How to care for an old watch - maximising pleasure and investment
It's no surprise to learn that the best price for an old watch will go to those maintained in the best condition. A cared for watch in good condition will also give more pleasure when it is worn, bringing admiring glances from friends and strangers alike when they catch a glimpse of a beautiful vintage timepiece adorning a wrist. It makes sense to learn how to look after an old watch, whether the intention is to use it as an investment and sell luxury watch on or it is to be worn, treasured and passed down as an heirloom.
A vintage watch needs regular servicing as there are moving parts in the watch and these need to be kept lubricated. How frequent a service is needed will depend on how the watch is being used or where it is stored. In a case that has a snug fit, keeping dust out and the lubricants fresh, some types of watch may only need a service every ten or twelve years. If the watch is being worn, it will need more frequent attention, perhaps as frequently as every three or four years.
When the watch is worn, care needs to be taken in how it is used. It should not be allowed to become wet unless waterproof. If water does get into the mechanics of the watch, professional attention may be needed to prevent permanent damage. Because of the many small moving parts, maybe up to three hundred, the watch should not be subject to sharp knocks such as by dropping it or by wearing it when using power tools. When the watch is not being worn, it should be placed flat on its back, not face down.
The watch should not be over wound. It will only wind in one direction and the owner will get into a routine with when to do this and how much to wind it. They will get to know their watch and this keeps the watch working smoothly and helps to maintain it in a good condition if the intention is to sell luxury watch on to someone else.
When it comes to selling a luxury watch, the condition of the dial will be of significance in determining its value. Especially if the intention is to sell luxury watch on, anything which came with the watch, including its case, any papers and the chronometer ratings certificate should also be kept safe. A vintage watch can be an investment, but it can also give its owner a great deal of pleasure.
