Until the beginning of the 20th century there were pocket watches everywhere, and wrist watches were only worn by women. The first wrist watches for men were remodeled pocket watches. However, the pocket watches were not particularly well-suited as wrist watches, and for hundreds of years they suffered from moisture, dust and sweat which could penetrate the clock and destroy it from within. Only when Patek Philippe and Hans Wildorf (Rolex) began to control the production in the period around World War I wrist watches became popular in the form we know today.

When/if you choose to invest in watches, there are a number of criteria that should be met:

1. It is easy to be tempted by an overly good price which may cover errors or omissions.

2. You should always check if the vital parts of the watch origins from the original composition of the watch. This is usually called the watch reference number.

3. You should always check whether the wear of the watch is patina or excessive wear.

4. If the bracelet of the watch is either worn, scratched or stretched, you can use the Classic 390 bracelet service.

5. Especially older watches may have a distinctive character that determines the value of the watch. This may increase the price if the watch type has been worn or even given a nickname related to famous persons. Examples include Paul Newman/Rolex Daytona – James Bond/Rolex Submariner and Steve McQueen/Rolex Explorer.

6. You should always make sure to test the movement of the watch. Classic 390 can help you making both a test and a report of your watch.