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Close-up of a vintage steel wristwatch with a cream dial and slender hands

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The Journal

Guides for the Thoughtful Collector

Practical, plain-spoken articles to help you buy, understand and look after vintage watches.

Vintage wristwatch with leather strap laid on a table for a buying guide
Collecting Guide · 7 min

How to Buy a Vintage Watch

A seven-step approach covering budgets, research, seller types, evidence to request and purchase protection.

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Watchmaker's bench with tools used to inspect and service a vintage watch
Collecting Guide · 8 min

Authenticity & Servicing

Spot redialled faces, mismatched lume and “franken” watches, and plan sensible servicing intervals.

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Close view of a wristwatch dial and movement illustrating mechanical versus quartz timekeeping
Technical Guide · 7 min

Mechanical vs Quartz

How each movement works, the quartz crisis and which one suits your collecting style.

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Wristwatch resting on a wooden surface illustrating careful storage
Collecting Guide · 6 min

Care, Storage & Wearing

Winding, magnetism, moisture and shock: everyday habits that protect an old movement.

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