| Collecting vintage watches is a growing hobby in | | | | tear. Ask the vendor for a detailed report on the |
| most parts of the western world. Men, | | | | history of servicing of the watch and its current |
| particularly, are attracted by the romance and | | | | condition. If the vendor cannot supply such |
| novelty of having a micro-engine on their wrist as | | | | information it is better to let the watch go rather |
| both a time-teller and an image statement.One of | | | | than experience the disappointment of acquiring a |
| the most frustrating aspects of collecting vintage | | | | watch that has suffered abuse in the past and |
| watches is the number of fakes, frankenwatches | | | | having to deal with the ongoing symptoms of that |
| and fraudsters one encounters in pursuit of this | | | | abuse.7. Claiming an old warrior is a handsome |
| noble, but increasingly costly, passion.The | | | | prince. Many vendors use descriptions like 'minty', |
| comeback of the mechanical watch has drawn | | | | '100% authentic', 'very clean', 'this one is a keeper', |
| out all sorts of insects from under their rocks. | | | | and so on. Most of these descriptions are useless |
| The pursuit of one's passion for old timepieces will | | | | if not backed up by evidence.When examining a |
| inevitably lead to numerous encounters with rogue | | | | good quality picture of the watch movement, and |
| repairers who charge house prices for inferior | | | | always ask for pictures if you are buying on the |
| work, linear decendents of horse theives who | | | | internet, look for any discolouration of the |
| palm off fakes as the real thing, Doctor | | | | surfaces of plates and bridges. Look for any signs |
| Frankensteins who create sought-after models | | | | of corrosion or parts of the watch that do not |
| from parts of other watches, the usual bevy of | | | | match in colour, particularly rotor bridges and the |
| shonks, crooks and tricksters out to convince the | | | | part of the watch that contains the calibre or |
| gullible and the unwary to swipe their well worn | | | | serial numbers. Look for new additions that show |
| credit cards.In a recent seven day survey and | | | | themselves by their shininess. These are all |
| follow-up I completed on the listing of vintage | | | | indicators of inauthenticity, parts swapping or at |
| Omega Constellation watches on a major on-line | | | | least major repairs.8. Examine the movement for |
| trading site, more than 50 percent of all listings | | | | burred screw heads and scrapes and damage to |
| were of watches that were inauthentic in some | | | | the movement plates or bridges, which are sure |
| way - that gives you some idea of what | | | | signs of inexpert work, or at least indicate the |
| collectors are up against.Caveat Emptor, rarity | | | | movement was separate from the case for |
| and product knowledge steer the purchasing | | | | some time before a case was found to match. |
| behaviours of astute collectors in any collecting | | | | Checks for surface discoloration on the |
| field and these three principles are particularly | | | | movement plates, blotches, corrosion, or parts |
| important when purchasing vintage watches | | | | that don't match the rest of the movement |
| on-line and through bricks and mortar | | | | patina.9. Examine the case back to determine |
| dealers.Frankenwatches describe the practice of | | | | whether the watch has had a hard life. Beware of |
| taking parts from different watches of the same | | | | excessive polishing that takes the sharpness |
| calibre series and 'creating' a new or better | | | | away from the edges of the watch case, as that |
| pedigree of movement. In some countries of | | | | again indicates considerable wear and tear overall |
| Europe they are called 'Wedding' watches. This | | | | and devalues the watch.10. A watch that has |
| practice is especially prevalent in middle and higher | | | | obviously had a hard life indicates carelessness |
| end timepieces that are most sought-after by | | | | towards its maintenance and irregularity in |
| collectors.In tandem with the obvious deception of | | | | servicing. Generally speaking, mechanical watches |
| Frankenwatches, there are a number of other | | | | should be serviced every three to five years, and |
| intentional and inadvertent frauds that occur:1. | | | | it is not difficult to detect a watch that has been |
| Housing a different movement in a genuine case | | | | neglected because the signs of neglect are |
| or re-dialed model. If you are interested in | | | | obvious to the naked eye.Badly discoloured |
