Beginner's Guide to Watch Collecting

By Bruce Shawkey

Beginner's Guide to Watch collecting

Watch collecting is a captivating hobby that combines art, engineering, and history. For beginners, it offers a journey through time, where each watch tells a unique story. Whether you're drawn to the intricate mechanics of vintage timepieces or the sleek design of modern watches, starting a collection can be both rewarding and educational. Here’s a guide to help you navigate the fascinating world of watch collecting and avoid some of the pitfalls, of which there are a few.

Understanding Your Interests

Before diving into watch collecting, it's essential to identify what aspects of watches captivate you. Here are a few common areas of interest:

Vintage Watches: These are timepieces that are at least 20-30 years old. They often have historical significance and showcase the craftsmanship of past eras. This is my own specialty, to which I'll devote most of this guide.

Military Watches: Perhaps no other type of watch has grown in popularity in recent years than watches made for the Army, Navy, and other branches of the military, both United States and other countries of the world.

Modern Watches: Contemporary watches feature cutting-edge technology and innovative designs.

Comic and Character Watches: There's the watch that started it all, the 1933 Ingersoll Mickey Mouse, but now just about every comic character you could imagine from Aquaman to Zorro has been depicted in a watch. Keep in mind that these watches were designed as children's toys and were not built to keep accurate time nor to last. Still, if you are nostalgic for characters such as Bugs Bunny or Porky Pig, character watches may just be your cup of tea.

Luxury Watches: Brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet are known for their high-quality materials, precision, and status. If you have the money and want to collect these watches, I suggest you consult a different guide, because these brands of watches have never been my specialty. I'm all about watches that are affordable by the person of average means.

Affordable Watches: There are many well-made watches that are budget-friendly, perfect for starting a collection without a hefty investment.

Specific Functions: Some collectors focus on watches with particular complications (features) like chronographs, moonphases, or diving capabilities. This raises the stakes on affordability, but collecting complicated watches can still be done, though I urge beginners to start out collecting simple "time-only" pieces until they have a further grasp of the mechanics of watches.

Now, all that said, there's nothing wrong with collecting different types of watches. Many collector guides encourage you to specialize right away, But I encourage you to learn about and collect all types of watches. For example, walking into a thrift store, you might see a tray of mixed watches, some old, some new. I would encourage you to at least consider buying some of the watches that are outside your specific area of interest. They will all help you increase your knowledge of the hobby, and they may be used for trading with other collectors whose interests may differ from yours.

Next step, educate yourself

Research Brands and Models. One of my mentors, Roy Ehrhardt (who has since passed away) said it best: "Buy the book first, then buy the watch." There are many great resources out there that go into much greater detail than my guide. The Shugart/Engle Price Guide is still the standard in my opinion, though it hasn't been published in years. The latest guide (2001) is available online at https://archive.org/details/completepricegui0000shug_p4w3, for a fee to download. You can also find used hard copies online. The Roy Ehrhardt price and identification guides are also good and available second-hand at the usual sources. But the Shugart guide is better because it contains introductory chapters on terminology, how a mechanical watch works, and so forth. Familiarize yourself with various watch brands and their iconic models. Books, online forums, and watch enthusiast websites are valuable resources. YouTube is a veritable wealth of information, but be aware there are good videos and bad videos where the so-called "experts" narrating the videos are simply promoting their own websites.

Watch clubs and associations can also be a great source of help and education. The premiere organization for watch enthusiasts is the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. Headquarters are in Columbia, Penn., and there are regional chapters all across the United States (and a few International chapters as well). Numerous educational events and buy/sell/trade marts are held throughout the year. You can find them online at www.nawcc.org. I have been a member for over 40 years, and the rewards have been innumerable. I realize that many collectors are "lone wolves" and don't like to join clubs, but I truly believe you are missing out on a great opportunity by going it alone. 

Understand Watch Movements: Watches can be powered by windup mechanical (require daily winding), automatic (still mechanical, though with daily wearing, will stay wound on their own by the tiny motions of the arm and wrist), or quartz (battery powered) movements. Each type has its own pluses and minuses.

Learn Watch Terminology: Terms like bezel, crown, dial, and lume are essential for understanding the details and features of a watch.

Starting Your Collection

Once you've identified your interests and educated yourself, it's time to start building your collection.

First, A couple of easy rules to remember:

1. Don’t think that your purchase is an investment. Your purpose is to have fun. Set a budget, and don't waiver from it, at least until you accumulate a better knowledge of watches. If you want an investment, buy stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, not watches.

2. Vintage watches are NEVER water-proof. And many are not shockproof. Don't shower with them, garden with them, chop wood, etc.

Set a Budget: Determine how much you're willing to spend on your first few pieces. It's easy to get carried away, so having a budget helps keep your spending in check.

This hobby DOESN'T need to be expensive. I know of many good Swiss and American watch brands that can be found easily for under $50 and sometimes WAY under if they are found at thrift stores. Some good, less expensive brands are Elgin, Gruen, Roamer, Waltham, Hamilton, Enicar, and Seiko.

