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About Vintage Wristwatches

Wristwatches are a global phenomenon: highly collectible, varied, and intricate. As the successor to the pocket watch, wristwatches dominated portable timekeeping in the 20th century and were often handed down through generations within a family. In addition to these antique and vintage watches, many newer limited editions have been produced by watch makers, and are sought by collectors.

Originally designed as decorative bracelets for ...

The first waterproof watch, called the Oyster, was created by Rolex in 1927. They also created the first automatic wristwatch for commercial use, known as the Bubbleback.

After World War II, men’s watches became more elaborate, offering new features such as calendars and built-in radios. In 1972, the first LED watch was created by the Hamilton Watch Company, apparently inspired by the digital clock in the 1968 movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”.

Wristwatch collectors tend to focus on specific manufacturers, in addition to design, ornamentation, and rarity. Key collectible brands include Omega, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Hamilton and Illinois, Wittnauer, Elgin, Bulova, and Gruen.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview with Wristwatch Collector, Restorer, and Appraiser Don Levison

I got interested in pocket watches from working on mechanical things. I had an old car, and working on it gave me immediate satisf… [more]

Chronograph Collector Jeff Stein: An Interview with Collectors Weekly

I got into watches because of my interest in vintage racing and vintage rally cars. I was going to local vintage races in Georgia,… [more]

Reyne Haines on Ladies Wristwatches: An Interview with Collectors Weekly

I was living in New York and helping my landlord get some things together for a local garage sale. As I was going through all the … [more]

An Interview With Vintage Watch and Clock Expert Jonathan Snellenburg

I grew up outside of Philadelphia. I didn’t have any particular interest in clocks or watches as a kid; that came after I started … [more]

An Interview With Vintage Wristwatch Collector Jeff Hess

I started with pocket watches as a child, watching old movies on television, watching the cowboys occasionally pull out an old poc… [more]

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See all 18 videos

Wristwatches Videos



See all 18 videos


Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Old-Omegas.com

Old-Omegas.com

Steve Waddington’s vintage Omega watch site, featuring in-depth pages on models like Omega’s Pilot Line, Chrono… [read review or visit site]

OnTheDash

OnTheDash

Jeffrey Stein's great reference site on Heuer chronographs and dashboard timepieces. This site offers everything yo… [read review or visit site]

Patek Phillipe Museum

Patek Phillipe Museum

This website, from the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, gives visitors a satisfying glimpse into the world of watch… [read review or visit site]

National Watch and Clock Museum

National Watch and Clock Museum

This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [read review or visit site]

Nerd Watch Museum

Nerd Watch Museum

This gallery of hundreds of LCD and calculator watches from the 1980s includes nerd-friendly brands like Casio, Sei… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Wristwatches

Discussion Forums: Wristwatches

Other Great Reference Sites: Wristwatches

Top eBay Auctions

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