The fondness for wristwatches will never die. Sure, a watch may already be considered a relic in this age of ubiquitous smart phones and computers that display accurate time. Yet, the centuries-old art of horology remains a staple to the imaginative mind and appreciative eyes.
Building a collection of wristwatches could include many types or just one. Depending on taste, the colector could go for dress watches, chronographs, dive watches, beater watches, or haute horology watches—or maybe, all of these. But with most of these being easily searchable on Amazon or on various auction houses, vintage watches would seem a lot more valuable. Collecting such watches would also mean collecting pieces of history, preserving icons, and creating a rare investment portfolio. The right vintage watch is one’s entry into a small world of connoisseurs, and marks a collector as a mature one.
Looking for vintage watches—especially those used in major world wars of the past—is an arduous and meticulous challenge. The pursuit for the right vintage watch is as much about the journey as it is the destination. Everyone has his own reasons for wanting it. Whatever the motivation, tracking down, researching, and buying that precious piece is not as effortless as a visit to the shopping mall. But when it arrives, it will feel much more fulfilling than any of the new watches one has bought for himself or herself.
I’m Peter Medlyn and I am an avid collector of vintage timepieces, particularly World War II military watches. Let’s talk more about my collection on Twitter.