Pocket watches have been out of fashion for decades but it hasn’t stopped a community of collectors from growing all over the world and for the new collector finding pocket watches for sale both old and new can be a daunting task. There are many choices of pocket watches to choose from both new and old as there are many countries of origins and price ranges for both. Germany, Switzerland, the United States, and other countries in Europe are well known countries where watches come from. More modern watches both low and high quality can come from South America, Japan, China, and other parts of Asia but they all have some collectible quality to them. The choice in what you collect is whatever appeals to you. While many collectors are generalists you will find some like to specialize in a time period or a specific maker or origin. Luckily for every collector and pocket watch lover the advent of the internet has made collecting easier than ever before. There are specialized retailers for both old and new watches numbering in the hundreds all over the world making it easier to find watches from other countries. However for those diehards there are still plenty of brick and mortar specialty stores as well as conventions catering to collectors where you can interact face to face with people just like you who love the pocket watch.

Pricing for new watches is an easy thing to predict and is commonly and indication of the quality of the watch but not always. New watches can be found for under $50 all the way up to well over $1,000 depending on the maker and country of origin. However the majority of watches sold are in the $200 to $600 dollar range (these are new watches) and are a great starting point for a new pocket watch aficionado. These make great gifts for many occasions and are of high enough quality to last a long time but inexpensive enough to not worry about engraving them with personal messages. When it comes to older more collectible watches the sky is the limit price wise. The prices can be as little as a $100 or upwards of well into six figures depending on the rarity of the watch. There is a large market for collectible antique watches and there are hundreds of retailers catering to those who collect old watches and auction sites like EBay are a great place for both new and experienced collectors to add to their collection.

The features of pocket watches are often what draw collectors to those time pieces. The typical number of hands on a watch is three like traditional watches. However many styles have been introduced over the centuries with moon and sun dials for day or night, dates, and hands to track other features. Also the build features such as the type of crystal used on the watch face or the gearing and spring mechanisms used for keeping time are all features that catch collector’s attentions.

Pocket watches come in many sizes however there is a more common size available. Typically sizes range from about an inch and half in diameter to about two inches. However the average pocket watch is about one and three quarters of an inch in diameter. Older collectible pieces follow the same basic sizing but have a broader range of sizes depending on the designer, time period, and where it was manufactures. Different sizes add to the collectability of these older pieces.

As you can see there are many reasons why collectors fall in love with pocket watches. Both old and new watches have appeal for many collectors and the history tied to some of the older watches just can’t be denied. What did this watch go through? Did it trek through the jungles of Africa and South American? How many wars and battles did it survive through? Who may have owned it? Every old watch has a story to tell and it is these stories that add to the appeal to collecting the older time pieces even if some of them no longer function.

In these age where the advances of technology have given us tawdry, tacky, quickly-replaced products, something from the golden years of time like a gold pocket watch can really make a statement. Consider for contrast the typical portable phone: it looks just like all the other phones everyone else has, it will probably break in a year or two and need to be replaced, and it’s made of simple, light plastic. Now give some thought to gold pocket watches. They possess the finest European craftsmanship in metallurgy and clockwork, are created according to strict standards for durability and longevity, and are made of a metal that has been highly valued throughout most of human civilization. All this is what you can say to the world simply while checking up on the time, if you decide to own a pocket watch of such caliber. Or, if you’re looking for a gift for a loved one that is truly timeless, nothing really outdoes a modern or antique gold pocket watch.

The money involved in acquiring a solid gold pocket watch is, of course, considerable. But would you rather have a cheap wrist watch, or a work of art that will last a lifetime and beyond? The saying of getting what you pay for has never been more true than it is with pocket watches. While these little timepieces are no longer the peak of convenience that they were in times past, they are upheld today as examples of the best craftsmanship you can carry in your pocket.

The material value alone in an 18k gold watch, or even a 14k gold pocket watch is obviously incredible, but if you give it some thought you’ll probably find it worth even more than you considered in these rough times. For instance, did you know that the American dollar went off the gold standard many years ago? Currently it is being supported solely by the faith of the American people in their economy. Sounds a bit risky nowadays, doesn’t it? Meanwhile, the value of gold is only growing, and items made of gold are getting steadily more valuable in turn. Furthermore, the craftsmanship involved in something like a pocket watch is intricate and rare, and will add to the value of these items over time. So if you’re looking for a safe investment that won’t bite you in the backside years later, a pocket watch made of gold is a good thing to bet on.

To expand on the craftsmanship involved further, pocket watches have only become more durable over time. They have played a prominent role in railroad safety, and advances in train technology has resulted in a simultaneous evolution of the pocket watch. Pocket watches were and still are expected to be absolutely accurate under a variety of conditions, to avoid any risk of railroad accidents. Don’t you wish the wrist watch industry had that kind of pressure for high performance on it?

There’s really nothing to lose by investing in a pocket watch, golden or otherwise, provided you can afford one in the first place. It’s a sound investment and an excellent addition to any man’s wardrobe.

Looking for a gold pocket watch for the traditionalist on your gift list?  Gold pocket watches date back to the 16^th century where they were first invented and continue to be a classic choice for a timepiece today.  Sometimes referred to as an antique gold pocket watch they often times carry specific memories of a past loved one and can be very valuable.  Today they come in many different styles and value including being made from different metals and being worth different values.

The main purpose of a pocket watch is a timepiece.  They were first invented in the early 16^th century with a clock maker invented the clock for your pocket.  As time has evolved pocket watches have become an accessory for men to show their wealth and status.  Their appeal comes with the design.  Some offer chains that can connect to the inside of the man’s pocket to assure they aren’t lost.

After World War 1 many people preferred the use of a wrist watch as opposed to a pocket watch.  For this reason many pocket watches today are classified as antiques.  Many have been passed down for many centuries by male family members to keep an heirloom amongst their descendents.  Antique watches can be worth quite a bit of money and can be family treasures that remind older generations of stories to tell the younger generations.  Some people still choose to use antique pocket watches to remind them of someone in their family who has passed on.

There are many different styles of pocket watches including the open-faced and hunter-case watches.  The open-faced watches were famous n the past with railroad workers.  They are an open-faced design with the probe at the 12 on the face that connects to the chain.  It doesn’t have a casing on the front of the clock face.  The hunter-case makes the clock imbedded into a flip open face, many times a solid gold.  These were more famous with wealthy people who were showing their status through the pocket watches.  They also come in different grades of gold similar to women’s jewelry.  18K gold pocket watches are some of the most expensive and the heaviest watches.  14K gold pocket watches are more for the budget minded.  They offer the allure of a solid gold pocket watch for a lesser price.

Gold pocket watches, even though they are not as popular today, can be found in many jewelry and antique shops.  The history that many of them provide is special for family members to remember the loved ones that once owned the special pieces of jewelry.  Different styles and specialties can be found at antique shops from many different eras in special historical time periods.