The history behind beauty

Christophe Roulet - Vintage watches have cast off the old-fashioned, outmoded, dusty image that still dogged them just a few short years ago. Look at the countless firms that continually delve into their catalogue in search of the prestigious models that helped build their glorious past.

Judging by the impressive catalogue for Antiquorum’s May auctions devoted to Rolex watches, there is clearly no shortage of interest in the genre. After last year’s Omegamania, it’s now the turn of its rival in the markets to seduce a community of aficionados, collectors and all those with a passion for vintage models. Granted, this infatuation with timepieces made before quartz burst onto the scene in the late 1970s is nothing new, but with prices paid at auction reaching new heights, neither is the trend showing any signs of waning. As though the forecast slow-down, as of this year, in Swiss watch export sales was inversely proportional to these vintage models’ appeal. Many claim that the investment value of these particular timepieces has a lot to do with the soaring prices they command, and while there is some truth in this, as fluctuations in the art market show this can only go part way towards explaining the trend. Still, those who know where to put their money can expect a handsome return on their investment, with Patek Philippe, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet enjoying the most success under the gavel.

In other words, vintage watches have cast off the old-fashioned, outmoded, dusty image that still dogged them just a few short years ago. Look at the countless firms that continually delve into their catalogue in search of the prestigious models that helped build their glorious past, and which can still strike a chord in the seasoned watch-owner’s heart. Thus IWC is commemorating its 140th anniversary by reissuing six of the watches that have made the company’s renown since the 1930s. The buyers that haunt auction rooms might not be the same as those who purchase delightfully retro-looking watches filled with the latest innovations. Still, that collectors should go in search of models past reveals a nostalgia for aesthetics and mechanics in which a beautiful object must also have historic worth. A desire fulfilled by the vintage watch. ■

Christophe Roulet

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