Vintage Watches

Photo Credit: lukedequ

Vintage Wakmann Chronograph Wristwatch from the 1950s

Buy It Now Price: $1,350 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a sharp-looking, manual wind, two-register, vintage Wakmann Chronograph wristwatch from the 1950s.  Chronograph is just a fancy way to say the wristwatch in question functions as a stopwatch.

-The wristwatch measures 35 mm (1.38 inches) wide, excluding the crown.  The watch case is chrome-plated base metal and the back of the case is stainless steel.  These are fairly typical materials for the time period.

-The Wakmann Watch Company, founded in New York City in 1946, was an importer and producer of high quality wristwatches, particularly chronographs.  The company partnered with the well known European watch manufacturer Breitling for much of its existence.  After several prosperous decades, the Wakmann watch brand finally succumbed to the flood of cheap quartz watches in the 1970s.

-This vintage Wakmann Chronograph wristwatch sports the legendary Swiss Landeron calibre 48 movement.  Starting around World War II, the 17 jewel calibre 48 brought professional grade chronograph features within reach of the average individual for the first time.

-Between 1937 and 1970, over 3.5 million Landeron calibre 48 movements and related models were produced, making it one of the most successful chronograph watch movements ever developed.

-The movement appears to be in good condition, with no evidence of rust.  Rust is the number one pitfall to avoid in a vintage mechanical wristwatch movement.

-The original dial has not been refinished and is in excellent condition.  Both the style of the dial and the Landeron calibre 48 movement are consistent with a 1950s attribution for this watch.

-Based on the attractive appearance and relatively clean condition of this vintage Wakmann Chronograph wristwatch, I think the $1,350 asking price is fair.

Cons:

-Although Wakmann produced some very fine wristwatches, the brand does not have the same cachet associated with top tier vintage watch manufacturers like Rolex, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre or its longtime partner, Breitling.  A vintage chronograph wristwatch from one of these luxury producers would be more desirable, as well as substantially more expensive.

-The chrome plating is pitted or worn through on several small areas of the watch body and crown.  Assuming the movement is in good order, this is the most significant condition problem that the watch has.  While it does lower the value of the piece somewhat, I think this defect is relatively minor.

-The seller states that this vintage Wakmann Chronograph wristwatch keeps good time.  It would still be wise to have the watch professionally inspected and serviced, however.  This could cost another $100 to $300 on top of the purchase price.

Photo Credit: clint16

Hamilton Brock Solid 14k Gold Gents Vintage 1940’s Wristwatch

Buy It Now Price: $595 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a very nice vintage men’s Hamilton Brock wristwatch from the 1940s.  The Brock series was one of Hamilton’s longest lasting and most popular models, produced from 1939 to 1952.

-The rectangular solid 14 karat yellow gold case measures 38 mm (1.50 inches) tall (lug to lug) by 20 mm (0.79 inches) wide, excluding the crown.

-The sleek, rectangular case and white enamel dial with 18 karat gold Arabic numerals are the epitome of World War II era retro style.

-This vintage Hamilton wristwatch uses the iconic 19 jewel 982M movement.  The “M” stood for “medallion” and represented Hamilton’s finest movement at the time.  The company only used the 982M in wristwatches with solid gold or platinum cases.  This particular movement (serial number: M130204) was most likely produced in 1949.

-The high end Brock wristwatch retailed for $80 at its introduction, equivalent to $1,383 in 2016 – a staggeringly high price for a watch in an economy still reeling from the Great Depression.

-The dial, crystal and movement all appear to be in excellent condition.  The seller claims the watch still runs and keeps time well.  The offer price of $595 seems fair for a beautiful vintage Hamilton wristwatch in such nice condition.

Cons:

-Wristwatches from the 1940s were generally smaller than today.  That means this particular watch – even though it is a men’s model – might seem more like a contemporary women’s wristwatch in terms of scale.

-It is wise to have any vintage wristwatch acquired from eBay professionally serviced, provided the seller hasn’t already performed this service.  This will usually add $100 to $200 to the purchase price of a watch.

-The seller claims the watch dial is original, but it may have been refinished.  However, a refinished dial does not negatively impact the value of vintage American wristwatches like it does with vintage European wristwatches.

-The Hamilton Brock wristwatch, while a desirable model, is not particularly rare today due to its long production run.

