Collecting Antique Watches - Hobby For A Select Few

By: Susan Jan
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:41:54
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Antique watches generally refer to mechanical watches that were made more than fifty years ago or more. Antique watches are not very useful in keeping accurate track of time, and instead make good gifts or a nice piece of decoration.

The antique watch business is a multi-billion dollar business. However there are a lot of fakes out there so buying an antique watch requires careful research.

A Brief History of Time

Some knowledge of mechanical watches will help a lot in judging the approximate date of manufacture of the antique watch:

1500s Peter Henlein of Germany created the first pocket watch

1660s Christian Huygens invented the remontoire

1680s Repeating mechanism for bells and sounds patented

1700s Rubies used in watch movements

1750s Enamel used on watch dials

1760s Lever escapement invented

1800s First self winding watch invented

1840s First watch to have winding and setting through crown

1914 World War I popularizes the wristwatch

1914 First wristwatch with alarm

1926 First water proof wristwatch

1956 First watch to display day and date

1960 First watch to have scratch-proof dial

Sources of Antique Watch

Antique watches of many established companies are available such as Rolex, Omega, Universal Geneve, Angelus, Vacheron & Constantin, Seiko, Benrus, Breitling, Gruen, Zodiac, IWC, Movado, TAG Heuer, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Shakosha (Citizen watch company of Japan) Gallet, Wittnauer, Bulova etc. There are a lot of sources on the internet selling watches online. Good buys can be found at auctions and second hand markets but the authenticity of these antique watches are doubtful.

Maintenance of Antique Watch

Maintenance of an antique watch is very difficult. The parts are not easily available and antique watches cannot be repaired at all watch shops. So do make sure that the seller also guarantees their repair if the need arises. Most antique watch sellers also provide maintenance and care manuals for the antique watch. Be sure to follow the instructions.

Cost of Antique Watch

Antique watches are available anywhere between $300 to millions of dollars depending upon the make, the date of manufacture, the history of the watch and the jewels in the antique watch. The market price of the antique watch is determined by its snob appeal and social acceptance.

Antique watches make wonderful gifts and give the wearer a distinct and artistic look. Antique watches combine artistic appeal and nostalgic charm. However, antique watches are costly in general and need a lot of maintenance and care.

For more on Antiques visit Susan's site at antique-trove.info. Susan also enjoys writing on a wide range of topics at home-and-family-hub.info.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Shopping category

  • 3 Year Old Toys - Learning with fun - By: Kilian Allen
    The age of three is a vital period in a youngster's growth process. It is during this time that a toddler starts going to school and getting ready to face the world.
  • 2 Year Old Toys - Learning with games - By: Garret Lloyd
    Two year age is a vital period for toddlers. Things that they learn at this stage of life often stay in their memories throughout their lifetime.
  • 1 Year Old Toys - Not just a child's play - By: Garret Lloyd
    Toys play a very important role in a child's mental growth during the early years. As a toddler, a one-year old is likely to spend a lot of time playing with toys every day.
  • Choosing the Thickness of Laminating Pouches for Your Documents - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Using a pouch laminator and some laminating pouches it is incredibly simple to create high quality laminated signs, luggage tags, name tags, visual aids and identification pieces. All you need to do is insert the material that you want to laminate into the pouch, insert the both into the carrier and then run the carrier through your laminator. All this is very simple if you have the right pouches for your job. This article is designed to provide information that will help you choose the right thickness of laminating pouch for your documents.
  • Choosing The Right Size Of Paper Shredder For Your Office - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Does your office have a paper shredder? Are you considering purchasing one? Now days, almost every office has a shredding machine (or should have one). If your office is one of the few that doesn't have one, or if you need to upgrade then you are going to need to pick the right size and capacity to fit the needs of your office. This article will help you understand some of the things that you should consider when deciding on the size of shredder that will best suit your needs.
  • Choosing the Right Rotary Trimmer for Your Cutting Needs - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Buying a paper cutter can be confusing. There are literally hundreds of models and a bunch of different types of cutters that are available on the market. One type of paper cutter is the rotary trimmer. These trimmers use a sharp wheel to cut documents in a straight line and are popular for producing craft projects, trimming lamination and scrapbooking. However, understanding which rotary trimmer might best fit your needs can be difficult. This article will provide you with five things to consider when choosing a rotary trimmer.
  • Choosing the Right Ream Cutter or Stack Cutter for Your Officess - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Cutting large documents or large amounts of paper can be difficult. Traditional guillotine cutters are only capable of cutting a few sheets at a time (up to 30 at the most). Rotary trimmers have the same problem. They can only cut ten or less pages at a time. If you need to cut a whole stack of sheets, face trim a perfect bound book or even slice a whole ream of paper in half you will need a stack cutter (also called a ream cutter). Here are a few things to consider when choosing a stack cutter.
  • Choosing the Right Electric Paper Cutters - By: Jeff McRitchie
    If you are in the market for an electric paper cutter you have probably noticed that there a ton of options available. In fact you can spend as little as a couple thousand dollars and as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars. What is the difference? How do you know what cutter will be right for your needs? This article is designed to provide you with some quick tips for determining the right electric paper cutter for your company's needs. Here are a few things to consider...
  • Telescope Shopping Tips From an Experienced Astronomer - By: Richard Pickering
    Telescopes are popular gifts for Christmas, birthdays or other occasions ... but buyer beware! Many people live to regret their telescope purchasing decisions, either because they bought a cheap telescope that underperforms, or because they paid far too much for a telescope they rarely use. But armed with the right advice, smart shoppers can buy a good quality telescope for just a few hundred dollars.
  • Books: True friends for every one - By: Kell Maria
    Online book stores are platforms where people can go for buying and selling books. Its a place where any one can aware themselves regarding books, best sellers, reading materials etc.