After 1908, it became compulsory for railroad service watches to be open-faced. Open-faced watches, otherwise known as Lepine, come without a cover to protect the crystal. It’s important to understand which category your watch falls into to get the best selling price. Pocket watches can be categorised by watch face, as well as type. For example, Ebel watches are rarely valued lower than £500, while a Waltham watch could be worth up to £1,000. The most valuable pocket watches are Swiss brands, which hold their value well. As such, many stainless steel pocket watches have a relatively low-value today. This led to pocket watches becoming more mainstream and affordable for the working classes. Later on, stainless steel became more readily available. When they were first introduced, they were often handmade with gold or silver.

Older pocket watches tend to be more valuable than their modern counterparts.

Tudor – Tudor were registered in 1926 by Hans Wildorf, the same man who founded the Rolex SA brand.

Today, Ebel watches are fairly rare, with one of their most famous gifted by Elvis Presley to a gospel singer mentor in 1974.

Ebel – Ebel was founded in 1911 in Switzerland.

In 2018, Rolex was ranked Forbes’ 71 st most valuable brand.

Rolex – Established as Wilsdorf and Davis in 1905, the brand became Rolex in 1908.

Longines – Founded in Switzerland in 1832, Longines are known for their winged hourglass logo – the oldest registered trademark still active today.

Omega – Swiss-made Omega watches were founded in 1848 and can fetch significant sums.

Smith signature on the dial, Smiths were founded in 1851, and primarily specialised in military and pocket watches. They are firm favourites amongst collectors.

Tissot – Established in 1853, Tissot are known for affordable Swiss-made watches.

Their most famous timepiece is the Waltham Traveller.

Waltham – Waltham were established in 1850 and are well-known for their innovative techniques in mass pocket watch production.

The best pocket watch brands are the old classics, such as: While pocket watches may not sell for as much as other antiques, in some cases you can really make a pretty penny. We’re here to help you get a better picture of pocket watch values. Chiefly, the brand name will represent most of the watch’s value – good pocket watch brands can sell for several thousand pounds.

Age, rarity and brand will all affect the sale price. The true value of a pocket watch depends on a few factors. There are many options to consider, from selling privately to going to auction, but it may not always be worth the trouble. Deciding where to sell pocket watches may be difficult if you don’t know all that much about the world of horology.

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