VINTAGE WATCHES

Swiss Watch Trader is an independent watch dealer and shop selling the very best vintage watches in Hampshire and online. Buy your next vintage watch online with your debit/credit card, PayPal or bank transfer or book an appointment to view and buy in person. All vintage watches purchased from Swiss Watch Trader will include free UK delivery and a 24 month warranty. Our collection of vintage watches include the Rolex GMT Master, Enicar Jet Graph Sherpa and Heuer Autavia.

If you’re located in Hampshire or the surrounding areas and nervous about the prospect of buying a vintage watch without at least seeing it first then you’re in luck. Our main office is located in Solent Business Park, Whiteley and available for in-person viewings of our vintage watches for sale. Please note that viewing of our watches is strictly by appointment only, we do not offer a walk in service - please get in contact to book an appointment. If you’re from further afield or can’t get to our offices then don’t worry, we will cover all the postage costs.

When buying your next vintage watch always check online reviews and feedback to ensure that the seller is honest and genuine. Verified reviews left by previous customers on website such as Trustpilot and Google are a great way of seeing how the watch dealer / seller operates. Also be sure you check the company out on their social media channels including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Check the they are posting images of the actual watches for sale and have a reasonable following. Check their website for high quality and most importantly original and un-edited images of the the watches for sale and you are interested in purchasing. Don't be afraid ask for a video if aren’t 100% sure on the condition or can’t quite see certain aspects of the watch for sale. If a seller is serious about providing the customer with all the information required to make the buying experience as stress free as possible then they will be more than happy to help. If the seller does not offer the option to view the watch in person prior to making a decision, or at least do so through high-quality imagery, then you may want to look elsewhere. At Swiss Watch Trader we always tell our customers to purchase the very best vintage watch, in the best condition, at the very best price with as much or the original packaging and paraphernalia as possible. Original boxes and warranty papers/card are a must, manuals and hang tags are essential but not necessarily deal breakers (there are exceptions). Please get in touch if you have any questions about our any of our vintage watches.

IS IT WORTH BUYING A VINTAGE WATCH?

Buying a vintage watch has many benefits. Firstly, many vintage watches are built with quality in mind and are built to last. Most vintage watches are powered by simple automatic movements which require infrequent servicing. At Swiss Watch Trader we offer a 24 month warranty on all our vintage watches. You may also have noticed that many of our vintage watches have been recently serviced by Rolex UK and will include the balance of the 24 month Rolex warranty.

Finally, opting to buy a vintage watch rather than brand new is ideal for those looking towards future prices. When buying any of our vintage watches from us, the costs compared to buying brand new are drastically reduced. What’s more, we also offer a range of options for those who want to spread the costs, including offering our vintage watches on finance. 

HOW MUCH IS A VINTAGE WATCH?

Vintage Rolex watches range is price from a few hundred pounds to hundreds of thousands, if not millions. As an example a vintage Rolex Submariner 5513 from the mid 1980's can be purchased for around £12,500 but this price will rise as the age increases with early gilt examples selling for more than £30,000.

You should expect to pay a premium for an all original watch with inner and outer boxes, warranty certificate, both hang tags and both manuals. Recently serviced or new old stock Rolex watches will be the most expensive examples of a particular model you will find - but these will also increase in value the most.

IS A VINTAGE ROLEX MORE PRESTIGIOUS THAN OMEGA?

Both Omega and Rolex are highly prestigious timepiece makers; between them they dominate the Swiss watch market. Whether you choose Omega or Rolex, you can rest assured that you’re choosing a high-quality, reliable watch. 

While the two brands have their advantages and disadvantages, both Rolex and Omega watches for men are built with quality in mind, so investing in them means you can rest assured that they will last for years to come. 

We stock a range of vintage Omega and Rolex watches, all in top condition. Our vintage Rolex watch collection includes the Rolex Submariner and Rolex Daytona models.

ARE ALL OLD ROLEX WATCHES VALUABLE? 

If vintage, Rolex watches kept in good condition, can be worth very large amounts of money if sold properly and at the right time. 

For example, a vintage Rolex Submariner 5513 Milsub Watch (which is one of the most highly sought-after models) from the 1960’s-70’s can fetch anywhere up to £140,000 at auction today. 

If you are a collector and you’d like to view any of our vintage Rolex watches before you make your purchase, we offer in-person viewing appointments at our main office in Whiteley, Hampshire. These are by appointment only; contact us to arrange a viewing appointment now. 

DO VINTAGE ROLEX WATCHES HOLD THEIR VALUE? ARE THEY AN INVESTMENT?

Generally speaking, most vintage Rolex watches, especially those in stainless steel will increase in value year after year. Certain models such as the stainless steel Rolex Zenith Daytona have become hugely collectable and value in recent years. 

If you are a Swiss Watch collector, and you want to keep hold of your vintage Rolex watch for a number of years in hopes of auctioning it, you are advised to keep your watch in its case and store in a temperature-regulated area that’s away from moisture.

Many of our Swiss watches have been bought by collectors and antique dealers over the years. We are proud to hold a range of mint condition vintage Rolex watches in our UK office, including the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Explorer.

WHAT IS THE BEST VINTAGE ROLEX TO BUY?

There are many varieties of men’s Rolex watches that have been designed and produced over the years. Rolex has appeared on many Hollywood wrists -- including Steve McQueen and Paul Newman -- and has also been a huge motif in the classic Bond franchise. 

Because of this, good-quality vintage Rolex watches can fetch a fair amount at auction, depending on the model, era and the level of care that has been taken to preserve their original condition. 

In terms of the Rolex Submariner, second hand models that have the most value and are therefore the best to buy for collectors are 5513's, while the best vintage Rolex Daytona to buy would be the 116520 with white dial. 

WHAT IS THE CHEAPEST VINTAGE ROLEX WATCH?

Generally speaking the cheapest pre owned Rolex watches available will be the less popular and older models such as the Rolex Oyster Precision. Nice examples of a vintage Rolex Oyster Precision can be purchased from around £2000. You can find cheaper watches but they and they won't include their original boxes and papers or even original bracelets.

The cheapest Rolex Submariner currently for sale in the UK on Chrono24 is priced at £6250. Once again, this is watch only. The cheapest full set Rolex Submariner 16610 is £8150.

Swiss Watch Trader stocks a range of affordable options for people who want to buy a vintage watch without worrying about the price tag.