What defines a
fine watch collection and why do people become collectors? Collectors
buy watches for various reasons, some because they love the look of a certain timepiece and others because they appreciate the brand or the functionality of a watch. A true collector knows the value of a watch and the resale value in the marketplace. For the sake of discussion, a collector will be defined as a person who has and continues to acquire watches with some type of criteria. The criteria defines the collector as he utilises a “buy or sell watch” approach with the express purpose of developing his collection.
This technique may be used to acquire limited editions of watches. Generally, the more hand finished or complicated timepieces are, the more limited the production. Audemars, Blancpain, Patek and Vacheron have long been collectibles. New, hipper, more “boutique” brands are now showing up in collector sets. Jean Dunand, Peter Speake Marin, Grubel & Forsey along with others are now producing limited numbers of their watches for collections.
A collector is not one who approaches his collection in a slap-dash manner. Instead, he approaches the collection in a serious, methodical manner. The “buy and sell watch” collector does not act impulsively but rather plans his moves carefully towards his goal. He knows what he is getting and why, and he is willing to buy or sell, however long it may take, to get what he feels he must have.
All collections have synthesis; it makes sense of the collection, both to the collector and to those who view it. The whole is greater than the sum of the blended parts, and each part was chosen for an enhancement of the whole sum with a definable reason.
Some may choose as the basis of their collection one of the most important factors in watch collecting, which is the movement of the watch itself. The finish is what sets the piece apart. If the timepiece is finished well with rounded edges polished with decorative patterns, one has acquired a watch with quality marks. Another feature of quality marks is associated with fine porcelain dials coupled with delicate workmanship. These types of watches are usually in a heavy 18-karat gold case. On earlier, very high-grade watches, the gears were made out of gold.
Other collectors may focus on high-jewelled watches that have become collectible items because they were not produced very often. A watch must have seven jewels before it can be classified as a “jewelled watch.” On watches of an antique heritage, these jewels are generally rubies captured in gold settings. Seventeen jewels are required for a watch to be considered a “fully jewelled” watch.
Whatever the reason, the cohesiveness of the collection may be the attractiveness of the mechanism, the quality of the movement, the limited release or the originality of the history. Watch collectors are people who appreciate high-precision movements, the passions and emotions evoked and the process of acquisition through their “
buy and sell a watch” approach.
