If you are a lover of fine engineering and the style and elegance that is antique pocket watches, starting a collection offers many benefits. Not only can you speculate with wise investments, you also have stunning accessories to complement your outfits, plus you can simply enjoy the exquisite craftsmanship when you have a quiet moment. Here are a few tips to ensure you get the most out of your new hobby of collecting antique pocket watches.
Learn As Much As You Can
Simply put, the more knowledgeable you are regarding antique pocket watches, the less likely you are to buy a replica or pay too much for a timepiece. There are lots of free resources online and surfing the net every weekend will certainly produce results, and you can discover who the best watch makers were, plus become familiar with the watch movements and how they differ.
Connect With An Antique Dealer
If you would like to view a range of genuine timepieces, reputable online shops can provide antique pocket watches of all descriptions, and they usually provide a full history of the item, which is nice. Aside from their large collection, the online antique dealer is part of a national network, which means you can source some very rare timepieces from well-known makers.
You have more options than just online, though. You can also connect with antique dealers at antique fairs which are always popular occasions. It can be good to see what sells, what doesn’t, and what is on offer.
Attend Auctions
An online search will tell you when there are antique auctions in your area, and rather than bidding, you should simply watch and learn, while soaking up the atmosphere. You will get to meet other enthusiasts, which often leads to life-long friendships, plus you can learn from the veterans, who are always happy to give you the benefit of their experience.
Join Online Pocket Watch Forums
The avid collectors of antique pocket watches all hang around together and they would have their own forums where they chat and exchange information about specific timepieces. This is how most collectors get to know the dealers, and with a Google search you can locate antique dealers that are near your home and pay them a visit every now and then. For further reading on ways to start a pocket watch collection, there are informative articles you can easily find online.
Think About Why
Ask yourself why you wish to collect pocket watches, which might be as a way to create wealth, or that you love to wear these amazing timepieces when out and about, which is a good enough reason to start a collection. You might have a specific interest, say anything pre-20th century, or European models, or you might wish to own a diverse collection to accessorise.
Collecting fine pocket watches can be a very addictive hobby and it will certainly eat up any spare cash you might have, but your collection will increase in value as you add timepieces over the years. If you are ready to make your very first acquisition, search for an online antique dealer and check out his catalogue.
