You can see how it works in the short film "Your Asset, Your Phone". [4]

Auction or direct sale: how do you decide?

We compared the routes in detail last month. [5] They differ in three things: time, certainty and fees. An auction can do very well for a piece in high demand, and it can also pass unsold. A direct sale gives you a written number before you decide, and a known payment date after inspection. If you are not sure, request the offer anyway. It costs nothing, and you can still consign to a spring sale afterwards.

What should you do this week?

• Find the papers. A receipt, a certificate, service records, or for art the provenance and any earlier sale records.
• Photograph the object in daylight. The front, the back, the signature or case back, and the papers.
• Do not restore, clean or polish it first. Buyers want to see it as it is.
• Add it to your account and request your offer.

What is FinanceFarm building next?

Beyond the app, we are working on an asset-backed offering built around the objects our sellers bring us; we will share details as it goes live. In the market, if you are in Geneva from 4 November, the auction previews are open to the public and worth an afternoon. [6] Before that, Art Basel Paris opens at the Grand Palais on 21 October. [7]

If you have a watch, a painting or a collectible you are thinking of selling, you can request an offer at financefarm.com. It costs nothing, and the decision stays yours.

Frequently asked questions

Is it too late to sell my watch at the Geneva auctions in November?
For the live sales, yes. Antiquorum asks for consignments at least 45 days before a sale, and the other houses work on similar timelines. Your watch would go into a spring sale. [1]

Can I still consign to an online sale?
Sometimes. Sotheby's online Fine Watches sale (27 October to 10 November) was still accepting consignments in mid-October. Check with the house directly. [3]

Does FinanceFarm pay more than an auction?
We do not make that claim. Auction results vary with demand on the day. What we offer is a written number before you decide, no selling fees, and payout within 96 hours of inspection and acceptance.

Do I need an identity check before I request an offer?
No. You can request your offer first.

Can I use the FinanceFarm app today?
The app is coming this month. Until then everything starts on the web, and your account carries over.

What is the minimum value?
25,000 Swiss francs per object. Every object is reviewed individually.

Sources

1. Antiquorum, "How to sell": consignment at least 45 days before the sale date.
2. Koller Auktionen, Swiss Art: consignments for the 4 December 2026 sale accepted until the end of September.
3. Sotheby's, Fine Watches, online, 27 October to 10 November 2026.
4. FinanceFarm, "Your Asset, Your Phone", film, 2026.
5. FinanceFarm, "Selling Art or Watches in Switzerland: What Will You Receive?", 18 September 2026.
6. Phillips, Fall 2026 preview dates: Geneva previews from 4 November.
7. Grand Palais, Art Basel Paris 2026, 21 to 25 October.