In recent years, undoubtedly, vintage pieces such as clothes, furniture & of course watches have intensified dramatically in both popularity & value. This improvement has made the vintage watch market fierce & sometimes exciting as well as challenging to navigate.
Don't worry. Time Source Jewelers are here to help you with our expert tips for purchasing a vintage watch through this article.
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Thorough Research
Several alternatives exist for researching vintage watches, such as brand produced reference works, online forums & collectors reference books. All those mentioned above will surely help you in obtaining authentic information on your preferred watch.
Just be aware of the fact that collectors' reference books are a little expensive. However, when looking to purchase a classic vintage timepiece, this extra cost can be a drop in the ocean to the significant investment you will make.
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Choosing By Brand
It's no mystery that some watch companies are in much higher demand in comparison to others like Rolex, Bulova, Omega, Hamilton & Patek Philipe.
Brands like these are constantly increasing in value & are usually a sure-fire kind of investment. However, due to their vast popularity, they are also the most faked brands moving in the market. Thus analysis plays a vital part when purchasing a vintage timepiece.
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Alluring Traits
The most sought-after & alluring vintage watches generally possess all the qualities that are appreciated above others. However, one of the lesser-known points for buying a vintage timepiece, believe it or not, is that the most valuable metals are not always the most expensive.
So, for illustration, a recent gold timepiece may be less expensive than a 1940s steel chronograph timepiece due to the latter's rareness.
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Talk To An Specialist
When we talk about the restoration or care of a vintage timepiece, you need to hire a specialist watchmaker & it's well worth finding a specialist watchmaker before you buy.
Talk to many specialists & find out if they can source replacement components or make them as per the requirement. Ask how much fundamental repairs & maintenance will actually cost & discover if they specialise in some sort of particular watch brand, types 7 movements.
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Valuable Flaws
Anything with defects is commonly thought of as less expensive & valuable than the other in "perfect" condition. However, its not always the case with vintage timepieces.
The smart vintage watch buyer favours articles in their original & defective condition to those restored. For instance, faded unusual patinas affected by heat or moisture leaking inside the casing can be deeply prized.
Out of any of these points for purchasing a vintage timepiece, this one can arguably make the most distinction.
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Spend The Right Price
The price you are going to invest is probably one of the most sought out advice for purchasing a vintage timepiece because, even when it's a bit of history that you are purchasing, no one wants to spend over the odds.
To ensure this stuff does not happen to you, your safest bet is to check the records of past auction sales, search online platforms & start to put together a rough idea of what the price of your watch should be today.
Possessing over 40 years of experience in horology science & fine jewelry, Time Source Jewelers is a well-established & reputable authority in collectible vintage, antique & contemporary watches & jewelry.
We have developed a strong reputation as collectors, connoisseurs, dealers & restorers of fine vintage watches & jewelry.
We present some best-selling luxury vintage watches to our clients & we also present ongoing maintenance, proper care & support so that their watch becomes the obsolete piece they pass through their family for years to come.