| collecting a particlar brand of watch, get to know | | | | watches with scratches, gouges to the |
| the calibre numbers of movements that power | | | | movement, highly polished case backs and |
| particular models. Calibre numbers are different to | | | | inexpertly refinished dials are sure signs of the |
| serial numbers and can best be described as the | | | | amateur watchmaker at work and should be |
| engine type(similar to cars: eg. 2.5-litre DOHC V6 | | | | avoided. They can also point to a tired old |
| describing the engine in a current X Type Jaguar). | | | | movement jazzed up for sale and marketed with |
| Some calibres of a particular brand are more | | | | great hyperbole to the unwary Internet |
| collectible than others, so it pays to know what's | | | | shopper.11. Look carefully at the dial to see if |
| under the bonnet.2. Using a similar movement | | | | screws have caused minor or major indentations |
| series and replacing the part that has the calibre | | | | on the dial. This indicates that incorrect or |
| number. This is prevalent in watch brands that | | | | inauthentic screws have been used in the |
| have numerous models and where the top line | | | | movement.Look for corrosion on the dial or flakes |
| models fetch higher prices that the cheaper | | | | that have come off the dial. This can indicate that |
| models. Often you can tell a fraud of this type | | | | a watch has spent some or all of its life in the |
| through colouration contrasts or newness of the | | | | tropics and was not serviced as regularly as it |
| parts that contains the calibre number.3. Placing a | | | | should have been. It can also indicate immersion in |
| high end dial and movement in the wrong case. | | | | water.Watches that are regularly serviced will |
| Many of the higher end vintage watches have | | | | have their seals replaced at service and should |
| case back numbers that can be checked with | | | | show few signs of moisture having entered the |
| serial numbers to see if they match.4. Replacing | | | | case. Remember rust under a dial cannot be seen |
| worn hands and crowns with non-genuine hands | | | | and flaky dials can be a sign of hidden problems |
| and crowns and claiming the watch is 100 percent | | | | underneath.12. Rust cannot generally be removed |
| authentic. A common problem with many vintage | | | | from watches and at best can be neutralised. A |
| models that reduces the value of the watch. | | | | sure sign of neglect is corrosion on or near the |
| Before buying, build up a library of pictures of | | | | threads of the case back or the area where the |
| watches that you know are genuine and match a | | | | case back meets the case. These are signs of |
| prospective purchase against them. On-line forums | | | | irregular servicing and signify the possibility of |
| are a great way to acquire and swap pictures.5. | | | | excessive wear of the movement.Watch |
| Badly executed dials and re-dials. Ask for | | | | collecting is a rewarding past-time for thousands |
| super-sized pictures so you can examine the | | | | of collectors worldwide. Fortunately they |
| quality of the printing and also the placement of | | | | congregate in various forums on the Internet and |
| lettering. A bad re-dial will wipe as much as 30 | | | | are generally very happy to share their |
| percent off the value of the watch. Again pictures | | | | knowledge and passion for particular brands. Build |
| and the help of other collectors is invaluable in | | | | up and use your knowledge to better determine |
| making sure you have an authentic watch.6. | | | | the value of the watches you collect.An evenly |
| Replacing numerous worn parts in a genuine | | | | coloured movement, retaining much of its original |
| models with genuine parts. While this is a perfectly | | | | sheen and showing signs of regular service |
| acceptable practice, it does indicate that at some | | | | demands a higher price and improves its value far |
| stage in the life of the movement it was | | | | better than a poor cousin that has been through |
| neglected or damaged. Knowledgeable and | | | | the wars.(c) Desmond Guilfoyle 2006Desmond |
| pernickety collectors look for signs of colour | | | | Guilfoyle in an award winning commentator on |
| variation on the movement and often avoid | | | | influence, persuasion and charisma. He has written |
| watches that are not of one colour hue.Look for | | | | three books on those subjects and his book 'The |
| scratches or gouges on the non-replaced parts, | | | | Charisma Effect' has been published in seven |
| and look for corrosion or other signs of wear and | | | | languages around the globe. |