So you’d like to start collecting vintage watches?
It’s a great decision.
And here's the only introduction you'll need.
You're far from alone.
The secondary watch market was worth an estimated $786 million U.S. dollars in 2021 says Statista. A figure they say will increase to $2 billion by 2027.
If you dip in to this market, you’ll get:
A deep and fascinating interest taking in hundreds of years of history, engineering excellence, and style genius.
All executed in miniature.
You’ll get objects of great beauty.
And possibly of great value.
A Rolex Submariner is an acknowledged design triumph.
Pieces of art you can enjoy, and perhaps use, and heirlooms for your family.
Here are 5 ways you can make this a successful and rewarding hobby:
1 – Why do you want to collect vintage watches?
This is the first question you might explore.
To know how to get the best result, you need to know what result you want.
Are you collecting for beauty? For technical excellence?
Rolex's workshops could easily be a NASA facility.
Do you want to wear any or some of your watches?
Is there any reason why you don’t want to buy new watches?
Would you like to trade them? There’s a lively – and sometimes volatile – secondary watch market.
Do you want heirloom pieces to pass on?
Or pieces that will grow in value that you can then cash in?
When you know what you want, you’ll know how to get it.
2 – Find a focus
Once you’ve got a general idea of your purpose you may wish to chose a focus for your collection.
There are many options.
A: You can collect by brand.
Rolex is the most obvious and most popular option. There’s certainly enough in that legendary brand to keep a collector going for many lifetimes.
The extensive documentation attached to every Rolex is a great resource. There’s also a great infrastructure of specialist stores, dealers, sellers, and repairers to tap into.
But Patek Philippe, if you have the money, would certainly reward.
Omega have made some wonderful watches. And that could be a more affordable option.
Outside the big 5 (for arguments sake: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet) there are any number of distinguished and beautiful jewellers, horologists and independent clockmakers you could follow.
B: But what do you fancy?
I love the style of the 1960s. Give me a Rolex Datejust stainless steel from that decade and I’d be happy.
This watch, from the 1960s, is simplicity and perfection to me. What do you love?
Time periods or design styles – modernism, art deco-inspired, tech – could be a rewarding passion project.
C: Luxury watch design has structure
You could also collect by type.
Luxury watches can be split into two broad categories:
Dress watches, which are designed to be worn with evening dress. Elegance is the prime function.
Professional watches: divers, racing drivers, pilots… some of the most legendary watches were designed to do a job of work. Water proofing, split-second timing, even magnetic-proofing are all made to fulfil a function.
The parts that help keep a Patek Philippe Nautilus operating underwater.
D: Complications
Watches tell you the time. And your phone can do all manner of chronological tasks. Making an arrangement of tiny metal cogs do the same is extraordinarily, well, complicated.
Complications – and Grand Complications, which are even more complicated – are how these functions are delivered.
A tourbillon makes watches more accurate.
Calendars, day and date recording, split timings, time zones… these are all complications and they make a fascinating focus for a collection.
3 – Do your research
Every choice is informed by what you know.
This will come naturally to an extent.
You’re interested in watches after all.
Blogs, YouTube videos, and any number of style magazines will help you out here.
4 – Condition and upkeep
Vintage watch expert Eric Wind said: “I always tell people to buy a watch for the condition first.”
He recommends inspecting the watch as a whole.
You need to look out for replacement parts – is your watch fully original?
But, be prepared to accept that some parts of a vintage watch can and should be updated: crystals and waterproofing need to work.
However, any changes to a watch should be documented.
And certainly not hidden from you as a buyer.
You also need to be prepared to fund the upkeep of your own collection.
Vintage watches should be serviced regularly. Ideally by authorised technicians who will give you a full record of whatever work they do.
This is a cost. And you should factor it in.
5 - Where to buy and sell
Online retail has transformed watch collecting as a hobby.
But it removes one of the key weapons from the buyer’s armoury – the ability to see, hold, weigh-up, and maybe even shake a watch.
That means that reputation, certification and reviews are your friends.
Jewellers and watchmakers have professional associations.
A watchmaker at work.
A real-world address in a legal jurisdiction you are in or have access to is a big plus.
Shocking headlines and stories designed to make you scared are an easy way to attract attention.
There are scams and scammers out there, but the majority of sellers are legitimate.
It’s good to be cautious, but you don’t need to be frightened.
Know your rights, and what protections the payment methods you use provide you.
Have fun
Most watch buyers are consumed by passion for these extraordinary objects.
To me, that is the best reason to buy watches.
Yes, it is possible to make money by flipping watches quickly, but that is a demanding and risky pursuit.
But for the passion buyer, ownership of the object is its own reward.
And can you buy safely on eBay?
Yes, if you’re careful:
Look for very high feedback scores.
Avoid new sellers.
Check the returns policy.
Use authorised payment methods for extra protection.
Demand copies of authenticating documentation in advance of buying.
Get advice and pay for authentication if it’s a purchase you feel you must make – don’t buy in a rush.
Ask for the most secure delivery method available, with insurance and signature on arrival.
And that’s how you can collect vintage watches safely. And enjoy it.
