Craig Duling has served for nearly three decades as president and CEO of Heritage Management Services. In addition to leading the property management organization based out of San Francisco, California, Craig Duling channels his lifelong passion for antique pocket watches into the administration of an educational website, heritagepocketwatch.com.
Whether found, purchased, or inherited, an antique pocket watch can be a highly regarded collectible item. In order to assess its monetary value, a collector must first determine a number of details about the pocket watch in question. After establishing basic information such as the brand, model, and movement type of the watch, owners should establish the timepiece’s age. A pocket watch’s serial number can be useful for determining this, as lower serial numbers suggests earlier production dates. However, age does not necessitate value, since many former companies such as Waltham and Elgin mass-produced relatively inexpensive pocket watches while in business. The composition of a pocket watch also plays heavily into its value. Gold or damaskeened finishes, polished screws, and high jewel counts indicate a higher quality piece. Collectors should take care to determine whether gold watches are merely gold plated or comprised of solid gold. A pocket watch’s value also relies on its condition. Unaltered watches with their original parts will be worth more than those that have undergone repairs, and pocket watches that are still in working order will generally warrant a higher appraisal than those that have stopped ticking. Additionally, blemishes such as scratches or dents can lower the value of a pocket watch, and these cosmetic faults often suggest internal issues as well. |
AuthorBefore accepting his current position, Craig Duling served as an engineer with Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in Sunnyvale, California. Archives
September 2017
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