Vintage Watches For Sale

What You Should Evaluate When Purchasing Vintage Watches For Sale?

Purchasing vintage watches for sale on the market cannot be done in just a few minutes or hours. A thorough and detailed examination must be conducted to evaluate whether the piece you want is a vintage piece or a counterfeit. This examination can also gauge the proper value of the piece. Listed below are a few points to remember when evaluating vintage watches.

Original parts

Still today, people dread or buying vintage watches made from disparate parts, and often reproduced – if not downright fake – dials. If your goal is to buy a vintage timepiece with all or close to all original parts, prepare to scrutinise. For example, look at whether patina is patina – or if the markers and hands have been painted to match one another to effectuate a uniform look. As with polishing, the occasional non-original part is not necessarily fatal. When one wants to get their watch serviced in the past, they usually mean to replace some parts to make it appear newly bought. This resulted in service hands, dials, bezels, new bracelets, re-laming, you name it. But you must want to know.

Stretchy bracelet

A little stretch is inevitable. A bracelet stretches when the pins wear down, which is just a thing that they do. The holes in the links of the bracelet expand with time. This generates more space that makes the bracelet wobbly. Some folks like a little stretch in their bracelet; some folks like it tight, with minimal play. It's a matter of personal preference. However, you should make sure your end links aren't bent or compromised in any way, as this can put your watch at risk of falling off your wrist at a particularly inopportune time. Fortunately, this is entirely preventable by a thorough inspection. Hollow links are particularly prone to becoming compromised for extended wear, so make sure each pin is securely in its drilled hole, and make sure that the bracelet cannot twist. If it can, consider replacing it.

Originality

Something that’s discussed a lot when getting advice on vintage watches is ‘originality’ and the idea that the watch must be completely original and the same as when it was made 30+ years ago. For some people, this is a really important factor, but what you must consider is that if the watch has been cared for and serviced regularly during its life, then, of course, it will have had parts replaced in the interest of keeping it working as it should. On the flip side, a completely original watch may have never seen a service centre. Vintage watches for sale become more attractive to customers if signs of age are visible.

Condition

The current state of a watch – aside from its historical and cultural values – can greatly affect its value; causing it to rise or fall. Vintage watches that have been carefully looked after and are complete with their original box and certificate are indisputable. That said, collectors are now also paying huge sums for uniquely discoloured or ‘tropical’ dial models that 20 years ago would have been impossible to sell.

Investment piece

It is better if you look for an investment piece, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, which are the go-to brands. Watches from these companies tend to rise in value most. The small and minute details of vintage watches are the factor that needs the most concern. Small changes made between different versions of the same watch can mean the difference between a €4200 investment and €42,000 investment. Do your research ahead of time and know exactly what you’re looking for.

First-class watches

It is known that watches made with extremely high-quality materials and techniques are pieces of art. Look for a respected, sought-after movement, so you know your new watch isn’t going to freeze up the minute you strap it around your wrist. A quality movement is both precise and extremely desirable. Also, look for the company’s logo on the case, dial, crown and movement for further proof that you’ve got a first-class watch on your hands.

Calendar features

Vintage watches with impressive and unique complications equipped in them boost the overall price value of the piece. A perpetual calendar watch, for example, displays not only the date and month but also the day of the week, the year and the moon phase – all while accounting for the differing lengths of months and leap years. The movement needs to be set only three times every 400 years.

It is advised to seek advice from professionals if it’s your first time purchasing or investing in vintage watches for sale. You must first make sure that the piece you want is original and not a fake copy. With proper information about it, you can determine the price value of vintage watches easier with time and experience.