Your guide to buy a vintage watch

Interest in quality watches has risen sharply with the development of male style consciousness. There are few details in male attire that say as much about the wearer as his watch does.

Buying a vintage watch is often a very profitable way to enter the watch world at a very favourable price. The online second hand market is huge and opens the door of opportunity for bargains. With the right knowledge of how to proceed, the risks of being cheated are also reduced, as it often involves significant sums, should you buy a quality watch. At Care of Carl we receive and sell both pre-owned and vintage watches. You can find our pre-owned and vintage watches here.

The first step is to decide which watch you want. However, this often comes naturally when you have come so far that you are considering buying a vintage watch.

What is a vintage watch?

The difference between a pre-owned watch and a vintage watch is its age. Generally speaking, a garment or watch should be older than 25 years to be considered vintage.

Well-known traders

A website such as eBay can be a gold mine in the search for your vintage watch. However, there are also plenty of scammers. It takes a lot of knowledge and intuition to make safe purchases here. At Care of Carl, we can offer secure purchases, with free insured shipping and 30-day return policy, which facilitates the buying process of your investment.

Buy the seller

The first step in buying a vintage watch is to "buy the seller". This is simply a matter of the gut feeling you get when dealing with the seller of the watch. Have they sold many watches before? Do they seem to know what they are talking about? A seller who wants to rush through a deal is never a good sign.

References

Exercise caution in proportion to the size of the deal. Buying a watch can involve anything from a small amount of money to money enough to buy a car or house. It is always valued if the seller can provide references of previous buyers. This is especially important if it is a purchase between private individuals. You should also be vigilant when buying through online shops. Do thorough research on the seller.

Colour and materials

The colour of the dial sets much of the tone for the clothes and colours the watch pairs with. The colour and design of the strap/links also plays a role, but these are often interchangeable. A white dial generally matches with all colours of clothing. The metal of the case can also be something to consider, in relation to other steel details you often wear in accessories and similar details. Having a gold wedding or engagement ring, of course, does not require you to wear a gold watch.