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Pre-Owned & Vintage Timepieces
Warmth only age can give

Gold vintage watches.

Gold suits a vintage watch like nothing else. Whether solid, plated or gold-tone, the warmth of a gold case against a patinated dial is the definitive vintage look, and decades of gentle wear give these pieces a softness that new gold simply does not have. This collection gathers our gold and gold-plated watches: dress pieces, cocktail watches and everyday classics from Swiss and Japanese houses.

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Understanding vintage gold watches

Most vintage gold watches are gold-plated or rolled gold rather than solid, and that is no drawback: plating techniques of the 1960s and 1970s were substantial, often 10 or 20 microns thick, and well-kept examples still present beautifully today. It is what made a gold watch attainable then, and it is what keeps them affordable now.

Each listing describes the case material and its condition honestly, including any wear to the plating, photographed rather than airbrushed. With gold watches especially, buying from clear photographs and honest descriptions matters.

Rolled gold, gold-plate and vermeil explained

Vintage gold watches use several techniques worth knowing. Gold plating deposits a thin layer electrically, and the vintage standard of 10 or 20 microns is many times thicker than modern flash plating. Rolled gold bonds an actual sheet of gold to the base metal and wears even better. Vermeil is gold over sterling silver, common on finer ladies' pieces. Case backs are usually stainless steel, which is why a fifty-year-old gold-plated watch so often still looks right.

Solid gold pieces carry hallmarks, usually inside the case back or on a lug, and we state them explicitly whenever present. If a listing does not mention a hallmark, assume plated: that honesty is the whole basis of buying vintage well.

Styling a gold watch now

Gold watches spent two decades out of fashion, which kept prices low precisely while menswear and womenswear came back around to warm metals. A slim gold dress watch on leather is the classic move; a gold bracelet piece worn with other jewellery is the current one. Champagne dials, textured casework and two-tone bracelets, all well represented in this collection, are exactly what the vintage-styling revival is built on.

Further reading
Buying guide · 8 min readThe best vintage Raymond Weil watches to buyOne of the last independent Swiss watch families, and one of the last genuine bargains in Swiss dress watches. Which collections to buy and what each is worth.Buying guide · 8 min readThe best vintage Gucci watches to buyWhich vintage Gucci references are worth owning, what each typically costs, and the one condition problem that decides whether a Gucci is a good buy.History · 7 min readGucci watches: the Swiss story behind a Florentine houseGucci is a fashion house, so its watches are often dismissed as accessories. The Swiss company that actually made them for thirty years tells a different story.

Frequently asked questions

Is a gold-plated vintage watch worth buying?

Yes. Vintage plating was often far thicker than modern equivalents, and a well-preserved gold-plated watch offers the classic look at a fraction of solid gold prices. We describe the condition of the plating on every piece.

How do I care for a gold-plated watch?

Keep it dry, wipe it with a soft cloth after wear, and avoid abrasive polishing, which removes plating rather than restoring it. Treated gently, vintage plating that has survived fifty years will survive many more.

Do you sell solid gold watches?

Occasionally. When a piece is solid gold the listing says so explicitly, with hallmark details where present. If a listing says gold-plated or gold-tone, that is exactly what it is: we never blur the distinction.

Looking for something specific? We're happy to help you find it.

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