What is my pocket watch worth?

Pocket watch makers to look for

The maker's name carries most of a pocket watch's value. A few old names come up again and again.

How age and materials change the value

Older pocket watches tend to be worth more than newer ones. The first ones were often made by hand in gold or silver, and some were set with gemstones. Later, stainless steel became easy to get. That made pocket watches cheaper and put them within reach of working people, so many steel pocket watches are worth little today.

The watches that hold their value best are Swiss brands. A figure always needs the watch in front of us.

Which kind of pocket watch you have

Pocket watches are sorted by the face and by the type. It helps to know which group yours belongs to.

Open-faced. These are also called Lepine. They have no cover over the crystal, which is the glass over the dial.

Hunter-case. These have a round metal cover on a spring hinge that closes over the face. They were popular with fox hunters, which is where the name comes from.

Four kinds are the most common. The first is watches made for the wealthy, often in gold or silver and sometimes set with diamonds or other stones. The second is stainless steel watches, which were made for everyone and are mostly not very valuable, unless they carry a historical inscription. The third is branded watches, which hold their value, sometimes for the inner parts alone. The fourth is specialist watches, such as railroad or military watches.

You can also sort them by movement, which is the mechanism inside. Some are key-wind and key-set, meaning a separate key winds the watch and sets the time. Some are stem-wind and stem-set, where the crown on the top does both. Some are stem-wind and lever-set or pin-set, where the crown winds the watch but the time is set with a small lever or pin.

Selling an antique pocket watch

Pocket watches do not do as well at auction as many other vintage or antique items, and a single watch is unlikely to bring much on a site like eBay. Selling a group of pocket watches together usually works better. Antique here means over 100 years old, and age alone does not make a watch valuable. Auction fees can also use up much of a modest sale. If you think your watch is valuable, get a valuation first. You could then use it to sell to a collector privately.

We buy pocket watches in any condition, and the postage is free.

Broken pocket watches

A broken pocket watch is harder to sell, but not impossible. If it is by a known maker, a collector may want it for parts. If it is unbranded, it is usually easier to sell several together. We still want to see a watch that has stopped, that has pieces missing or that has been damaged.

Buying a pocket watch, and serial numbers

If you are buying to sell on, look for Swiss-made, branded watches, which may rise in value over time. Have them valued regularly and research each one, for example by looking up its serial number. Specialised auctions are the best place to look for antique pocket watches. For watches of lower value, private sellers are another route. Test a private seller's knowledge of watches and look at their past customers before you buy.

A serial number is a sign that a watch is genuine. It can also show how many of that watch were made, which helps to value it. Do not dismiss a watch that has none. Online databases let you search serial numbers by brand.