It’s important for potential buyers of vintage wristwatches to understand both the rewards and the demands of owning a classic vintage watch. Very few vintage watch dealers will try to address this because they would risk losing business. However, we aren’t dealers. We are collectors and want to share the benefits and the limitations of…Read more
Category: Vintage watch
Browse our articles on vintage watches. From elegant dress watches and rugged tool watches to rare collector’s pieces. This category explores the history, craftsmanship, and enduring appeal of vintage timepieces.
A brief history of the trench watch
Strictly speaking, trench watches have not been considered vintage for decades. They are beyond vintage and very much antique. However, the design of the trench watch and its practical usage throughout the First World War led to a change in how we presented the time. For this reason, we take a brief look into the…Read more
Oriosa wristwatch, 1960s
By chance, I recently bumped into a fellow vintage watch collector. I was in a local shoe repair shop looking to have a leather watch strap repaired (I know I could buy a new one, but the existing one has a lovely patina). Sadly, the strap couldn’t be salvaged, but it led to a long…Read more
Omega bumper automatic wristwatch, 1952
This Omega bumper automatic wristwatch, dating from 1952, represents the transition from traditional manual-wind watches to automatic movements. In this instance, the bumper automatic movement was an Omega calibre 351. Its stainless steel case, signed crown, and iconic bumper automatic movement make it an appealing choice for vintage watch collectors. History of Omega Omega was…Read more
Certina Blue Ribbon wristwatch, 1960s
We had a recent short break in Worthing, a seaside town on the south coast of England. The plan was to spend a couple of days strolling along the seaside in bright sunshine. However, the weather had other ideas. Instead of sunshine, there was howling wind and horizontal rain. We replaced the seaside walk with…Read more
Mechanical watch movement frequency
Frequency is a term that is used regularly in these pages when discussing the specifications of watch movements. Movement frequency in a mechanical watch refers to the number of oscillations or vibrations the balance wheel makes per hour. It’s typically measured in Hertz (Hz) or vibrations per hour (VPH) or beats per hour (BPH). For…Read more
Tissot Seastar automatic wristwatch, 1972
I will be the first to admit that I have a soft spot for the Tissot brand. Although my first Swiss watch was a Tag Heuer 1500 Series Professional, it was (sadly) quartz. My first “real” Swiss watch was a Tissot Visodate, which I purchased new in 2018 (it still has a few years before…Read more
Longines Admiral 5 star wristwatch, 1970s
This is a vintage Longines Admiral 5-star automatic wristwatch in excellent condition. The movement is signed with the Longines name, and the serial number dates back to the mid-1970s. Longines is one of the most underrated brands in the vintage watch world. In my opinion, it’s just as deserving of attention as other well-known Swiss…Read more
Vintage watches, how to spot a redial
If you are buying a vintage watch because it is your passion and you enjoy wearing something visually pleasing on your wrist, this article probably isn’t for you. Buy what you like, and wear it. However, if you are buying a vintage watch as an investment or perhaps both an investment and your passion, then…Read more
Tudor cushion cased watch, 1930s
This particular vintage Tudor cushion cased watch is of great interest to me as it belonged to my great-grandfather, and it dates from the 1930s. The watch was passed to me by an uncle last Christmas, it was in a sorry state. It has since undergone restoration at J.J. Browne & Son, Caterham, Surrey, UK….Read more