Hess Fine Arts, Inc.

What Hess Fine Arts, Inc. does

Hess Fine Arts, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned luxury goods dealer and auctioneer headquartered at 1131 4th St N, St. Petersburg, Florida, founded by Jeffrey P. Hess in the 1970s and formally incorporated in 1984. The company buys, sells, and auctions fine art, luxury watches (notably Rolex and other Swiss brands), estate jewelry, diamonds, rare coins and bullion, antiques, decorative arts, collectibles, furniture, and vintage technology, serving two complementary customer segments: individual sellers/collectors seeking accurate valuation and liquidation of personal or inherited items, and institutional sellers (banks, universities, museums) requiring professional handling of large collections. The business operates without proprietary technology, instead leveraging the deep human expertise of its founder (a globally recognized Rolex authority and author) and three on-staff GIA Graduate Gemologists to authenticate and price inventory.

The company monetizes through two primary streams: direct purchase-and-resale (one-time transactions on inventory the company principals) and consignment-based auction sales generating commission fees. Distribution spans a proprietary auction platform (Hess Fine Auctions / hessfineauctions.com), eBay under the HessFineAuctions seller account (operated since 1997, with 240,000+ items sold and $45M+ cumulative volume), Invaluable, and LiveAuctioneers, alongside a walk-in retail location and statewide Florida house-call services for estate liquidations and large-item acquisitions. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and event-driven (live auctions), supported by a content-marketing engine of weekly Tampa Bay Times 'What It's Worth' articles authored by the founder. Pricing is quote-based and varies by item, with no published tiers. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees and there are no external investors, funding rounds, or holding-company structures disclosed.

Name

Hess Fine Arts, Inc.

Legal name

Hess Fine Art, Inc.

Website

https://hessfineart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hess Fine Arts, Inc. is a family-owned St. Petersburg, Florida dealer and auctioneer that buys, sells, and auctions luxury watches, estate jewelry, fine art, coins, and antiques through its Hess Fine Auctions division on eBay, Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, and its own platform, serving individual sellers, estates, and institutional liquidators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Art & Collectibles Auction Services

NAICS

Jewelry Retailers (458310), Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423940), Art Dealers (45992), Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)

SIC

Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944), Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094)

akta.pro primary industry

Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pre-owned Fine Jewelry Dealers (CRAKAKAC), Vintage Jewelry & Antique Dealers (CRAKAKAD), Vintage & Antique Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAE), Coins, Currency & Bullion Collectibles Retail (Numismatics) (CRALAGAF)

Keywords

• Fine art auction
• Luxury watch dealer
• Estate jewelry buyer
• Antique appraisal
• Collectibles auction

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Auction Sales (Consignment): Consignment-based sales through live auctions. Items are sold for clients who receive proceeds after commission deduction. Services offered via Hess Fine Auctions, Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, and eBay platforms.
2. Direct Purchase and Resale: Company purchases items directly from sellers at negotiated prices and resells through various channels including auctions and direct sales.
3. eBay Sales: Daily auctions through eBay since 1997, with over 240,000 items sold and $45+ million in total volume.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hess Fine Arts buys, sells, and auctions fine art, luxury watches, estate jewelry, diamonds, rare coins, antiques, decorative arts, and high-end collectibles through direct purchase, consignment auctions, and online auction platforms. The firm authenticates and appraises items using in-house GIA Graduate Gemologists and operates via a proprietary auction site, eBay, Invaluable, and LiveAuctioneers, reaching a global buyer base.

