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While both antique and vintage jewellery items are old, there is a firm distinction between the two; anything classed as antique must be at least one hundred years old, while a vintage antique would be anything from 20 to 99 years old. Of course, as time passes, a vintage watch will eventually become an antique, as it reaches its 100th birthday and that may have an effect on the value.
Serial Number
Every timepiece would have the manufacturer stamp that tells you the date of manufacture and this should be visible somewhere on the watch. With the serial number, you should be able to find out when and where it was made and even by who. Search online and have a look at vintage watches from different dealers. You may come across a wide range of authentic luxury watches, all at affordable prices. Each timepiece would have ownership documentation, along with details of all services carried out by an approved engineer.
Vintage Watches
Any luxury watch that is older than 20 years old and not yet 100, would be classed as ‘vintage’, and since the 1950s, brands such as Rolex began to flourish, releasing hundreds of models. A watch made in the 1930s or later would be categorised as ‘vintage’ and that includes many. Indeed, many collectors only deal in vintage timepieces, with well-known brands such as:
- Rolex
- Patek Philippe
- Vacheron Constantin
- Audemars Piguet
- Tag Huer
- Blancpain
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
There are a lot more vintage watch makers. The online antique and vintage dealer would be the person to contact if you are looking to start a collection of luxury timepieces, one of the best ways to start would be to search for vintage Omega watches Australia has or, if you live elsewhere, in the country where you’re located.
Antique Watches
Any timepiece made prior to the year 1921 would be classed an ‘antique’, with the majority being pocket watches, which were very popular among gentry in Europe and America, especially in the 19th and 20th century.
Incorrect Terminology
A lot of people will label any old object ‘antique’, when the item might be actually be ‘vintage’ in a bid to ask a higher price and when looking to buy any antique or vintage watch, it is essential that you determine the date of manufacture. If you are buying from a reputable antique dealer, they would be able to furnish you with lots of information, including the date of manufacture.
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As an example, a Rolex that was manufactured in the year 2000 would just about be inside the vintage class, which is from 20-99 years of age. A watch that is less than 20 years old would be simply called ‘old’, then it becomes a vintage for 80 years, after which, the watch will be classed as an antique.
There are many private collectors of vintage luxury watches and most acquire timepieces from reputable antique dealers who offer both antique and vintage luxury watches. If you would like to start collecting these amazing devices, start with a Google search to locate antique dealers who would have many fine watches on offer.
