New Rolex Vintage Watches collection

 

Rolex Explorer II Polar 16570 Patina 

Day Date Only 16238 

Sea Dweller 16600 T series  

GMT Master Long E with papers 

Explorer II 16570 U series Patina with paper 

Date Just 16238 Lapis Azuli with Rolex Service Paper

GMT Master 16710BLRO full set with paper

GMT Master 1675 Icy white and Montblanc Mark Twain

Explorer II Black Patina 16570

Which One do you like?
HK Snob

Go High-end Watch or a Vintage Watch?

How many High-end watch Switzerland produces each year nowadays!??

Imagine an established, Swiss watch brand, located in Geneva or the Vallée de Joux. This watchmaker has done well and diversified with good marketing network now makes 40,000 mid- to high-end watches a year. (Swiss bank Vontobel recently estimated in that Audemars Piguet makes 40,000 watches a year; Breguet, 32,000; Jaeger-LeCoultre, 75,000; Roger Dubuis with 8,000, while the number at Patek Philippe is 50,000.) 

Of the 40,000 watches made by the imaginary watch company, say 20 percent are complications such as chronographs and annual calendars, but quarter of the complications output is the high-end stuff, minute repeaters, tourbillons and the like; watches with six figure price tags. So this company makes 2000 high-end complications a year. Assume a third, or 500, of those are tourbillons.

Over a decade, that would mean 20,000 high-end complications produced, 5000 of them tourbillons

by a single hypothetical company. 

With 20 companies, a decade’s worth of production is 400,000 high complications, and 100,000 tourbillons.

High complications typically starting at US$100,000, being a mere millionaire is insufficient to afford one. Only ultra high net worth individuals – those fortunate individuals with over US$30m to their name – can reasonably afford such watches. Wealth-X, a research firm specializing in rich people, estimated in early 2015 that there are just over 211,000 ultra high net worth individuals around the world.

Even if every UHNW individual on the planet bought a high-end complication over the course of a decade, there will still leftover watches.

So the answer to the question in the title is obviously yes. That’s why modern complicated watches are now faring poorly in the secondary market, as evidenced by recent auction results.

What is a collector to do?

A collector should, therefore, pursue truly rare watches. Vintage watches are often the suggestion, since their supply is by definition limited. However, the vintage watch market is frothy and fraught with danger, so prudence and specialized knowledge is required.

It never not too late to seek genuinely rare watches.

 

HK Snob

Why should you go vintage (sometimes)?

Watches that are over 30 years old are what we call vintage watches. Vintage watches have been hot for the past few years in Hong Kong.

 

Prices had been rocketing for a while before they stabilized a bit. The best-selling vintage watches come from Rolex. The Submariner Red, the Double-Red Sea-dweller, the Paul Newman Daytona…you name it.

 

At HKWF, we do not only focus on the watches that fetch astronomical prices at auctions. We would like to provide you with a broader perspective on the world of horology.

 

The world of vintage watches is enormous and we know it. Other than owning new watches released by different brands, buying good-looking vintage watches can enrich your collection.

 

 

Here are some real reasons why you should start your vintage watch collection.

 

1.      As investment

From a more monetary point of view, buying vintage watches can be a good kind of investment. Nobody did expect that a Rolex 1665 Sea-Dweller could have reached today’s price. These watches will only get rarer and rarer as time passes and in the long term, these watches will increase in their value, or at least retain it. Therefore, buying vintage watches, not only those from big brands like Rolex, can be a good choice of investment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Famous design at an affordable price

Let’s be not so realistic now. Despite the fact that you may gain a certain amount of money from investing in vintage watches, you can get your hands on some very famous designs at a relatively affordable price.

 

For example, a vintage Ref.1803 Rolex Day-date is way cheaper than a brand new one in the current lineup. So, why not go vintage sometimes if you find the prices of new watches hard to believe?

 

 

 

A beautiful Rolex Day Date Ref.1803 with white dial. Typical Price HKD$39,000 to 54,000

 

 

3. Designs that would always remain in the past, not the present or the future

Each vintage watch has its own character and design chic. These features are unlikely to reappear in modern watches.

 

Of course, you will argue that there are always these re-edition watches you can buy from manufactures like Longines and Tudor.

 

Look at the Black Bay and the Longines Heritage Collection, you will understand that the feeling of history cannot be bought in new watches. Moreover, the re-editions often do not truly adhere to their ancestors. The addition of the date window and the enlargement of the case often ruin these great designs.

 

4. A matter of taste

Collecting vintage watches is often a reflection of a person’s taste. Imagine wearing the Rolex Submariner 16610 and wearing a Rolex 1680, what is the difference?

 

 

The difference lies in the fact that the 1680 is rarer and less seen on the street. You do not want your watch worn everywhere, right? Wearing a nicely preserved vintage watch can be an exhibition of your taste.

At HKWF, we have a wide range of second-hand watches for you to choose from.

