From Rolex to Patek Philippe and Omega, the brand of your watch can tell you everything you need to know about the piece. Luxury brand name watches have always been connected with fine craftsmanship, expertise, and longevity because of their reputation. While contemporary brands are known for being modern and stylish, yet mass-produced.

Knowing the model of a watch allows you to explore its mechanical details, special features and access its overall value. Depending on the brand of the watch, the location of the model number may differ but it will always be hidden out of sight. The model number also happens to be one of the key ways to authenticate any timepiece.

Like a fine wine, the value of a luxury watch increases based on the year it was created. Even with minor flaws and imperfections that come along with age, vintage watches in pristine or fair conditions are still highly sought after and continue to be purchased by collectors for thousands of dollars.

When it comes to the inside of a watch, the more original parts the better. Since it ensures that the watch will continue to run smoothly with regular maintenance. In fact, most of those who work on restoring vintage timepieces to their former glory simply focused on preserving the original watch instead of replacing it with shiny new parts.

Since watches are worn on the wrist, they can easily become damaged over time with visible scratches and scuffed. With that being said, vintage luxury watches are preferred to be in their original, if imperfect, condition. While modern luxury watches are seen as more valuable when purchased in pristine condition.

When purchasing a vintage watch, you must also consider authenticating a claim that it may have been owned by a notable or historic figure. The term for this is called provenance, and it’s used to describe the legitimacy of recorded ownership of the item. As with condition and value, authenticating provenance must also be a top priority when it comes to purchasing a vintage timepiece with a rich history.