Watches , if you are in doubt. What is it that makes collecting vintage watches so appealing? Apart from the great investment value , I think it has a lot to do with sheer beauty of the craftsmanship and the skilled engineering that goes into the manufacture of a classic timepiece .

As with any form of collecting it is a sad fact that you have to guard against fraudsters and scams especially when acquiring these items online. Only deal with reputable online auction sites such as eBay , who actively seek to eliminate fraudsters from their user base.

These are some of the scams that you should be on the lookout for:

Fraken – watch – is the practice of  cannibalizing various components from watches of the same calibre series and creating a new model. In Europe they are referred to as wedding watches – this is quite common in higher end watches that are in demand by collectors.

Each movement engine has what is known as a calibre number , similar to the engine numer of a car , some calibre numbers are more collectible and pricey than others. A common scam is to switch these around housing a fake movement is a genuine case , or a calibre that is not as collectible in a more expensive casing.

A variation on the scam discussed above is to use a similar movement , but to replace the part with the calibre number , this is especially common in brands that have numerous models with the top of the range model being much more expensive.

Placing a quality dial and movement in an inferior quality casing. You can check the case number on the back of the watch and make sure that it matches the serial number.

Another scam is to replace worn hands and crowns with replacement parts – these watches are then market as genuine. The best way to counter this is to do your homework and study watches that you know are authentic and match any pieces that you are interest in acquiring against these pictures. A great place to do this research is online in various collectors forums – there is just so much information that is freely available.

Replacing worn and damaged parts with authentic parts – this although quite acceptable does reduce the value of the timepiece and you can spot it by looking at color variations in the moving parts.

Watch out for marketing copy that describes the piece as quality when it is not , always look for evidence to back up these claims. Words to watch out for are “mint” , ” 100% genuine” etc.

Examine the watch carefully for signs of wear and tear that have been covered up , look out for signs of excessive polishing which may indicate that the watch has not been looked after. A timepiece that has been neglected will not have had regular services – every 3-5 years for a mechanical watch. The signs of neglect are usually visible to the naked eye and these should be avoided.

Examine the dial carefully , any signs of indentations indicate that not genuine screws have been used in the movement. Study the dial for any signs of corrosion or flakes this could indicate that the watch has been in a humid environment , exposed to water or just not serviced regularly – all things you want to avoid in a collectible watch.

When looking for a watch try and do the following ,

There are many collectors and experts online and offline who are more than happy to share their knowledge , do some research and study the watches you are keen on – this will help you to more accurately evaluate their value.

Look for scratches , signs of rust and corrosion and avoid these watches like the plague – these are all classic symptoms of a poor service history. Always ask the seller for a full service history – if he doesn’t have one pass on that particular piece.