If you are a lover of luxury vintage watches, you certainly wouldn’t be alone, as many people are drawn to these amazing timepieces, which are great examples of mankind’s superb engineering capabilities. While we are in awe of these amazing watches, many people wonder about the materials used in the making of luxury vintage watches. With that in mind, here is some information about how the watch cases were made and the materials used.
- Gold – While gold is actually quite soft, 18k gold was very popular for antique pocket watches, as it is harder than 24k gold. White gold is another popular material for hand crafting. Some watches were made with 9k gold casing and glass was used to make both the front and the back of the casing. One brand that uses gold is Patek Philippe, a Swiss watch maker extraordinaire who produced some of the best timepieces in the world.
- Silver – Silver has been the main material used to make watch cases since the 17th century and that includes antique pocket watches Australia dealers are always offering. After a few hundred years, silver was replaced with sterling silver, as the latter is more durable. If you live outside Australia and would like to view a wide range of antique and vintage luxury watches, search online for a leading antiques dealer near you with a stunning collection of genuine timepieces.
- Stainless Steel – From the 1940s onwards, stainless steel quickly became the chosen material for the making of quality watch cases, as it is extremely hard and durable and does not tarnish.
- Platinum – Platinum began to be used to make watch casings in the 1950s, mainly because silver was scarce in the years after WWII and platinum was the next best choice. Platinum is extremely hard and does not tarnish. Another benefit of platinum is the fact that it is non-toxic and can be worn by those with allergies.
- Glass – There are some pocket watches that have a glass back, which allows you to see the internal mechanism. A reputable antiques dealer near you would likely have a collection of antique pocket watches with a glass insert in the case and would allow you to browse their selection of these fine pieces.
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Many people who collect luxury watches started out with a single timepiece, which they loved so much that they decided to start collecting these amazing examples of human ingenuity. If you are a collector, the online antique dealer has a great selection of authentic antique and vintage luxury watches and it is easy to arrange a private viewing.
Free Online Resources
The great thing about the Internet is the fact that you can learn about anything, even antique and vintage luxury watches. Google can take you to websites that are dedicated to this topic and you can educate yourself on the famous names and models that are sought after.
There’s nothing quite like handling a vintage luxury watch, the precision engineering, the fine craftsmanship and the eloquent design come together to create a stunning timepiece that will increase in value over time.
