Tips for Buying Designer Pocket Watches

Pocket watches are shaping up to be among the most collectible pieces of jewelry every designed. While pocket watches have been around for a few centuries, their popularity reached its peak in the late 19th century. That's when they moved from being an upper class luxury item to becoming a necessity for middle and working class men - specifically, locomotive engineers and others who relied on precision timepieces to maintain the strict schedules necessary to avoid collisions.

Like so many other popular collectibles, antique pocket watches cover the range in terms of quality. The most valuable of them were created by Swiss makers who marketed custom pieces to the gentry and nobility. It's rare to come across one of these beauties and when they do make it into the auction listings, it's not unusual for them to command prices in the tens of thousands of dollars. If you're just beginning your collection of pocket watches, though, there are many good quality pieces available in the $20 to $50 range. They'll usually require restoration before you can use or wear them, but that's part of the fun of collecting.

Designer Pocket Watches

Of course, not every person who wants a pocket watch wants to buy an antique collectible. In the past couple of years, pocket watches have become must-have accessories for fashion conscious men and women. While some are replicas of well-known antiques, today's watchmakers have their own contemporary design vision. Top-notch watches from the best designers can cost nearly as much as antiques in excellent condition. And like nearly every other type of designer fashion accessory, they've spawned an entire industry that specializes in creating replica pocket watches for those who want the look of the top designers without the price tag that goes with them. There's nothing wrong with replica watches - but there are unscrupulous dealers who try to pass off the replicas as the genuine article. How do you know what you're buying and make sure that you get the pocket watch you really want?

Five Tips for Buying Pocket Watches

If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Get to know the market for the brands and designers you like. Be wary of any company that sells "genuine" designer watches at rock-bottom prices. Chances are they're counterfeits.

Buy from sites that offer wholesale pocket watches. There are legitimate companies that sell genuine designer pocket watches at wholesale prices. Again, know what those prices should be and be suspicious of companies that offer "wholesale" pocket watches at prices below the prices for replica watches.

Buy from a reputable store. Before you hit send on your order, do some research on the merchant from whom you're buying. Check online feedback and look for complaints about the company to be sure that you're working with a dealer who has a good reputation.

Compare designers and manufacturers. Find a look that you like and shop around for the best prices and terms you can get.

Know the Warranty and Return Policy

Read the website and know the company's warranty and return policy. Hopefully, your experience buying pocket watches will be a good one, but if you end up with a problem timepiece, you want to know that you can return the watch for repairs or replacement.

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About the Author

+Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2013 (Tue May 29 2012) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource internet marketing web site at: http://www.majon.com