Discovering Treasures

It started from discovering something shiny in my folks’ old cabinet to going to watch service and repair stalls in the backstreets and in the provinces. That’s how I became a vintage watch collector. My first vintage is, of course, my grandfather’s old Titus. It was a former resident in my mom’s jewelery box with cracked open crystal and casing turning gray. I had that serviced, restored and dressed up with a brown crocodile leather strap, and despite its antiquated dial, it looks elegant up to now. Oftentimes, that’s where it begins. From discovering it or being handed down, good watches are built to stand time to be appreciated by the former to the next generation. Vintage watches can also be found from nowhere. The collector is like an explorer following the trail to an archaeological find, a pirate sailing the vast seas and searching for buried treasure or a diver salvaging sunken galleons. There are a lot of items that can be collected, but there is nothing as personal, satisfying and as adventurous as collecting vintage watches.

A Work of Art that Defines Its Wearer

A watch is a very personal piece of accessory. It is not only an instrument that tells time, but it is a work of art that defines its wearer. Sherlock Holmes once deduced a man’s occupation and social class by looking at him from head to toe. Well, just by looking at a person’s watch alone, one can see a reflection of his or her personality. The most famous watch that does so is probably the Omega Seamaster of Bond… James Bond. The Seamaster is a dive watch that stands pressure mirroring Bond’s status as a naval commander and as a spy placed in dangerous situations. Having the color blue also reflects Bond’s noble plight and sadness that he cannot settle down like a normal person because of his occupation. Coming from our grandparents or parents, a vintage watch is also as personal as one accessory can get.

Top Seven Reasons Why I Collect Vintage Watches

I want to share the top reasons why I collect vintage watches, and I enumerated them below to describe the love for my hobby.

1.  The Value is at Its Barest Minimum

Being in the world of finance, this is my number one reason. Vintage watches at 30 to 50 years old are already depreciated down to their barest value unlike buying brand new ones in a mall, store or on-line. Of course, the condition of brand new watches are superb and at their peak, but vintage watches can be serviced and restored close to their original condition. Scratches can be buffed and polished, dials can be redialed and straps or bracelets can be replaced with new ones. There are also vintage pieces still available at mint condition. According to the vintage and pocket watches moderator of Watchuseek.com, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe are the three sure brands that maintain value. Vintage Rolex at mint condition are available at one third or one fourth of a brand new one’s price. There are also numerous quality brands with rich horological history available for the taking at USD45 to USD70. This is not an expensive hobby.

2.  Vintage Watches are Beautiful

This is really the essence of collecting something. I’ve seen how designs of watches have evolved throughout the decades, and they are all beautiful. Designs are distinct in their particular decade. They have various sizes, shapes and look, and one can be taken by and fall for them. I’m sure you’ll get the “Got to have it” feeling once you’ve seen a piece that sweeps you off your feet, and there are really a lot of them.

3.  Finding Vintage Watches is an Adventure

This is the main difference of buying watches from a store. Aside from also being available themselves in stores, vintage watches can be found in your own home, from your relatives and friends, the backstreets, the outskirts, far-flung provinces and other countries. The search outside and even an eBay auction are exciting. Once you’ve acquired, serviced, restored and dressed up that piece with a selected strap or bracelet, you’ll always look at it with a smile remembering how you got it in the first place.

4.  Being Enlightened and Making Discoveries

A drop of knowledge is like light being lit to a candle in the dark. My grandfather’s Titus does not really command a high price nowadays. However, I was filled with appreciation when I learned that Titus was founded by a genius, Paul Ditisheim, who was schooled in horology since he was a boy. Ditisheim also won numerous chronometer performance competitions and innovated watch designs. Every vintage watch brand or model has its own history even if they are not as popular now as a Rolex or Omega. Making discoveries about pieces you have acquired is also something delightful. My dad’s Camy, which he bought from a seller in 2005 or 2006, had a dark-brown casing, and I thought it was bronze when I got it when he passed away. I was surprised and glad it was actually gold electroplated on brass casing after cleaning and servicing.

5.  Satisfaction and Awe of Seeing the Watch Come Back to Life

Vintage watches are acquired in various conditions, from the severely scratched and grimy to mint condition. I acquired another Titus from a pawnshop owner in the province. The circa 1950s to 1960s Titus looked like it was previously owned a by carabao or a black Filipino bull that wallows in the mud and helps farmers till soil. It was severely scratched, had a grimy dial, cheap coffee-brown leather strap and some rust. Despite that, the movement was intact, clean, beautiful and ticking like a time-bomb. I originally planned to sell the piece after restoration but fell for it after I saw how it looked after the service was done. I dressed it up further with a brown leather strap with white stitches, and the watch is now one of my favourites. It is silver glory restored after half a century from its origin as I’ve written about it before and still true up to now.

