Monthly Archives: December 2013

The Value of a Wristwatch - Factors Used by Experts to Determine the Price of a Watch

Wristwatch experts determine values by considering all of the internal and external components of the watch as well as the current market conditions and trends.

Elements that determine the value of a wristwatch:

BRAND

The manufacturer of the wrist watch is certainly one of the factors that determine value of the watch. The most popular and sought after wristwatch in the world is one by Patek Philippe of Geneva, Switzerland, with all other things being equal; that is: case style, metal, features, type, etc. Other important brand names, but not necessarily in the order of their importance, are A. Lange & Sohne, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Blancpain, Breguet, Breitling, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chopard, Concord, Chronoswiss, Corum, Ebel, F.P. Journe, France Muller, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, Glashutte, Hublot, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Panerai, Parmigiani, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Rolex, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron & Constantin and Zenith.

There are, of course, many quality brands other than these, but for those seeking the very finest watches in the world, these manufacturers are at the top. Values are always based on what someone is willing to pay. For these fine watches, collectors and others who value fine craftsmanship are willing to pay more than a million dollars for the finest luxury wristwatch.

STYLE:

Public popularity, fads, and fashion determine which contemporary style is preferred at any given time.

Today, ladies are wearing larger style watches…even men’s watches like the Rolex Daytona, Datejust, Submariner and Yacht-Master. The large Cartier Tank Americaine is very popular now, as is Cartier Ballon Bleu. Glam and glitz ladies like diamond watches …the Chanel J-12, the Chopard Ice Cube, the Patek Philippe Twenty-4, and the Piaget Protocole. Always popular is the classic ladies Rolex President as well as the Rolex Pearlmaster .

Men are wearing the A. Lange &Sohne ref. 1815, the Patek Philippe, ref. 3919, as well as the Breitling Bentley and Panerai Ferrari models. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in rose gold is highly sought after and of course Rolex continues to be popular, particularly the 2-tone, steel and gold, blue dial Rolex Submariner.

UTILITY:

A wristwatch has the advantage over most other collectibles-It is useful. This single factor puts the wrist watch at the top of the list of vintage collectibles both for enjoyment in wearing as well as for future long-term investment. An originally expensive wrist watch will always have some value. Commercial grade “junk” will always be junk.

THE CASE:

Case Metal: The intrinsic value of the case metal is the only value that some vintage watches have. Many metals and materials have been used for cases of the years including platinum, 9-10-14-18-22karat gold, silver, gold-filled, gold plated, nickel, stainless steel, plastic and ceramic. The Patek Philippe watch in platinum is one of the most sought after contemporary timepieces today.

Case Markings: Many vintage wristwatches by makers and jewelers such as Patek Philippe, Cartier, Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tiffany, Hamilton, etc., were cased, boxed and timed at the factory. These watches, in their original marked cases, are worth much more than watches in unmarked cases. All wrist watch companies, making movements, at one time or another and sometimes for the entire life of the company, sold movements ONLY, with dials marked according to the specifications of the buyer, which were then cased in custom made or standard cases supplied by many American and European casemakers. These are sometimes described as “Contract Cases.”

Case Style: The style of the case of both the contemporary watch as well as the vintage timepiece plays a part in determining its value. Hinged lugs, curved cases, enamel cases, “Art Deco” style cases all make the vintage piece stand out from the others, thus increasing the value to collectors. Style and shape of the contemporary piece are factors in today’s price based on current popular trends.

CONDITION:

Here are some things that are particularly important when pricing a watch:

Dial: Is the dial original? Most wrist watches have metal dials. If it is metal, has it been refinished or does it need to be? Is the dial bent or scratched? Are there any damaged or missing markers? Are the hands damaged? Is there discoloration? The move valuable the watch, the more valuable the dial.

Case: Notice the amount of wear. If a gold case, is it bent or dented from rough or has the gold been worn through. Have the lugs been bent, damaged or replaced? Are the spring-bar holes worn? Initials or other inscriptions usually diminish the desirability and value of the watch.

Bracelet: If you are buying a watch with a permanently attached bracelet, be sure that the bracelet is the correct length. Some types, particularly mesh-type bracelets, are costly to have shortened and even more expensive to have lengthened. Leather strap bands show wear, but are usually replaceable. A generic strap will cost considerably less than a factory-made strap. Does it have a tang buckle or a deployant clasp?

Crown: The original crown is important when they were marked, such as Patek or Rolex.

