The Revival of Vintage Watches

There are a million and one reasons why vintage watches have made an increasingly large comeback in the last decade and even more so after the pandemic. Vintage watches tell a great story, they've been a nostalgic source of admiration and a wonderful timeless appeal to the eye. Their age can be seen in their general conditions and detail of the dial. ... Owning a dated watch shows you have an appreciation for heritage, quality design and class goods.With brands such as Omega, Longines, Oris and Rolex all jumping on the vintage bandwagon, and becoming increasing popular in the watch market,  it's fair to say both brands, and customers, are now more than ever looking back in time for their next future watch.

     

Everyone seems to have heart-shaped eyes for vintage watches right now, and even the relentless watchmakers. Venerable brands including Patek Phillippe, Breitling, Omega, and Rolex  to name a few,  have been mining their archives of late, reissuing mid-century models and resurrecting design elements with retro appeal. Some may ask, what is fueling this ever-growing trend of nostalgic timepieces? Industry insiders point to the growth of the secondary market for luxury timepieces, as well as sites dedicated to talking about their love of watches, (like ours). Magazines, articles, prominent podcasters and radio hosts (Lee The Appraiser) and of course the famous, and universal  Vogue magazine reflects an appreciation for the kind of details uncommon in contemporary watches, and this need for a more unique sense of style rather than blending in with the latest trends.  If you’re intrigued by these throwbacks and their dapper good looks but don’t know where to start, here are three keys to mastering vintage style.

    

The style of watches in more recent releases became much larger, it's attractive in the sense of showing off your brand however the larger watches that were built prior to contemporary models were based off of function, operat

ion and most importantly, visibility and clarity. The watches were for the adventurer at heart, the rugged man, the sportsmen. Those who admired these pursuits also admired the watches made for them. Old-school designs are clearly making a definitive comeback. The decorative, and sculpted lugs and flat profiles along side dial colors tapping into the 1950s such as salmon, and silver tones are going through a heavy revival. Readability is the predominant quality, trending toward uncluttered dials. Arabic (instead of Roman) numerals and retro fonts give pieces a period feel. So does patina, or the faded or worn look that a surface develops over time. Once considered a flaw, the right patina is now sought after by collectors. 

When considering your next purchase of a watch,  it’s hard to go wrong with a brand or a model that's deeply rooted in a compelling history.

   

Patek Philippe only made very few models of this incredilby rare grand complication, As one of their most highly desired models to ever leave the Geneva workshops, all the remaining examples have proved exceptional investments but very few retain their original certificate of origin like this one!

This stunning piece features a round 18K Yellow Gold case that measures approximately 40mm (case to crown) x 12mm (high). Behind the crystal is a superb white dial with day and month indicator under 12 o'clock, date dial at 6 o’clock, and a moonphase sub-dial at 6 o'clock. The dial also has non-numeric gold-tone hour indexes and matching gold-tone hands. This watch also has a solid 18K Yellow Gold caseback. The watch is complete with its original Patek Philippe brown leather strap that measures approximately 20mm (wide) and can fit up to a 9-inch wrist.  This beautiful strap is enclosed by its original signed 18K Yellow Gold tang buckle. 

We are selling this incredible timepiece on behalf of the original owner, who received it from his father in the 1980s. This watch is approximately 40 years old, but remains still in an untouched BRAND NEW Condition in its original Patek Philippe presentation box. It is one of the rarest watches ever made. Only 20 copies of this Ref. #3450 Perpetual Calendar exists. This is a truly spectacular timepiece that could easily become a family heirloom!

       

 The most important consideration, however, is whether it feels authentic to who you are. According to Faber, matters of individual preference, like the color of the metal or the comfort of the size on your wrist, ultimately take precedence. Weintraub echoes this sentiment. When selecting a vintage timepiece, the deciding factors should be how it fits with your personal style and how it complements your watch wardrobe. You have to love it.