In the last few years, there has been an upswing in the trend of collecting high-end watches. In fact, Christie's of New York reported in 2007 that they sold collectible watches worth more than $55 million in 2006 alone! That's approximately R606, 000,000! So why this renewed interest in collectible watches and how do you know if a watch is a collectible? Read on to find out... Why Collectible Watches?
People collect watches for many reasons. Some see it as an investment piece so they can sell it later when it appreciates in value. Others see watches as a family heirloom. Whatever the reason, it is good to understand what makes a watch a collectible. Rarity
As with any other collectible (stamps, antiques, comic books etc.), the rarer the item, the more its value. For example, the Breguet Marie Antoinette is such a rare watch that Breguet refuses to put a price tag on it. It was designed by Breguet himself and took almost 45 years to make! Marie Antoinette did not live to see the completion of the watch. The watch was stolen from a Jerusalem museum in 1983 but eventually recovered in 2007. Worn by Celebrities
Be it a diamond encrusted Chopard worn by Marion Cotillard, an Omega DeVille worn by Henry Cavill (AKA Superman), a Hamilton worn by Elvis Presley or the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond, celebrity-worn watches are in great demand! | 