By far the most asked question is the monetary value of vintage wristwatches. In recent years, the media has highlighted the monetary value of old wristwatches along with other vintage goods, so it is natural that people are interested in it. The Internet is full of various sources of information and searching for price information is easy, but not so unambiguous. The asking prices are sometimes dizzyingly high, but the realized purchase prices better tell the true value of the watches. In the world, the price level and demand is different than in Finland. In order not to disappoint the questioner, it is good to take into account a few things that significantly affect the value, because the value of an old watch is made of many factors.
The biggest factor affecting the value of a vintage watch is the brand and model. A popular and respected brand, even an iconic watch model is inherently more valuable than a basic watch from a more modest brand.
(Omega Seamaster automatic watch ref 166.002 from 1966.)
The biggest factor affecting the value of a vintage watch is the brand and model. A popular and respected brand, even an iconic watch model is inherently more valuable than a basic watch from a more modest brand. Popular vintage watch brands include e.g. Omega, Heuer, Zenith and Longines and of course the rarer ones, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, Rolex and many others. A small production quantity, a special movement, an interesting history and rare materials increase the value of the watch. You should also make sure that the watch is genuine and not fake. Fake wristwatches have also been made in the past, and unfortunately, fake vintage watches are still being made and sold.
Also made for a specific use, e.g. a diving watch, a wristwatch with a date or timekeeping function is often more valuable. This can sometimes also work the other way around, i.e. some machinery is known to have a design error, a bad feature or a function that is unreasonably expensive to maintain. In this case, it negatively affects the value of the wristwatch.
(The more features and uses, the more valuable a watch is in general. For example, a divers watch made for diving or a chronograph made for accurate time measurement is in many cases more valuable than a dress watch that only shows the time.)
The value of the watch increases if it has been regularly serviced and the service receipt is kept.
Does the watch work? Has the watch been serviced? If a watch doesn't run or is running +- several minutes a day, maintenance costs can easily run into the hundreds, or for a rarer watch, repairs can't be performed because parts are no longer available. The value of the watch increases if it has been regularly serviced and the service receipt is kept. In vintage wristwatches, mechanical and automatic movements are usually more valued than quartz movements. The mechanical condition of the watch has a significant effect on the price, because most of the time the watch is unusable if it does not show the time even with an accuracy of a few minutes. In the meantime, it must be stated that many vintage watches are old and heavily used, and you can't expect them to run as accurately as modern watches. The following saying is perfect for vintage watches: you can see the time from a watch and the exact time from a cell phone.
(Same watch and movement after service. You can enjoy a serviced watch for several years, and regular servicing guarantees that the watch will last for generations to come.)
Among the visible factors affecting the value, the most significant is the condition of the dial. As a rule of thumb, the more flawless a dial is, the more value it adds up to a certain limit. If the dial is badly corroded and scratched or the indexes have come off, not to mention that it has been repaired at home, the value of the watch may be only a few euros as a spare part.
(The dials of watches from the same era can age in very different ways. The condition of the dial is especially affected by decades of use, light and humidity.)
(No matter how nice a patinated dial looks, an undamaged watch with a dial in as original condition as possible is always more valuable than a damaged one and also more sought after by collectors.)
The next external factor is the material of the watch case. The value of precious metals varies depending on the market situation. Gold watches are made of gold of different values, the most common of which are 14 and 18 carat. Silver cases were often used in watches from the early decades of the 20th century, and white gold especially in women's wristwatches. There are also cases that are partly steel and partly gold. Some of the gold cases are hollow, which must be taken into account when determining the proportion of gold. Often the watch has to be disassembled in order to accurately weigh the amount of gold.
(Gold markings can sometimes be difficult to find on the outside of the cases. However, there are often small stamps under the lugs of the watch that can be seen with a magnifying glass. The watch in the picture is an Omega Seamaster XVI with 18k gold case, which was made to celebrate the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.)
(On the inside of the caseback, there are larger gold stamps and markings that tell, among other things, the country of manufacture and the gold content. If you do not have previous experience in opening a watch, it should be done by a watchmaker. With the wrong tools and the wrong opening methods, you can easily do more harm than good.)
However, the most valued is an unpolished watch case that is as new as possible, showing the traces of decades that tell the story of the watch.
Right after precious metals, and sometimes even more, cases made of stainless steel are valued. They are resistant to wear and corrosion and usually do not cause allergies to the user. A watchmaker can restore a rough steel case to like-new condition with different surface textures by grinding and polishing and sometimes even welding more metal to the case. However, the most valued is an unpolished watch case that is as new as possible, showing the traces of decades that tell the story of the watch.
(Two Omega Seamasters of almost the same age, whose steel cases are in very different condition.)
The least valued are plated cases, which usually have a chrome plating or gilding, but silver-plated and nickel-plated watch cases can also be found in old watches. A gold-plated watch is distinguished from a gold watch by the fact that the official gold markings are missing. The casebacks of gold-plated watches are also often made of steel, while the casebacks of gold watches are usually gold. The thickness of the plating is often marked on the case in microns. The platings are often corroded and worn out, especially on the lugs of the watch. Platings can be re-plated, but then the originality suffers and plating can also be expensive. The plated watch case can also cause allergic symptoms, but you can use a bund-style strap with them, where a strip of leather remains between the watch and the skin, so the watch is not in direct contact with the skin.