Where to buy

Where do you find watches to buy? The simple answer is "all over." But I will offer some of the more obvious places where I have found watches.

Friends and relatives. Ask around. Parents, grandparents, friends (particularly older friends) may have watches laying around in sock drawers or jewelry boxes that they may just give you.

Garage sales. This can often be hit or or miss, but can yield a gem once in a while. If no watches are displayed at the sale, ask the person(s) in charge if they have any old watches laying around. Concentrate on garage sales in older neighborhoods with older residents.

Estate sales. Get there early. The choicest goods are the first to go.

Flea markets. Some parts of the country are better than others for these. Florida, for example, is a haven for flea markets.

Antique malls. Look for vendors who deal in "smalls" versus those who deal in furniture and other large pieces.

Coin shops. Coin dealers often deal in "tangible assets" other than coins. These include watches.

Thrift stores. Places like Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, and others can sometimes yield treasures.

Pawn brokers. These can often be hit or miss. The pawn brokers I have found are almost universally out to screw uneducated buyers for as much money as they can get. That said, some pawn brokers are solid business people who will work with honest collectors who don't try to take advantage of them.

Pickers. Pickers are people who shop for other people at garage sales and flea markets and then resell to their "clients." Quality can vary. Treat your picker(s) honestly and try to educate them on what to buy and what to avoid.

EBay. I urge you to stay clear of eBay until you have a good knowledge of the ins and outs of collecting. There is a reason many collectors refer to eBay as "the swamp," in reference to the many questionable activities that take place there. Don't get me wrong. There are many fine watch sellers on eBay. Look for those who have a feedback rating of at least 95 percent. Ebay offers "buyer protection" from less than scrupulous sellers, but do you really want to be spending your time (and money) returning watches that are not described properly? Terms such as "minty" and "excellent condition" are very subjective. "Just serviced" can also be deceiving. Serviced by whom? Was it just a little squirt of WD-40 to get the watch ticking, or a full disassembly of all the parts with a cleaning in an ultrasonic machine? You just don't know.

Next, we need to talk about servicing. Vintage watches will inevitably require servicing if you expect them to keep accurate time (plus/minus 2 minutes per day or better). This need not be an issue if you are simply accumulating watches for their "look" and don't really need them to keep accurate time, or even run at all for that matter. If you want them serviced, this will likely be an issue, because there is an acute shortage of watchmakers, and those who are still in the service business typically charge $100 and up just to clean a watch, and more if parts are required. It makes no sense to find a $5 watch at a thrift store and then spend $100 (and up) to have it serviced.

OK, let's talk about other specifics/guidelines that will get your hobby off to a good start.

If you think you’ve stumbled upon a great find, WAIT, do some research on your own and/or and ask people more knowledgeable. Often, this cannot be done if you are in a thrift store or at a garage sale where you must make an instant decision to buy or pass on the sale, but use your best judgment. If the watch in question is $5 or $10, then there is not much to lose. But if it's $50, or $100, or more, do some research. Or if the seller won't wait, simply pass on the sale.

Generally speaking, DON’T purchase a watch that appears to need major repair. This dovetails with the above about the shortage of reasonably priced watchmakers. This includes watches that look water damaged, rusty, etc. If the watch looks good cosmetically but doesn't run, be aware that the few small parts needed to make it run properly may be expensive and/or hard to find. Again, this may not be an issue if you are buying the watch simply for its look.

While I wouldn't advise trying to service your own watches, it is helpful to own a few basic tools that will come in handy to get your watches in "wearable" condition. One is a set of fine jewelers' screwdrivers. They are invaluable for tightening loose stem/crowns, etc. A good sharp folding knife is useful for removing old watch bands and putting new ones on, whether they be metal or leather. YouTube videos on these simple tasks are readily available. 

Finally, I want to say a thing or two about Frankenwatches and counterfeits.

In a word, avoid both of them. A Frankenwatch is a watch pieced together from multiple watches (like the monster pieced together from multiple humans), usually to the disadvantage of the buyer. An example would be someone taking a movement from one watch, putting a different dial on it, and putting it (or forcing it) in a different case. 

As for counterfeits, KNOW the watch you are buying and who you are buying from. Even if you KNOW they are counterfeit, don't buy them to resell or trade. Do research on what things should look and feel like. Higher end brands are the general target for this, especially Rolex. It is said there are more counterfeit Rolexes out there than there are real ones. The cheap counterfeits are fairly easy to spot, and these are the ones that typically end up at thrift shops, antique malls, etc. The old adage holds true here: If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

This short introduction should get you well on your way to collecting and enjoying watches. It is certainly more information than I had when I started collecting. Many lessons were hard won and costly, but it was all worth it. This hobby has brought me immense pleasure and satisfaction. And some of the finest people I have met and become close friends with have been fellow watch collectors.

Feel free to avail yourself of my extensive library of brand histories found along the right-hand side of the blog. There are over 200 entries. Just click on any date, and the contents will be displayed for you to click on.