Here’s another question that comes up frequently in the watch community, usually from those who are just starting to dip their toes into watch collecting. If it’s your first watch, the quick and simple answer would be to buy a new modern era watch. Acquiring a modern watch is simply less headache in the short and long term. It simplifies the buying process because you can choose to buy the watch from an authorized dealer, and the purchase will also come with a warranty.
Buying modern also gives you piece of mind in terms of quality of manufacturing, since many technical advancements have improved the whole watchmaking process. Not only has the manufacturing improved drastically from decades ago, but so has the choice of materials – for example the introduction of the ceramic bezel that has tremendously reduced the risk of scratching your bezel.
Another reason to buy brand new modern comes down to sheer selection and availability. These days there’s absolutely no shortage of creative new brands offering any type of watch you could want. If you prefer brands with big heritage some of the more established names create re-issues of iconic vintage watches like this Mido Decompression Timer 1961 here, and they’re often improved in many ways from the original.
When to go Vintage
While the simple functional answer is to buy a new modern watch to limit risks and issues, sometimes watch collecting isn’t so simple, but rather an emotional hobby. Buying vintage will most certainly be more cumbersome, time consuming and riskier – but it comes with its rewards.
One such reward is the artistic value of knowing that you have a piece of authentic heritage from the past, this really is one of the main reasons why some highly sought after collectible watches can command such extravagant prices. It’s the same reason why some paintings are so valuable, and the same goes for the parallel hobby of vintage car enthusiast. Most of the time these vintage collectibles will be technically inferior to their modern comparable, but the nostalgic presence and original aesthetic can trump all other aspects.
If you’re set on buying vintage, there’s nothing wrong with that – but there are some things to be aware of. The saying “buy the seller” rings very true with vintage watch collecting – you’re better off seeking out a highly reputable vintage watch re-seller like for example Wind Vintage, than attempting to save money buying from an unknown auction house or at your local pawn shop. If you’re an advanced watch connoisseur and you have the skill to take apart the watch to inspect the authenticity of parts, then by all means you may want to try your hand at purchasing from riskier sources.
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