6.  Your Collection Becomes a Part of You

You will be attached to the pieces you have collected and even by your collection as a whole. You even discover something about yourself looking at your collection. Originating from your preference, your collection is like your signature, distinct and representative of your individuality. Your watches also give you sophistication and appreciation for these classic works of art.

7.  Uncovering Further Value

This is especially applicable when one got the watch for free, an outrageously dropped-down price or a low acquisition cost even after servicing and restoration. It is satisfying to learn the current market value of pieces one has acquired through eBay or vintage watch stores and sellers. Sometimes, upon learning that some pieces one has acquired have more value, one is compelled to sell them to acquire other pieces. Uncovering further value gives the collector satisfaction and flexibility of modifying his or her collection.

Now that you have felt the love for collecting vintage watches, below are my tips in going about and putting up your own collection.

Top 10 Tips in Collecting Vintage Watches

1.  I Recommend Mechanical and Automatic Movements

One can collect any kind of vintage watch, but I recommend ones with mechanical or hand-winded and automatic movements. Quartz watches are battery powered and when they came out in the 70s, they nearly wiped out the watch industry using the traditional mechanical and automatic movements. Quartz watches are accurate with a variance of less than a second a day. The traditional movements probably have at least eight seconds a day, but they are works of art with their gears, rotors, bearings and jewels. Watch jewels are synthetic sapphires and rubies that reduce friction on parts that come together. Mechanical and automatic vintage watches also maintain their value in the long run compared to quartz watches. Whether the vintage is Swiss, Russian, German, French, American, Indian, Japanese or Chinese made, I recommend the traditional movements.

2.  Research

Before going on your adventure, do your research, research and research. We are blessed with the internet, and there are numerous resources for information such as watch forums, sellers, brand websites and others. Armed with knowledge, you will be able to talk intelligently with sellers and avoid making mistakes with your purchases. In research, know the various brands, models, movement types and even their current value.

3.  Select Your Watchguy

You are Indiana Jones, he is Marcus in the museum. You are Bond, he is Q. You are the Batman, he is Alfred. Selecting your watch repair and service person or simply put, your watchguy, is something very personal. You should be comfortable with him and his fees since you will depend on him on essential aspects you don’t know such as making the movement move, repair and restoration and others. Your watchguy also depends on you to bring him more vintage watches to service. It is a symbiotic coexistence.

4.  Plan Your Search

Go to areas where vintage watches are concentrated in. Provinces with high disposable income and areas prominent in the past are my targets for far-flung areas. Pawnshops, your watchguy and other watchguys in your vicinity are good sources close to home. If you want it easy, log-on to eBay; however, you will not be able to actually touch the vintage here. I recommend bidding on pieces from power-sellers which have a lot of pictures, especially of their movement.

5.  Select a Theme of Your Collection

This is a suggestion to give your search a goal and focus rather than go about buying anything vintage out there in a shoot anytime, anywhere method. Examples of themes are the color of dials, watch types such as dive, chronograph or chronometer and watches in the 70s, 60s or 50s.

6.  Verify Authenticity

Replicas and fakes can be spotted by looking at the movement and careful checking of everything else. Also make sure you are not buying something stolen. Check the background of the seller and avoid dubious ones.

7.  Evaluate the Extent of Aging and Damage

Checking the condition of the vintage watch is evaluating if it can be restored. Our main enemy here is rust. If there is rust, it should be manageable enough for your watchguy to clean off. Though they can be repaired, avoid deep scratches and dials damaged by mildew and bubbling. Avoiding these keeps your restoration cost low as electroplating and redialling are pretty expensive services.

8.  Check the Movement

This is the heart of your vintage. Make sure that our main enemy, rust, is not around again in any part of the movement. Also, check if the movement is intact, complete and working. A piece that is not working but has a movement in good condition is an acceptable acquisition. I made one myself and had my watchguy repair it.

9.  Store Them Properly

Most of the time, vintage watches don’t have boxes or cases so I suggest storing them properly in a watch case. These are usually wooden cases for single, nine or more than nine pieces. Your watchguy can recommend where to buy these special cases where you can just open and see your collection one or more than one at a time.

10.  Service Your Pieces Regularly

Remember to service your vintage watches every five years with your watchguy. If they are vintage dive watches you have used for swimming, servicing is every two years. This will preserve the condition of the vintage watches you have saved from the ravages of time.

In Conclusion: Now is a Good Time to Collect Vintage Watches

Now is a good time to go on your adventure in collecting vintage watches. People generally shell out funds for iPods, cellphones and other electronic devices rather than something classic such as a vintage watch. People also use their cellphones to track time rather than a watch now. This actually makes vintage watches cheaper and abundant to acquire since demand for them nowadays is low. So go find that shiny thing in your folks’ or grandparents’ cabinets. From there is where your adventure will take off.