A luxury watch says a lot about a person. It shows that they value high quality, expensive pieces and that they have achieved enough financial success to be able to afford one. Male watch enthusiasts will spend weeks or months of their time conducting research to help them decide which watches are the best watch styles for men. While many watch enthusiasts may disagree on which is the best watch brand or the best watch style for men, most of them will agree on one thing: vintage style watches for men are always a good choice. As we have stated in previous posts, the vintage luxury watch market is continuing to grow and many of the latest watch styles for men revolve around vintage watches.
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What Makes a Watch Vintage?
Vintage watches for men typically have a classic design, are decades old, and have enough patina and fading on the dial to show off their age. Most people consider any watch older than 1985 to be a vintage watch. The older the watch, the more rare the watch is likely to be, increasing the value and the price of the vintage watch. What makes vintage watches so special is the fact that they are often one-of-a-kind and you are unlikely to run into someone else with the same watch. Vintage watches are made even more special if they have a significant meaning associated with them, whether it is an OMEGA Speedmaster that commemorates the first trip on the moon, or a watch that celebrates a brand’s 100th anniversary.
Often times, vintage watches, because they are not brand new, can be purchased for less than the brand new model. However, this is not the case with all brands. Vintage Rolex watches and vintage Patek Philippe watches are two of the most collectible brands because they hold their value better than any other brands. For example, the Patek Philippe 2526 is one of the most iconic watches because it was Patek Philippe’s first watch with an automatic movement. In recent auctions, this vintage watch model has sold for significantly more than it was sold for originally.
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Our Favorite Vintage Watches
Here, we show you some of our favorite vintage watches that we have purchased at Crown & Caliber:
Vintage Rolex Explorer and Vintage Rolex Explorer II
The Rolex Explorer became a vintage and iconic watch when it became the first wrist watch to reach the top of Mt. Everest. This classic and simple design makes this a very coveted watch. The Rolex Explorer II was introduced in 1971, was introduced as an update to the original Explorer.
The sporty OMEGA Speedmaster is another iconic vintage watch. This particular watch is a 145.022 and has a NASA mission engraving on the caseback. Engravings such as this add to the value of the watch, adding to it’s history and back story. Whether new or vintage, the OMEGA Speedmaster is a great watch.
Vintage Jaeger LeCoultre 1951
Jaeger LeCoultre makes some of the finest watches in the luxury watch industry. This fine vintage Jaeger LeCoultre watch from 1951 is a beautiful watch. Because Jaeger LeCoultre watches are each created with such accuracy and care, these watches are built to last for several decades, which is why it is not surprising that this watch is still in excellent condition given its age.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Y1545
One thing that makes vintage watches so special is the fact that they are often rare watches. If you have a vintage watch, it is likely that you may never meet anyone else with the exact same watch. This Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is a special and rare watch. It was originally purchased in the 1950s in its original condition, complete with Squale markings on it’s dial.
Rare Vintage Heuer Carrera
This Heuer watch is a pre-TAG Heuer watch. It is a two register chronograph watch in it’s original condition. Vintage Heuer watches have a loyal following of enthusiasts. Now known as TAG Heuer, Heuer watches have a rich history dating back to 1916 to assist in the racing world.
Patek Philippe Calatrava 2526
As mentioned above, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 2526 is an iconic watch, as it was the first Patek Philippe watch to contain an automatic movement. This watch has an porcelain dial that is still in excellent condition. This porcelain dial is another reason why this watch is so special. Porcelain is very breakable, so the fact that this dial is still intact after several decades of wear is another reason why this vintage watch is so special.
Rolex Paul Newman Daytona 6239
Made famous in 1969 when actor Paul Newman wore this watch while filming “Winning,” the vintage Rolex Paul Newman Daytona is one of the most coveted vintage watches. Even over 40 years after Newman first wore this watch, it is still referred to as the “Paul Newman” watch is often sold for big bucks at auction houses.
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Going vintage is no cakewalk. Finding the right vintage watch takes time, energy, and research. We have several tips that will help you find the right watch that can apply to buying any watch, whether it is vintage, pre-owned, or brand new. Here are several men’s watch styles do’s and don’t’s:
DO:
– Conduct extensive research before buying a watch, whether it is vintage or brand new.
– Go through every possible measure to ensure that the vintage watch is authentic.
– Purchase a watch that fits your personality. If you are a casual, laid-back, athletic guy who hardly ever wears a suit, buy a big, rugged, sport watch. If you attend a lot of black tie events and are spotted wearing a suit on a regular basis, buy a classic, traditional watch. If you are an understated guy, buy a smaller sized watch. For the bigger guys, don’t be afraid to purchase a larger watch.
– On a vintage watch, it is important to make sure that all of the parts are original pieces.
DON’T:
– Do not mistake bad quality for patina or appropriate aging in a vintage watch.
– Do not buying a vintage watch as an investment piece. There is no way to know the future demand or value of the vintage watch.
– Do not buy a vintage watch without checking out the seller. Make sure the seller has a good reputation.
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