Just about everyone owns a watch or two, but that doesn't make
them a true watch collector. The true lover of time pieces has a passion
for watches and feels driven to acquire them.
One
of the first things you'll want to do as a collector is shop for great
pieces. There is a dizzying array of choices for the beginner. It can be
difficult to decide on where to begin, so I recommend browsing for your
first few weeks to help you define your tastes and interests.
There
are sports watches, military style watches, luxury high end watches,
early watches, automatic watches, specialty watches (e.g. Mickey Mouse,
or more generally Disney watches) mechanical watches, pocket watches,
quartz movement watches or particular brands such as Bulova, Seiko, or
Omega that can be collected.
Depending upon the type of watch you
want to collect you may find them anywhere from flea markets to fine
jewelers. Old watches can be a great place to start because they can be
found in so many places. Estate sales, yard sales or eBay offer a wide
variety of choices.
It will be worth the time to do is basic
research on the type of watch you would like to collect. With the
Internet it's never been easier to learn all that you need to know about
watches from the comfort of your own home. Once you've started
browsing, you'll find yourself in a better position to decide if you
want to specialize in a brand or type of watch.
Join The National
Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. For an annual fee of $70
you'll have access to all their publications, forums and online
information. They also offer subscriptions to informative periodicals on
clocks and watches and have one of the world's most preeminent
collection of books on time pieces.
You will also want to visit
the American Clock and Watch Museum in Connecticut and check out all the
wonderful time pieces they have. Their website offers a list of rare
and used books on clocks and watches that can supplement your research
whether you're a newbie or experienced collector so don't miss that
opportunity to expand your knowledge base.
Be sure to set a budget
for your collection. Once you've been bitten by the collecting bug,
it's easy to get excited and spend too much - particularly if you are
shopping at an auction. Scour the Internet, search for auctions, pawn
shops, estate sales, and ask friends and families if they have the watch
you are seeking. You never know when the perfect watch for your
collection is just sitting collecting dust in a drawer or attic.
Kerry Hook is a collector of clocks and watches with a passion
that runs deep. Her grandfather, uncle and father were all watch makers.
She carries that tradition on as a collector and researcher. Visit her
website: Victorinox Mach 8
Learn more about the history of Victorinox Swiss Army by clicking here: Victorinox vs Wenger