(Chrome cases usually age badly and constant contact with the skin and especially sweating are not good for the plating in the long run. Chromed cases in good condition are often distinguished from steel ones by the "stainless steel back" marking on the caseback.)
(The thickness of the plating varies a lot, and usually the more affordable the watch, the thinner the plating and the more sensitive it is to wear. In gold-plated watches, the caseback is usually made of steel, while in gold watches the caseback is also gold.)
The dimensions and size of the watch also significantly affect the price of a vintage watch. The bigger the watch, the more desirable it is.
The dimensions and size of the watch also significantly affect the price of a vintage watch. The bigger the watch, the more desirable it is. This is due to the fact that today's trends favor larger watches, and compared to them, a vintage watch may seem too small on the wrist for many. For example, in the 1950s and 1960s, a normal-sized wristwatch was usually 33-35 mm wide without a crown. The term oversize/jumbo is used when the width of the vintage wristwatch without the crown is 36 mm or more. The production quantities of larger watches were also small at the time, which makes them rare and sought-after collectibles today. The size of the watch is partly a matter of getting used to it, but it is still, at least at the moment, a significant factor affecting the price.
(Size matters. From left to right, chromed Leijona manual wind watch 31mm, steel cased Omega Seamaster 600 manual wind watch 35mm, and 18k gold cased Zenith Chronometre hammer-automatic 37mm.)
It should also be mentioned that if the watch has the original crown with the logo and in some watches the original crystal (for example, the Omega logo in the middle of the crystal), then it has the effect of increasing the value. The crystal or glass of the watch is usually easily replaceable with an equivalent to the original part. The same also applies to the crown of the watch. These can be difficult to find for some models, but usually watchmakers can find them easily. If the watch comes with the original leather strap with buckle or the original bracelet with suitable end links and extra links, then they increase the value of the watch. Some vintage bracelets in particular have increased in value recently.
(Even small original parts can significantly affect the price. Watches can always be found, but every year it becomes more difficult to find an original bracelet or buckle.)
If the set still includes the original box and warranty receipts or purchase receipt, the set is even more interesting for collectors. Then we talk about the so-called full set. The most valuable set of all is a NOS full set, i.e. an unworn old watch in its original package with all its accessories.
(Technos Sky Diver divers watch with original box and papers.)
(NOS condition Moeris Excellence manual wind watch with original box, strap and price tag.)
Cheaper and mid-priced vintage watches, however, hold their prices surprisingly well even in a downturn.
It is good to keep in mind that e.g. the global economic situation and trends also affect the value of vintage watches. In hobbyist circles, you can get excited about old Omegas today, but next year everyone will be talking about Zeniths. Demand is also affected by various events and news in the watch world. For example, when Zenith announced a newly made modern Defy model, the demand for vintage Defys began to rise and so did their value. When the hype is over, prices may return to the same level they were at before the news. If the global economy is plowing and interest rates and inflation are disciplining the consumer, then the watch hobby will suffer as well as other hobbies. In this case, the demand for the available vintage watches decreases and you can make bargain finds. Cheaper and mid-priced vintage watches, however, hold their prices surprisingly well even in a downturn.
(An original Zenith Defy A3691 dive watch from the early 1970s with a rare and desirable red dial.
(Defy reissued by Zenith. The appearance follows the original model, but the features and technology are current. Image from: www.zenith-watches.com)
You may never get a sold heirloom watch back, even if you are willing to pay anything.
If you ask about the value of an heirloom watch, regardless of the brand and model, the emotional value can be immeasurable, even if the watch's collectible value is negligible. It includes your own recent history, which should be preserved and passed on to the next generation or relatives. You may never get a sold heirloom watch back, even if you are willing to pay anything. Some people find the engravings on the back of the watch to be an interesting addition to the history of the watch, but others prefer a watch without engravings. In many cases, the engraving can be polished off, but does that lose the history of the watch and part of the idea of owning a vintage watch?
(At best, the engraving on the watch can be pleasing to the eye with its fine decorations and tell something about the ownership history of the watch. Initials, date or inscription can open the veil of the past and tell who bought the watch, for whom, when and why?)
The most reliable estimate for a vintage watch can be obtained from a watchmaker or dealer specializing in old watches. You can find out the value of the watch yourself by comparing it with the realized purchase prices of similar sold watches found on different trading platforms (e.g. Ebay, Chrono24, Catawiki, Huuto.net). The larger the group you take for comparison, the closer you get to the true value. Active vintage watch enthusiasts also have extensive information about realistic selling prices and you can ask them for advice in e.g. Facebook hobby groups and other forums.
Do you want to know the value of your vintage wristwatch? We base our estimates on the statistics we have collected over the years, as well as on the current market situation.