Around here we’re big fans of horology history. While our fabulous diamond engagement rings (especially our newest Verragio additions) tend to get top billing on our Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr accounts, we never neglect our watches here in the showroom. Our luxury watches fill an entire wall and then some of showcases, with pre owned Rolex watches, Patek Philippes, TAG Heuer, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Hublot and more catching our eyes all day long. We love buying antique and vintage luxury watches especially, because each new old watch we buy is indeed a glimpse into the past. And the art of watchmaking has been a storied craft for centuries, with the foundations of cutting edge watch technology laid hundreds of years ago in small Swiss valleys. This fantastic trip down the road of watch history shows just how far some of the brands we know and love have come.
Of course, these brands are only on this graphic thanks to their longevity. The fine craft of building luxury watches was established with the belief that watches should be built to last, and we believe the same thing. It’s why we so wholeheartedly enjoy buying and selling used, pre owned, vintage, estate and antique watches. When it comes to the newer, contemporary used watches, they’re still a great investment, perhaps even a better one than a brand new watch. Much like a car, a watch’s initial dip in value happens as soon as it leaves the showroom. However, after that a luxury watch still retains its value for decades, if not generations. And when it comes time for that watch to pass down, you can rest assured that your beloved timepiece will either work handsomely with proper care and give it a new life as your family member’s favorite wrist wear. Alternatively, if the watch isn’t their style, or if they ever need to sell it, you’d be passing down a watch that will still command a decent asking price when it comes time to sell it. Luxury watches are meant to retain their value over time – that’s why Patek Philippe’s brilliant marketing campaigns insist that one doesn’t own a Patek Philippe; rather, they preserve it for the next generation. The same can be said of other super high end watches like Vacheron Constantin. And when it comes to today’s most popular brands (Rolex, Omega, Cartier, Audemars) they’re fascinating and powerful machines housed in beautiful cases that give any woman an opportunity to wear more jewelry and any man bragging rights without saying a word. It’s no wonder that watches, despite all the technological advances in time telling, remain such coveted, beautiful and cherished possessions.