Movement: Whether the movement is original or not and whether it is in good running condition and complete without botched repairs are factors in pricing the watch. The finish should be good with no corrosion, rust or scratches.

Of course, there are several other factors involved in pricing vintage and contemporary watches, which will be included in future articles. In general, the true value of a watch is the price that a collector or investor, who wants the wristwatch and has the money, will pay another collector or dealer, who knows the value.

Joe DeMesy, founder of DeMesy Fine Watches, is a recognized expert throughout the world in Patek Philippe and Rolex timepieces, and has co-authored a series of price guides, which have become the standard reference for both collectors and dealers alike.

Which Type of Ladies’ Watch Should I Get?

Long before watches were being worn for fashion on the wrist, women wore them as pendants around their necks. Different types of pendants were worn. One of these types is the pocket watch. It was usually hidden in the waist band, or inside the dress seams connected to the skirt. Ladies also wore them with a pin as a brooch, or as earrings, and sometimes even rings.

Nowadays, ladies watches are updated with new fashions and styles. Many times the styles will change yearly, making it hard for women to wear the simple timepieces of the past or to just have one modern watch. However, it is good to have a collection. To do that, you must have watches from all 3 categories: sports, dress, and jewelry. You are able to get all 3 under one manufacturer, but a nicer collection will contain many different companies.

Sports
Sports watches are for the active woman. There is no limit to how extreme your activity can be. Whether it is as high-adrenaline as rock climbing or cliff diving, or conventional like running or Pilates, a sports watch is for you. You need a high-performance waterproof watch with preferably a stopwatch. Sports models are made of leather, rubber, steel, or titanium. They have sleeker, thinner straps as well.

Dress
Dress watches are the second category to consider. Dressy watches are for any woman, and are the epitome of elegance. As long as your timepiece has no Velcro, rubber straps, over-sized parts, or huge markings qualifies it for this category. These watches can be used in formal events or casual occasions.

Jewelry
Bejeweled watches are the last category. These ladies watches are those that took longs periods of time to be crafted and put together. These pieces are embellished with stones and precious gems, and are matched according to color and clarity before being set in the watch.

The history of ladies watches is and interesting one. They have changed over time from pendants to pocket watches to the small sleek watches we have today. Remember to choose a watch that you’re comfortable in. And if you have to pick only one watch, make sure it crosses over between the three categories above.

Types of Ceramic Jewelry

There are so many different types of ceramic jewelry. You can find various interesting pieces of jewelry made from ceramic for your collection. There are exquisite bracelets of different colors made with ceramic beads. These are also available with different patterns drawn on them to bring out color and personality of the wearer. Porcelain bracelets are versatile and can be worn with a number of different outfits depending on the colors. Therefore, you can have as many as you want.

The second type of ceramic jewelry is the love token. These are made from ceramic with strings to hold them. The tokens can be worn on the neck or tied around the wrist. You can also choose to hang them around your house as decorations. These tokens are quite popular with couples in love. You and your partner can have the tokens of the same or different colors. They can be used as a symbol of your love and you can always have something special that only the two of you share.

The third type of ceramic jewelry is the ring. There are different kinds of rings that can be made from ceramic. These rings are normally available in various designs made along with other materials. For example, you can have ceramic rings that have a golden edge. You can have a ceramic ring with diamonds embedded on it. Another popular choice is the ceramic titanium ring. There are also rings that are purely ceramic with no other additional material.

Ceramic watches are also another category of this kind of jewelry. There are watches for men and for women as well. The two popular choices are the black and the white ceramic watches. These are quite in fashion nowadays with many fashion icons spotting them. The designs are classic and quite different from the normal watches that are worn by the masses. The prices also match the value of the item you are buying. This means that even when on a budget, you can still get an excellent magnetic watch.

Porcelain jewelry also includes earrings. These are in designs such as flower, beads, and other abstract shapes. If you wish, you can get a set of earrings with a matching bracelet. This saves you the trouble of having to look for matching jewelry to wear with your ceramic earrings. There are also necklaces made from ceramic. You can have a porcelain lotus flower, maple leaf, plum flower and four leaf clover among others.

Porcelain jewelry also consists of hair accessories. There is no better way to style up your hair than with a beautiful porcelain hair stick. These come in different colors and design as well and offer you a welcome break from the usual boring black hair pins. These are just a few types of porcelain jewelry available. However, the limits are endless and almost any type of jewelry you want is available in porcelain. So you can always try out something new and get a few porcelain items for yourself.