Collecting & grading
Collector's Reference
A coherent collection is a research project with a thesis. This section covers choosing a theme, describing condition honestly, documenting provenance, and the composite watches that trip up experienced collectors as readily as beginners.
Themes
Choosing a collecting theme
By manufacturer
One firm across its production life; the fastest route to real expertise.
By movement
A single calibre or model in all its grades and variants.
By era
A defined date range, which forces engagement with the period's technology.
By country
One national tradition, with its own sources and identification methods.
By complication
Repeaters, calendars or chronographs studied comparatively.
Railroad watches
Well documented, clearly specified, and rich in surviving records.
Military watches
Procurement records can give genuine documented provenance.
Inexpensive watches
Pin-lever and utility watches are under-studied and cheap to research.
Condition
Grading vocabulary
| Grade | Usual meaning |
|---|---|
| Mint | Used inconsistently: factory-fresh in some catalogues, convincingly restored in others. |
| Excellent | Light handling wear only; original finishes essentially intact. |
| Very good | Visible wear, no damage, dial and case original. |
| Good | Honest wear, possibly minor replacement parts, fully functional. |
| Fair | Significant wear or replacement; needs service. |
| Poor | Incomplete, damaged, or requiring major intervention. |
| Restored | Intervention disclosed. Describe what was done and when. |
| Over-restored | Original surfaces, engine turning or hallmarks lost to polishing or refinishing. |
These terms are not standardised. Describe movement, dial, case and hands separately rather than reducing a composite object to one word.
Due diligence
Authentication & fraud awareness
Common misrepresentations
- Re-cased watches: movement configuration does not match the case
- Re-dialled watches: repainted dials with wrong fonts or missing maker detail
- Replacement movements fitted to a desirable case
- Replacement or reshaped hands of the wrong period
- Re-signed plates and added signatures on otherwise anonymous work
- Heavily polished cases with softened engine turning and worn hallmarks
How to research instead
- Photograph every marking before forming an opinion
- Compare case and movement hallmarks, numbers and configuration
- Check dial-feet positions against the movement
- Look for the object in published serial ranges and auction records
- Seek a second opinion from a specialist society or museum
- Accept that some objects cannot be attributed with the surviving evidence
Photographs alone cannot establish authenticity. Where a price is discussed anywhere on this site, its source, date, condition and sale channel are stated.
Restoration & conservation →