If you are looking for a vintage / classic /old watch shop in the UK you are not exactly spoilt for choice there being little more than a handful in central London and even fewer outside.
VINTAGE WATCHES FOR SALE UK
A lot of avid watch collectors scan Ebay but Caveat Emptor !! ( it actually means buyer beware a bargain ) and to be frank unless you are only buying cheap watches say under £100 it can be a nightmare and can easily end in disappointment. Sure you can return the watch if the buyer agrees and you do it within 30 days which is not exactly the same as the 365 day Guarantee you will get from Watches Of Westminster or indeed any other reputable dealer who offers certification and a warranty.
THE KEY ELEMENT TO BUYING VINTAGE WATCHES
Vintage watches are in may ways similar to vintage / classic cars in that they will generally need some tinkering to keep them running well. The problem is that whilst many people ( of my generation anyhow ) could do many jobs on a classic car , old watches are another matter altogether !
When I started the watch business I also attended a watchmakers course ( for the first year anyhow. It was interesting and quite good fun . What it taught me was that whilst I was quite good at classic car mechanics ( I was the mechanic in my Ducati dealership for a while as well ) The skill required for watch repairs were somewhat different. I can always remember taking a watch apart and then not being sure if the screw I was looking for was actually a bit of dust !!. How they actually made the screws in the first place Ill never know !
By its very nature a older watch will probably need a service when you become the new owner unless of course you have bought it from a reputable dealer who will warrant the watch. Of course you can have your new purchase serviced at one of the few remaining classic/vintage watchmakers but problems can soon start to mount if new parts are needed .
ARE VINTAGE/CLASSIC WATCHES REPAIRABLE ?
Anything is repairable but it really comes down to the price !
Take your 2015 Omega Planet Ocean to a Omega dealer and you might get some change out of £1000 if parts are needed. Take your 1965 Omega Speedmaster Professional to a Omega dealer and you can have all sorts of problems if parts are needed. Put simply there are few spare parts left and that dealer is not going to hunt around Ebay for the right parts , the watch needs to go to a specialist and they can charge pretty much what they want especially if new ( rare ) parts are needed
WoWadmin February 15th, 2022
Posted In: Sell My Watch
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