How to Collect Pocket Watches

Research model and pricing information for collectible, antique pocket watches. Several books are available on the subject, giving you tips for identifying and pricing a variety of watches. A good, all-purpose reference guide is Jeanenne Bell's "Collector's Encyclopeida of Pendant and Pocket Watches, 1500-1950." You may occasionally find a watch made after 1950 that is suitable for your collection, but collect.com explains that most high-quality pocket watches became unpopular shortly after World War II.

Look for a date and manufacturer stamp, typically located on the back of the watch. The date and manufacturer are the two most crucial pieces of information for determining the worth of a potential collectible. Throughout the heyday of the pocket watch, a number of "knock-offs" were produced, designed to mimic valuable watches, but were of poorer quality. Without a stamp, a watch can be very difficult to identify and price using a reference book. You'll need a professional appraiser to determine if it is a knock-off or the real deal.

Inspect the surface of the pocket watch with a loupe. Loupes, sold online and at some jewelry stores, are essentially small magnifying glasses. Using a loupe with at least 5x magnification will let you inspect the surface of a potential pocket watch. Small scratches will be common on an old pocket watch. Instead of looking for scratches, you'll want to pay attention to signs of repair or alteration. The watch has likely been modified if portions of the watch appear to be in significantly better or worse condition, or if the loupe reveals areas of drastic color and hue differentiation. Varied metal colors and qualities indicate a patch job or a replacement part. While replacement parts do help the watch stay in working order, they make the piece unauthentic, limiting its resale value. When collecting the very best models, make sure all the parts are original.

Ask the seller if you may wind the watch. Most collectors keep pocket watches unwound, thereby ensuring they do not break from over-use. However, you are typically permitted to test a watch when shopping, especially if the seller advertises the item as being "in working order." However, don't expect an "as-is" item to work well. Just barely wind the watch. It is rude to wind the watch all the way, leaving the seller with a ticking vintage pocket watch for hours or days on end. Use a modern, digital stopwatch to test the pocket watch's accuracy after it is wound, making sure it keeps good time.

Barter if possible. If the watch is a knock-off, shows signs of repair, or doesn't keep accurate time, you will likely be able to haggle over the price. In many cases, such faults will cause you to move on to the next antique retailer. However, in some cases you'll still want to purchase the watch despite its flaws based on how well the pocket watch compliments the rest of your ideal collection. In these cases, use your inspection knowledge and your handy reference guide to explain why you think the watch is overpriced. After settling on a price, you'll have collected yet another fine, vintage pocket watch.