 

Some watches are more vintage while some are not.

 

However, all are guaranteed in very good conditions. We will share with you our selection of good vintage watches and good deals. Some deals are from us while some are from others. Please do keep tuning in for the latest information.

 

Jason L

HK Watch Fever Group

PS

Submariner Ref.1680 is available in market at US$7,000 to 19,000 (red line is collectible and more expensive)

 

 

Remembering the good old days of Hong Kong

Oriental Watch was one of the popular watch in the 60s

Wanchai

 

After All, Orient Watch is still available in HK

Hong Kong in the 70s

One of the Top Three Rolex AD nowadays, The Emperor, in the Greatest Days of Hong Kong in 80s

Can you see City Chain Watch on the Right?

 

888 is the famous Pub bar in the 80s

Because of the Lucky No. Rolex selected this is the Country Code of Rolex for Hong Kong.

 

 

Can You See Rolex and Longines? Picture of Wan Chai at 60s

This is the Hong Kong in 86 estimated, see the Orient Quartz, the big time of Quartz Watch that almost Killed all Mechanical Watches....

The Hong Kong in 1997

 

Queen's Road in the 50, can you see the Rolex Watch Advertisement on the top left?

 

 

Omega in the Street of Tsim Sha Tsui

Japanese was the major tourist income in the 80.s

so everywhere we could see Japanese name on sign boards

 

 

 

 This is Tsim Sha Tsui South, Place the picture was taken is the Science Museum nowadays

Can you see the Big Rolex Crown?

 

 

This is likely The Yau Mai Tei Jordan Area, note all the Yellow Sign board welcoming those people coming for Massage and Sex deals

 

The final Closing day of Da Da Department Store, the Building is still around nowadays

 

 

Movie Shooting at Central Hong Kong in the 50s

 

     A Typical Residential Areal of Hong Kong, people kept poultry for food at that time, Where is this place!?

 

 

Familiar? yes, This is the Chung King mansion in the 90 before renovation

 

 

Chow Seng Seng, one of the Rolex AD now,

Nathan Restaurant is still around,

Star Communication, Wah Nam Theatre

Ying Chun Sauna was the place I used to go in 1995-1997

You Should see Omega Watch Sign board

Just Gold...etc

This is Mong Kok Nathan Road

 

 This Lady should be about 82 year old by now, she was a typical beauty and probably a model, looks at how she stood?

 

 

This Peddar Street, can you tell what is the small car in the middle of the road!?

 

 

Causeway Bay in the 70's

Certina , Rodania , Seiko, Longines are the famous watches...

Diamaru was close down already

 

Where is this Place? Can you See Chow Seng Seng (Rolex AD now)

Mong Kok in the 80's

Any idea of Yuen Fong Watch Co. ? Where is it!?

 

 Zurich, Emperor and Time Watch Company, Prince Jewellery & Watch Company, Do you know what Rolex watch Company  in the middle lower portion of this Picture... This should be Tsim Sha Tsui Area taken in the year 1990

 

Last Day of Matsusakaya Departure store 3 Mar 1998, this building still exit in the same location nowadays

 

The Last Day of the Japanese Department Store in HK

The Close Down of Mitsukoshi at Causeway Bay on 17 Sept 2006

 

HK in 1950

 

One of the oldest Department Stores Shui Hing at Nathan Road, how this located is running by Prince Jewellery & watch Company

 

Very Rare Picture on the Rat cage hanging on the Light post.

 

Sincere Department Store in Hong Kong Island, The Same Company is still around.

Jam Fair Department Store

Chow Seng Seng Jewellery and Gold Smith

 On The Let if the picture, there was a Watch Company name I forget, I bought my Rolex Stainless Steel Oyster Date with 18KT WG bezel and Jubilee with HKD$5,025 in 1981

 

Ritz Theatre I used to Watch James Bond Movies

 

Golden Shopping Centre, Oh, this is Sham Shui Po

Picture was like then taken in 1980-90, the Right Front car is Ford Escort!?

 

Tissot Watch

 

Bonds Theatre at Yu Man Fong , Kwun Tong, I used to watch Movie when I was in Middle School

 

 Mok Sam Kee Watch Company in Tsuen Wan in the 70s

 

 

The Wing Fuk Funeral Shop is still around at Yau Ma Tei MTR station A1 at Portland Street

 

Central Hong Kong, Note The Longines Watch

Geneve Watch Company, Where is it?

Jam Fair at Kowloon Side, the White small build should be the Public Rest Room I used to go when I go for James bond movies.

This is Jordan Road, that Po Hing Theatre was located.

The building in front is still around, my grandma's sister used to live there,

She bought one unit with HKD$15,000 in the year 1974 she is now 102 years old.

 

There are a lot of memories recalled when I saw all these picture,,, how about you!?

 

It would be my pleasure if you could tell me what exactly the location of some of the picture are as I cannot tell all by myself was!

 

 

HK Snob

Watch Fever