Last updated by Simone | 31st July 2018
Did you know that in 1675 it was Charles II of England who inspired the wearing of a pocket watch inside the pocket? Before this, timepieces were worn around the neck, but it was Charles II’s love of waistcoats that sparked the change in watch fashion. Although the pocket watch became near obsolete with the introduction of the wrist watch in the years leading up to World War I, today this classic, compact time-telling device is an interesting and curious collectable. Our experts reveal their secrets to valuation and we give you a low-down of the most expensive pocket watches ever to have been sold at Catawiki.
How much is your pocket watch worth?
Determining the value of any object can be tricky. There are numerous factors at play which can affect the buyer market, the popularity of a certain type of watch, and generally what is and what is not selling well at a certain time. This is true of most collectable objects, however there are a few key things which our experts will specifically look out for when working out how much a pocket watch might be worth. By no means is the following list exhaustive, however it should give you an indication of the things you should consider when assessing the potential value of your pocket watch.
1. Jewels and adjustments
Jewels - the internal gemstone mechanisms dotted across the inside of a pocket watch - minimise friction and wear by acting as bearings for the gears. Adjustments are the calibrations in a watch which keep its time telling accurate, no matter what position the watch is held in. The more jewels and adjustments a watch has, the better its quality and therefore the higher its value. In rare cases, a pocket watch could have up to 25 jewels.
2. Movement
A pocket watch’s movement is the entire mechanism which makes a watch function. There are two main types of movements which can be found in pocket watches: Modern quartz and classic mechanical movements. Both the condition and design of a watch movement is very important when considering what the object might be worth. A complete and undamaged movement is of course preferable to one which has gears or springs missing, as these can be very costly to repair and replace. An ornately decorated gear system also increases value due to the craftsmanship and aesthetics associated to this type of detailing.
3. Brand
As with most types of watches, reputable brand names sell well at auction. Some key names to look out for include Longines, who have operated since 1832, and Omega who have been watch manufacturing since 1848. Elgin and Hamilton are also prolific watch manufacturing companies who both ceased business in the 60s. If you have a pocket watch made by one of these big names, you could be destined for a high figure sale.
John Halsted London Pocket Watch c. 1700 - Sold at Catawiki for €4,598
Most expensive watches sold at Catawiki
To get a better feel of which watches are particularly successful at our auctions, take a look at some of the most expensive pocket watches to have sold on Catawiki:
5. Breguet Pocket Watch for Tiffany & Co - 1983 - €5,588
This pocket watch is number 3289 of the Breguet watch series and was custom-made for Tiffany & Co New York. It has a gorgeous mother-of-pearl dial with original Breguet hands and was sold in full working order. The hands are particularly delicate making this pocket watch quite a dainty and delightful piece.
4. Patek Philippe & CiE Pocket Watch - circa 1890 - €6,000
This Swiss pocket watch is a beautiful example of why Swiss watchmaking is so renowned. Weighing 85 grams, it has a manual hand wind movement, solid 18K rose gold case and was sold with a handmade wooden leather-bound box. The lot has some fantastic close up photographs of the internal mechanisms which are certainly worth a look.
3. Patek Philippe & CiE Pocket Watch - circa 1890 to 1900 - €6,173
Another brilliant Patek Philippe, weighing in at 126.5 grams, this pocket watch is much heavier than than our last example. It’s weight can be attributed to its mechanical movement, micro-cam regulator, and solid 18K rose gold case. Take a closer look at the original engraving from its factory production - the exquisite lettering makes this watch a joy to behold.
2. Skull Masonic Watch - circa 1780 to 1790 - €8,501
This silver hand graved masonic skull was made in Paris around 1780. The watch can be wound using a key, hidden in the book which the captivating skull is resting on. This is certainly the most unusual pocket watch on our list, but not quite the most expensive...
1. LeCoultre Chronograph - circa 1880 - €8,799
This LeCoultre pocket watch has it all: rarity, a moon phase, perpetual calendar, minute repeater and the case is made from solid 18K yellow gold. It weighs 120 grams and is in full working order. Our experts estimated this price to be between €7,000 - €9,100 and the seller was not disappointed!
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Did you know that it’s easy to become a seller at Catawiki and offer up your pocket watch, wrist watch and other special objects up for auction? Simply register for a free account and start submitting your items for auction. Or has all this talk of watches put you in the mood to browse? We have at least two pocket watch auctions every week including, a Pocket Watch auction which ends every Wednesday and an Exclusive Pocket Watch auction which ends every Sunday.
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