Watches for the wedding season
From the groom’s watch to the trousseau gift, how families in Mumbai choose watches between November and February.
Buying a vintage watch: what to ask before you pay
Redials, replaced parts and service history: the questions that tell you what you are really buying.
A vintage watch can be a beautiful thing to own, and also an easy one to be misled about. Before you pay for any old watch, from us or from anyone else, a few questions will tell you what you are really buying.
First, is the dial original? A repainted dial, called a redial, often looks too clean, with printing that is slightly thick or crooked and a logo that does not quite match the period. Original dials age unevenly; small spots and fading are normal. A redial is not a fraud if it is declared, but it should cost far less.
Second, what has been replaced? Crowns, crystals, hands and mainsprings are often changed during servicing, and that is fine. Ask the seller to list them in writing. On every vintage piece we sell, the bill names each new part, the date of service and the watchmaker who did it.
Third, when was it last serviced, and is there a warranty? A watch that has not been opened in thirty years may run for a week and then stop. Ours carry a one-year warranty because we have opened, cleaned and timed every one. Finally, wind it and hold it to your ear. A healthy movement ticks evenly. Then ask to see it on a timing machine. A seller who knows the watch will happily show you.
