2,184 listings including promoted listings
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Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
18K GOLD POCKET WATCH WITH ENAMELLED CASE BACK
C$3,666
+ C$185 for shipping
Auction
Waltham
1888 Waltham Watch Co. Hunter Case Size 16S 15 Jewel
C$427
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Popular
Elgin
B&B Royal
C$391
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Hamilton Railroad
Montgomery Dial 10K Gold Filled Antique Pocket Watch Cal.922 Adjusted 6Position
C$661
+ C$112 for shipping
Waltham
Hunting case pocket watch with 42 mm case gold filled marked Cashier with floral pattern Manual movement is grade Seaside
C$1,209
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Promoted
Omega Pocket Watch
1919 Omega - 18K Pocket watch Gift from King of Saudi Arabia Ibn Saud
C$11,373
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Popular
Audemars Piguet
Skeleton
C$39,598
+ C$142 for shipping
Rolex Cellini
Tasca Pocket Watch
C$6,217
+ C$145 for shipping
Omega
Taschenuhr
C$791
+ C$95 for shipping
Rolex Prince
Sporting Princess Chronometre Pocket Watch Art Deco
C$22,968
Free shipping
IWC
VINTAGE IWC 18k Yellow Gold White Arabic 51mm 96.1gr Pocket Watch BOX
C$5,677
+ C$1,066 for shipping
Promoted
Labrador Pocket Watch
C$35,546
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Elgin
elgin
C$284
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Hampden 14K Gold-Filled 25Year Warranty Fancy Savonette Porcelain Dial Hunter Antique Pocket Watch
C$562
+ C$112 for shipping
Longines
Pocket Watch
C$710
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Audemars Piguet
Grande Complication Pocket Watch Platinum with Enamel Dial and Platinum Chain
C$280,743
+ C$213 for shipping
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
Hunting cased 18ct Gold Beyer double signed pocket watch
C$12,303
Free shipping
Promoted
Lip
18 kt Gold Pocket Chronograph tachymeter - kilometer scale stopwatch
C$5,972
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Popular
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
18K PINK GOLD POCKET WATCH WITH ENAMEL DIAL
C$5,499
+ C$185 for shipping
Auction
Omega Pocket Watch
19-Ligne Pocket Watch
C$1,386
+ C$55 for shipping
Longines
Pocket Watch cal.428
C$321
+ C$76 for shipping
Hamilton Railroad
Grade 991 (Very Rare)
C$2,417
+ C$284 for shipping
Audemars Freres Exceptional Audemars Freres 14K Gold Enamel Pocket Watch
C$1,408
+ C$213 for shipping
Promoted
A. Lange & Söhne
Marine Uhr
C$8,074
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Cyma
British WWII Military Officers G.S.T.P. Pocket Watch Swiss Made
C$491
+ C$112 for shipping
IWC
schaffhausen 800 silver open face
C$1,280
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
Rose Gold Pocket Watch Ref. 706/1r
C$13,507
+ C$112 for shipping
Elgin
Hunting Pocket Watch Vintage C. 1910 Gold Porcelain Enamel Single-Sunk Dial 44.5mm
C$6,960
+ C$128 for shipping
Vacheron Constantin
4060 Keyless Open Face Pocket Watch Lever Dress Watch Art Deco 18k Yellow Gold
C$6,398
Free shipping
Promoted
Cartier
Rare King George VI Gold Five Pound Coin Watch. C1937
C$114,044
Free shipping

