Best practices for storing your box and papers?

[FrançoisCzapek]

Are there any best practices for storing original papers and boxes? Thought to ask at the risk of nitpicking just to be sure.

For papers, I put the Certificate of Origin in a letter envelope together with other papers like paper copies of servicing receipts. I put this inside the leather wallet with the watch manual and pamphlets, together with small plastic bags containing pushers, spare links for metal bracelets, etc. I put the leather wallet inside its paper envelope, then put everything in a gallon sized zip lock bag. These all fit in a safety deposit box and are not kept in my home.

For boxes, I leave the wooden box inside its dust bag, and put everything in a paper shopping bag on a shelf. I wonder if you should put everything inside a jumbo zip lock bag, or if the wooden box should not be in such an airtight container.

Watches, boxes and papers are not in the same place.

[Bazil]

Invest in a good size safe, and just store all together …

[FrançoisCzapek]

where I currently live is not conducive to this

[Chute]

Anything unique to the watch goes in a good safe or safe deposit box (papers, receipts etc). Boxes packaging and booklets that could be replaced stored with other non valuables

[metallic]

Store in any dry area that has no risk of getting wet.

Seems rather silly to store a cardboard box and/or wooden box worth $20 in a safe. Who is stealing empty wooden boxes?

[Bmats]

Papers in a safe in a plastic bag. Boxes in the plastic box in a closet.

[salnuaimi]

In the the leather wallet of patek , inside the box.

[DavidSB]

Scan the papers before putting them in a safe location

[jamesbondOO7]

Storage compartment in the base of the bed

[misochew]

For long term storage be careful when storing these items in plastic bags or totes. Many plastics have plasticizers that can off-gas onto your WatchBox or its papers. If you’ve ever had to clean the cloudy film off of the inside of your car’s windshield, that’s plasticizers from your dashboard.

I also learned this from coin collecting. …Never put silver coins in a PVC flip!

One trick I use is acid-free archival grade tissue paper to wrap the watchbox before placing it in any storage box. The tissue paper acts as a barrier. For the watch’s papers and warranty card, they get wrapped in that paper before going into the ziplock, then bank safebox.

Cost me ~$15 for 100 sheets, which seems like no-brainer to me.

[WatchingAustin]

I always get the cardboard outer box. It fits the wooden box along with leather manual and certificate. I put those in a safe or safety deposit box.

[srvrf]

I don't know if it is "best practice" but I keep my boxes and papers in large Ziplock type bags with a couple desiccant packs.

[FrançoisCzapek]

Why do you keep the certificate with the box, and why put the box in a safe as it's worth much less than the certificate?

[77T]

Originally Posted by FrançoisCzapek

Why do you keep the certificate with the box, and why put the box in a safe as it's worth much less than the certificate?

Since you ask about "worth", I believe the answer is that you should follow one of two paths:
1. A lifetime keeper for next generation
2. Value if the watch will be sold

Path 1.
I would recycle all cardboard, put the wooden box to use as a jewelry or knick-knack container after recycling the padding, and save the certificate in its holder for future generations (in a safe place of your choice).

Path 2.
I would compare the resale value of a full-set (with collateral) against the cost over time. You mentioned using a safe deposit box due to your situation disallowing a home safe. That must be expensive for bulky boxes. Of course this is all cold calculating arithmetic versus the intangible satisfaction you may have for saving all sorts of collateral.


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[FrançoisCzapek]

I never said I put boxes in a safe deposit box.

[joa]

i currently store my watches in a bank safe and i will soon move the papers/cards to the bank safe as well.

[bobernet]

Wow. Looks like I’m the Neanderthal of the group.

I bought those collapsible canvas storage boxes that women use to store sweaters in their closet. All my papers are in the watch boxes where they came. All the boxes are in the storage totes. Totes on a top shelf in my closet.

[fsprow]

Papers in file folders in desk
Nice boxes on closet shelves. Rolex and other cheap boxes in trash.

[911cz]

Papers in the bank. Box in the office or man cave.

[JSol1]

Originally Posted by Chute

Anything unique to the watch goes in a good safe or safe deposit box (papers, receipts etc). Boxes packaging and booklets that could be replaced stored with other non valuables

This is my approach

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by 911cz

Papers in the bank. Box in the office or man cave.

+1 (and photocopy of original papers at home for convenience)

[WatchTimes]

All papers go in envelopes with the watch model on front and a # on the front of the envelope. The box etc goes into one of those new large zip lock storage bags with the envelope # write on the bag which I store in the basement in a closet. I don't think any crook is going to steal a ton of empty boxes and even if they do you can usually find a proper box for a couple hundred bucks unless its some crazy LE box.

[Will_NL]

Box in the cupboard, papers in a fire resistant bag in a safe

https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/masterlo...hoCkX8QAvD_BwE

[shikashia]

I always keep everything the way it left the AD (including the receipt and extra straps) that I put inside the watch box and put in a cupboard with a post-it with the watch ref on top.

[daysky1]

All of my boxes have the original warranty card and any paperwork that would be pertinent to the watch in the Box. The watches that I purchased from my authorized dealer are in my hobby room setting side by side along with any perks that they gave me for example Titleist golf balls umbrellas hats etc all of the watch boxs that I purchased from the gray Market are kept in their original shipping containers in the same fashion except those are just stacked up on top of each other everything is kept in air conditioning in the open not in a safe. Wherever I can find a place to stack those boxes up that's where they get stacked up out of the way. From my authorized dealer I have a replacement valuation that's kept in a separate manila envelope for each one that I purchased from my authorized dealer and that's kept in My fireproof safe.

[daysky1]

Originally Posted by fsprow

Papers in file folders in desk
Nice boxes on closet shelves. Rolex and other cheap boxes in trash.

If you would like to send your Rolex boxes to me I'll pay the shipping

[4reRlxGuy]

I keep all docs (warranty, manuals, tags, ...) together in separate zip locks at the office safe, all the empty boxes at home in a file cabinet, almost all the watches spread out amongst 3 safe deposit boxes/vaults.

At the office the docs are in a fire safe within a regular safe.

I think I'm covered

[Doofler]

I feel quite lazy & disorganised now reading this & some of the replies

[Bearxj86]

Warranty cards, documents, tags are in one of those college binders with plastic zippers (portfolio). Boxes are kept in a separate place (plastic/waterproof large containers).

[Calatrava r]

I usually keep the papers, wallet, tag and booklets in a lockbox. The boxes are just piled in a room completely out of view. Watches supplied with winding boxes are used to wind those watches and are hidden separately.