Old pocket watches - why so cheap?
Discussion
Hi guys,
I've recently been going around antique shops looking for things for the house and have noticed loads and loads of nice old pocket watches gathering dust, some early 19thC solid silver cased ones for under £50 which begs the question why are they so cheap? In their day they would have been worth months and months (if not years) of wages and put together by skilled craftsmen. I've always been on the hunt for something to start collecting and think these might be it.
Is there anything to be looking out for? Things to avoid?
I've recently been going around antique shops looking for things for the house and have noticed loads and loads of nice old pocket watches gathering dust, some early 19thC solid silver cased ones for under £50 which begs the question why are they so cheap? In their day they would have been worth months and months (if not years) of wages and put together by skilled craftsmen. I've always been on the hunt for something to start collecting and think these might be it.
Is there anything to be looking out for? Things to avoid?
disco1 said:
I've always been on the hunt for something to start collecting and think these might be it.
It is interesting that you write it in this order. I get the feeling you're hoping to use them as an investment of sorts, hold for 20 years, sell for 10x the original price you paid? I would at least collect something you really want to collect rather than something you vaguely want that might be worth even less in years to come and you don't actually like. One issue with pocket watches is that they're easier to build than wrist watches just from a size viewpoint (yes, I'm sure the 100 complication Patek pocket watch that's worth £50000000000000000000 is harder to put together but those kind of things are rare; you're talking about normal ones).I bought my first last night, a Westclox 'Pocket Ben'
It's coming from one of our oriental cousins and despite being described as 'working', it cost $18. I won't hold my breath !
Bonus video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di1Jl7CQ3ug&fea...
Bloke thinks his Patek Philippe gold pocket watch, boxed, all original and with more complications than you can shake a horological stick at, is worth around $6000.
His arse starts to twitch when he learns Patek Philippe are buying these up for their museum.
It's coming from one of our oriental cousins and despite being described as 'working', it cost $18. I won't hold my breath !
Bonus video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di1Jl7CQ3ug&fea...
Bloke thinks his Patek Philippe gold pocket watch, boxed, all original and with more complications than you can shake a horological stick at, is worth around $6000.
His arse starts to twitch when he learns Patek Philippe are buying these up for their museum.
Being an "old pocket watch" doesn't mean it's rare or anything special. There are some fabulously expensive, ancient and beautifully constructed pieces, some with very significant horological importance. But there are a lot that were produced for the upper class (as opposed to the early days, when you'd need to be monarchy to have one) and later the middle classes that aren't as rare as you would think- these guys were in the business of making and selling as many as they could and were well organised. Once the Americans & Swiss industrialized the process, things became even less labour intensive and even the working classes could afford a reasonably accurate cheap crap watch.
So yeah- they're cheap because there's plenty about, and they weren't neccesarily *that* special. If you have a particularly rare, significant or high quality piece, the prices can become much more impressive.
Generally I feel they're still undervalued compared to the types who spend tens of thousands on an old mass-produced Rolex with a rare dial, but that's the nature of fashion.
So yeah- they're cheap because there's plenty about, and they weren't neccesarily *that* special. If you have a particularly rare, significant or high quality piece, the prices can become much more impressive.
Generally I feel they're still undervalued compared to the types who spend tens of thousands on an old mass-produced Rolex with a rare dial, but that's the nature of fashion.
Funny, I was thinking about this the other day. I used to have an old Ingersoll pocket watch that my Grandad gave me, and I've no idea where it is now.
Manual wind, cream face, had a leather strap with a t-bar on the end... Probably nothing special but if I found it again I'd probably appreciate it more I guess.
Manual wind, cream face, had a leather strap with a t-bar on the end... Probably nothing special but if I found it again I'd probably appreciate it more I guess.
Gizmo! said:
Funny, I was thinking about this the other day. I used to have an old Ingersoll pocket watch that my Grandad gave me, and I've no idea where it is now.
Manual wind, cream face, had a leather strap with a t-bar on the end... Probably nothing special but if I found it again I'd probably appreciate it more I guess.
I seem to recall* that Ingersoll were the company who brought out the "dollar" watch back in the early 1900s. I guess it has historical value plus personal value if no other value.Manual wind, cream face, had a leather strap with a t-bar on the end... Probably nothing special but if I found it again I'd probably appreciate it more I guess.
(*- from reading rather than being old enough to remember the early 1900s.)
RemainAllHoof said:
disco1 said:
I've always been on the hunt for something to start collecting and think these might be it.
It is interesting that you write it in this order. I get the feeling you're hoping to use them as an investment of sorts, hold for 20 years, sell for 10x the original price you paid? I would at least collect something you really want to collect rather than something you vaguely want that might be worth even less in years to come and you don't actually like. One issue with pocket watches is that they're easier to build than wrist watches just from a size viewpoint (yes, I'm sure the 100 complication Patek pocket watch that's worth £50000000000000000000 is harder to put together but those kind of things are rare; you're talking about normal ones).Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff