Most people in the world today own a few watches that are probably pretty old, but of course that doesn't make him or her a vintage watch enthusiast. A person that has embraced the hobby of collecting vintage timepieces is one that sees the beauty and elegance in collecting superior time pieces that are now gracefully ageing and they're compelled to get the nicest watches they can possibly find. That's the main difference between one that has a number of watches and a vintage watch collector. The last is one that will shop for quality vintage timepieces.

There are a number of choices of vintage watches to choose from today, and even if you're a beginner you can overcome some of the challenges of finding the right ones by focusing on particular types of watches and learning as much as you can about those particular ones as possible. There are sport watches, kinetic watches, quartz, manually wound, etc. By selecting a particular type to focus on it becomes easier for you to identify a good watch from a bad sell. It becomes even better if you focus on brand when starting out. Watch makers such as Omega and Tag are popular and easily traded, if in good condition especially.

As you look for your vintage watches you'll find them in a number of places. Used shops, pawn shops, fine jewellers and online are all some of the most popular. The most ideal location to look though is really a dealer of quality antique watches. By looking to them first what you're actually doing is looking to a trader that has been in the industry for a long time, has experience in the industry that is unmatched and has been trusted by many customers for years.

When purchasing vintage watches, get as much data as you possibly can on the background of the watch; including any documents it may have come with if possible. Such papers contain the serial number and other details that will validate the authenticity of the watch. If you use a trusted antique watch dealer though, most of all this investigation has already been taken care of for you. Also be sure to get the watches original packaging if you can because complete packages increase resale value.

If your looking to buy vintage watches online, as we referenced then it's best to go with an esteemed dealer such as the one in the link above. There are buying and selling sites such as eBay though where purchasers meet sellers and bid on vintage watches. You can see photos of the watches being sold but this is also why this is not the best option, because you don't have the watch in front of you to look at and inspect. This means that when it comes to the honesty of the seller, you'll have to go by the Seller Rating and choose only those who have high ratings, because those that are questionable sellers that have probably been dishonest will have negative feedback. Take the time necessary to study the types of vintage watches you're looking to invest in, then you're bound to make better choices than not. Remember that wisdom comes through applying what we learn and there's no short-cut to researching watches and taking the time to pick out the best ones possible.