Photo Credit: gallotreasures

14K White Gold Vintage 17 Jewels Waltham Pocket Watch 58.5g Perfect Condition

Buy It Now Price: $599.99 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an antique Waltham pocket watch from the late 1920s.  It is a set in a solid 14 karat white gold, Art Deco style, open face case.  It weighs 58.5 grams and measures 1.75 inches (44.5 mm) in diameter.

-Old mechanical watches manufactured by American companies like Elgin, Hamilton and Waltham were made to very high standards and are significantly undervalued in today’s vintage watch market.

-The movement for this Waltham pocket watch is a grade 225, size 12 with 17 jewels.  A size 12 was the smallest movement that was typically used for men’s pocket watches during the early 20th century.

-The movement looks like it is in reasonable condition, with no areas of rust visible.  If an antique mechanical watch movement shows significant signs of rust, it is often not worthwhile or cost effective to try to restore it.

-The chic, Arabic numeral watch dial is completely original and in great shape, with only very minor blemishes.  Original dials are extremely desirable on European mechanical watches, but buyers of American mechanical watches seem to be somewhat indifferent between original and refinished dials.  In any case, an original dial in good condition can’t be bad for either the aspiring collector or investor.

-The watch’s octagonal shape exudes classic 1920s Art Deco linear style.  The white gold case is also encrusted with an attractive diamond and cross pattern on the reverse.  The serial number on the movement (26677807) indicates it was manufactured in 1928, which is consistent with the watch’s magnificent Art Deco look.

-Although the seller does not give us the weight of the case alone, we can (imprecisely) estimate a lower bound by multiplying the total weight of the watch by 30%.  This gives us an estimated pure gold weight of very, very roughly 0.329 troy ounces (10.23 grams).  With gold trading at $1,230 a troy ounce, this gives us an approximate bullion value of $404.  So about 2/3rds of the $600 purchase price is intrinsic value, give or take.  This provides a reasonable safety net under our investment, limiting the possibility of loss.

Cons:

-Although the seller claims the watch runs and keeps good time, it would be wise to have the watch cleaned and serviced by a professional.  This will generally cost between $100 and $300, assuming no major repair work is necessary.

-Pocket watches from European luxury houses that are still manufactured and sold today like Rolex, Omega and Patek Philippe are very popular (and also expensive) right now.  Because it is from a defunct American manufacturer, this Waltham pocket watch is less desirable.  However, its price already reflects this fact.

-During the early 20th century, truly high end mechanical watches usually had 19, 21 or 23 jewels.  Watches with 15 or 17 jewel movements – like our featured Waltham pocket watch – were considered good, but not top tier.  It is not advisable to purchase a mechanical watch with less than 15 jewels for investment purposes unless it has some other compelling attribute.

Photo Credit: Vintage-2-Things

Rare Men’s Longines Solid 14K Gold Diamond Watch with Knotted Lugs

Buy It Now Price: $1,250 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This vintage Longines wristwatch (a Viscount model) exudes bold 1940s retro styling. The slight, convex curve of the crystal watch face evokes the image of a porthole. The knotted lugs and attractive radial bezel design complete the subtle nautical theme convincingly.

-This Longines wristwatch is made from high quality materials – a solid 14 karat yellow gold case set with 12 diamonds around the bezel. In my opinion, this design faithfully encapsulates the prevailing style of the time without venturing into the garish.

-According to the item description, the watch is triple signed – on the dial, case and movement. A watch that is triple signed is more desirable than an identical watch with fewer or no signatures.

-The watch case measures 40 millimeters (1.57 inches) in length by 29 millimeters (1.14 inches) in width (including the lugs). While smaller than most modern men’s watches, this is a typical size for a mid-century men’s wristwatch.

Cons:

-There are no photos of the watch movement. Such photos would verify the caliber and prove it is not a dreaded “Franken-watch” – a vintage watch that has been reconstructed from inappropriate or non-period parts. They might also help corroborate the seller’s claim that the watch was recently serviced (and is therefore presumably in good working order).

-There are insufficient photos to verify that the watch is triple signed as indicated in the item description.

-The price is slightly high at $1,250. A much more equitable price would be $1,000 to $1,100.

-The Longines name does not have the same brand cachet in many collectors’ eyes as some other vintage watch manufacturers like Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre or IWC. Conversely, this tends to make vintage Longines watches less expensive. Don’t let the brand name stop you from considering this watch.