How we work

Specs and history

We checked everything on each watch page (calibers, case sizes, lume, years made and the stories behind them) against sources we could cite. Those include the makers’ own heritage pages, caliber databases, auction catalogs, collector references and the watch press. When we couldn’t confirm a detail, like an exact year or a case size, we left it out or wrote it loosely. Watches this old have running changes and exceptions, so use every page as a starting point and check the numbers on the watch itself.

No guessed prices

We don’t publish price ranges from memory. A price shows on a watch page only when it comes from a dated snapshot of that watch’s eBay listings (more below), and it always carries the date we checked. Asking prices aren’t selling prices. Before you make an offer, look at eBay’s sold listings (filter to “Sold items”) for the exact reference and base your offer on those.

Finding listings

Watches without a snapshot link to a plain eBay search for the exact model, kept to eBay’s Wristwatches category so straps, dials and spare parts stay out of the results.

Originality first

Vintage Swiss watches get redialed, relumed, re-cased and rebuilt from donor parts, and the more a reference is worth, the more often it happens. The checklist on each watch page covers its originality checks, starting with the caliber, and our guide to spotting a redial goes deeper. We want you to pay the right price for what a watch really is, and never overpay for a parts-bin build described as original.

Watch photos

The big photo on a watch page and its cards is a representative image, not a photo of any watch for sale. We make it with an AI image model from several real seller photos of that exact reference, then compare it with those photos before we publish. Every watch gets the same plain studio backdrop so they look consistent side by side.

So the photo shows what the reference looks like, not the condition of any one example. Dials, hands, bezel inserts, straps and wear vary from watch to watch, and some small details may be simplified. Judge originality and condition from the seller’s own photos, and ask for close-ups of the dial and the caseback before you buy. Wherever a representative photo appears large, it carries the caption “Representative photo, made by AI from real seller photos. Every listing differs.” Watches without one show no photo.

Market snapshots and picks

For each watch with a buying guide, we go through the matching eBay listings on one date. We record how many there are, the price range, where most asking prices sit, and a set of listings with their price, shipping, format, seller feedback and condition. The date sits next to the listings, and by the time you read it some will have sold or ended. The “See every listing on eBay” link always opens the live search. When a snapshot has listings, the watch’s typical price on the page comes from it. When nothing was listed, the figure is labeled an estimate.

Then we tag the listings worth a look. Cheapest is the lowest delivered price for a complete, running watch. Best value is a watch with some evidence it’s sound, at a below-typical price. Best for beginners and Easiest to get working go to watches that are serviced or shown running. Collector’s pick is a sought-after variant or year at a sane price, and Project piece is a cheap watch worth servicing. Two warning tags flag listings to approach with care. Check the seller means little or no feedback, and Priced high means well above the typical range with no clear reason. These are judgment calls from the listing text and photos. We haven’t handled the watches, and nobody pays for placement.

Independence

No affiliate links. We earn nothing (see the disclosure). We’re not paid by sellers and we’re not affiliated with any of the watchmakers we cover.