Product overview

Hess Fine Arts, Inc. operates as a unified fine art and antique business with two main offerings: Hess Fine Art (the retail buying/selling service) and Hess Fine Auctions (the auction division). The company specializes in luxury watches, estate jewelry, diamonds, fine art, coins, collectibles, antiques, furniture, and vintage technology. They operate multiple sales channels including their own auction platform, eBay, Invaluable, and LiveAuctioneers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hess Fine Art (Retail Buying & Selling Service) Full-service fine art and antique dealer that buys items directly from individuals and estates and resells them. Specializes in luxury watches, estate jewelry, diamonds, rare coins, fine art, antiques, furniture, and vintage technology.
• Hess Fine Auctions Auction division of Hess Fine Art, Inc. conducting live online auctions of fine art, artist estates, fine watches, decorative arts, estate jewelry, and important collectibles. Available via proprietary site, Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, and eBay.
• Sell Your Items Service Service allowing customers to sell watches, jewelry and diamonds, coins, collectibles, art, home furnishings, and vintage technology to Hess Fine Art via online quote requests and in-person evaluation.
• eBay Store (HessFineAuctions) Daily eBay auctions specializing in vintage watches, fine jewelry, art, and collectibles under the seller name HessFineAuctions. Has sold more vintage watches on eBay than any other seller worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.4+% positive feedback rating with over 240,000 items sold on eBay
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InvaluablecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember of Invaluable, leading website specializing in millions of fine art, antiques, jewelry, vintage and collectible items worldwide. Live auction bidding available through platform with phone and absentee bidding options.
• LiveAuctioneerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational auction platform bringing global audience to bidding action in Art, antiques, Jewelry and Collectibles auctions across 50+ countries with instant translation and currency conversion.
• eBaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDaily auctions through HessFineAuctions seller account since 1997. Over 120,000 positive feedbacks with 99.4+% rating. Have sold more vintage watches on eBay than anyone in the world.
• National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC)minorOthersProfessional affiliation. Jeffrey Hess serves as online moderator for NAWCC.
• International Watch & Jewelry Guild (IWJG)minorOthersProfessional membership organization for watch and jewelry industry professionals.
• American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute (AWCI)minorOthersProfessional membership and certification organization for watch and clock professionals.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB)minorOthersAccredited business with BBB for consumer trust and dispute resolution.
• The Diamond ClubminorOthersIndustry membership organization for diamond traders and jewelers.
• International Jewelry GuildminorOthersFounding member of this jewelry industry guild organization.
• Tampa Bay Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Alumni AssociationminorOthersFounding member. Company has three GIA Graduate Gemologists on staff including Katrina Hess.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Goldin: Auction house and marketplace for high-end sports cards, memorabilia, and collectibles. Comparable to Hess in auctioning collectibles using online live-bidding platforms with international reach.
• Antiquorum: Specialist auction house dedicated to vintage and collector watches. Closely comparable to Hess's watch auction focus, with deeper watch-only expertise and a more international bidder base.
• Phillips Auctioneers: Auction house with a leading dedicated watch department in New York, Geneva, and Hong Kong. Directly comparable to Hess's vintage watch focus, though at a higher-end price tier and global audience.
• Bob's Watches: Specialist pre-owned Rolex and luxury watch dealer and buyer. Directly comparable to Hess's core vintage watch buying and resale business, with a similar focus on authentication and fair pricing.
• Crown & Caliber: Online platform for buying and selling pre-owned luxury watches. Comparable to Hess's eBay channel for vintage watches, with a similar authenticated-resale model and direct-purchase or consignment flows.

Broad incumbents

• Christie's: Global auction house with major watch and jewelry auction programs. Comparable to Hess in auctioning luxury watches and jewelry, with a substantially larger consignor base and global bidder pool.
• Bonhams: International auction house with active watch and jewelry departments. Comparable to Hess in auctioning luxury timepieces and jewelry, with broader category coverage and international infrastructure.
• Heritage Auctions: The largest US-based auction house, with strong watch, jewelry, and collectibles categories. Direct competitor to Hess in vintage watches and estate jewelry, with deeper catalogs and national marketing reach.
• Watches of Switzerland Group: Global luxury watch retailer (Rolex, Patek Philippe, etc.) with both new and pre-owned programs. Comparable to Hess in luxury watch retail, though primarily tied to authorized brands rather than auction.
• Sotheby's: Global auction house covering fine art, watches, jewelry, and collectibles. Comparable to Hess as an auctioneer of luxury watches and jewelry, but at much larger scale and broader international reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hessfineart
• Facebookfacebook.com/hessfineart
• Pinterestpinterest.com/Hessfineauction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hess-fine-art

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hess Fine Arts, Inc.