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Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
600 Gold Pocket Watch 1940s Calatrava vintage antique
C$10,173
+ C$484 for shipping
Patek Hunting Case Pocketwatch Retailed by Shreve Stanwood & Co. Boston Size 40mm
C$5,403
+ C$178 for shipping
Patek Philippe Gondolo
Chronometro Gondolo
C$12,303
+ C$160 for shipping
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
Yellow Gold Pocket Watch Minute Repeater Circa 1905
C$39,812
+ C$112 for shipping
Waltham
Crescent St. Antique 14K Gold Waltham Crescent St. Pocketwatch
C$4,266
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Promoted
Jaeger-LeCoultre
A Rare $20 Gold Coin Watch C1971
C$25,553
Free shipping
Tissot
Art Deco Solid 0,800 Silver Gold Filled Pocket Watch
C$491
+ C$112 for shipping
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
Yellow Pocket Watch Ref 605j
C$12,086
+ C$112 for shipping
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
18K Yellow Gold Small Second 47mm Hand-wound Pocket Watch
C$9,423
+ C$169 for shipping
Waltham
Presidential Presentation Model 1862 18K Yellow Gold Pocket Watch
C$52,821
+ C$107 for shipping
Tissot
T-pocket Comes with original box and all manufacturer paperwork
C$394
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Promoted
IWC
Schaffhausen 14k arany zsebóra Nagyon különleges gyűjtői full szett.
C$24,060
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Seiko
9119-0030 Manual winding Good
C$891
+ C$99 for shipping
Chaton 14k Rose Vintage 16 Jewel Decorated Pocket Watch. Stunning. 148 Grams.
C$8,176
+ C$112 for shipping
Patek Philippe Minute Repeater
C$34,124
+ C$533 for shipping
Elgin
1905 G.M. Wheeler Hunter Case Pocket Watch - Inventory 7043
C$638
+ C$183 for shipping
English Goliath pocket watch
C$498
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Promoted
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
A Rare Gold Chronograph Date Pocket Watch C1868
C$26,027
Free shipping
PIERRE JACQUARD Electra 17 Jewels Hunter Case Pocket Watch Vintage Swiss Made
C$206
+ C$112 for shipping
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
Yellow Gold Open Face Pocket Watch ‘generalissimo’
C$54,030
+ C$112 for shipping
Junghans
J36 Open Face Pocket Alarm Watch Serviced
C$242
+ C$81 for shipping
Waltham
American Walthan W. Co. Pocket Watch
C$782
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Vacheron Constantin
Pocket Watch 18k
C$6,459
+ C$208 for shipping
Promoted
Boegli
The Nutcracker
C$6,856
Excl. shipping
Private Seller
Longines
Pocket watch Pt960 Hand Winding
C$2,182
+ C$109 for shipping
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch
Yellow Gold Perpetual Calendar Pocket Watch Ref. 725/2
C$92,420
+ C$112 for shipping
Zenith
Taschenuhr Pocket Watch Grand Prix Paris 1900 Gold
C$4,683
+ C$307 for shipping
IWC
Pocket Watch Turler 18 KT Vintage Box n Papers
C$3,270
Free shipping
Marine Time Observer London Chronometer Gold Filled Key Winding White Porcelain Dial Roman Numbers Made in UK
C$1,116
+ C$112 for shipping
Promoted
IWC
International Watch Company Rose Gold Keyless Lever Open Face Pocket Watch C1920's
C$7,098
Free shipping

Pocket Watches: The Gentleman's Timepiece

Pocket watches have a large fan base. The timepieces range from cheap vintage models to extremely rare collector's pieces. World-famous manufacturers such as Patek Philippe have produced the most extraordinary pocket watches.

Highlights

  • Large variety of vintage pocket watches
  • Prices ranging from a few hundred euros to millions
  • New models with mechanical or quartz calibers
  • A. Lange & Söhne pocket watches are especially sought after by collectors
  • Available with a chronograph function, perpetual calendar, or minute repeater

Pocket Watches for Men and Women

Pocket watches have been beloved for centuries, especially amongst collectors and watch enthusiasts. Wristwatches almost made the pocket watch completely obsolete in the 20th century. Wearing a watch on your wrist is simply more comfortable for most people. Originally, it was predominantly men who used pocket watches. In order to not lose the watch, it was secured with a chain. There was a spring ring or clip at the end of the chain, which you could attach to a buttonhole. Men usually carried their pocket watches in their vest pockets , though they kept them in their pants or jacket pockets as well. Women often attached their pocket watches to a chain and wore them as necklaces.

Manufacturers such as Tissot, Regent, or Dugena continue to produce affordable pocket watches. These are powered by mechanical or quartz movements. The number of pre-owned pocket watches available is much larger. The most highly sought-after models are vintage watches from the German manufacturer A. Lange & Söhne. Patek Philippe, one of the most renowned watch manufacturers in the world, is known for their especially intricate pocket watches. The Graves Supercomplication and Calibre 89 were the most intricate pocket watches for decades.

Buying Advice

If you're searching for a pocket watch, you have the choice between countless models. Prices range from a few hundred to a few million euros for very rare, intricate models. Apprentice watches are particularly special watches. They were made by watchmaking apprentices towards the end of one's apprenticeship, making them "journeyman's pieces." Watches from the 19th or first half of the 20th century are extremely coveted amongst collectors. Since there is only one of each watch, they're extremely scarce, and you should accordingly plan to spend at least 30,000 euros for such a rare piece.

A less expensive entry into the world of pocket watches would be a model from Regent, Dugena, or Tissot. Pre-owned Tissot pocket watches cost less than 500 euros, although their gold watches can cost around 2,500 euros. All three manufacturers currently offer pocket watches in their portfolios. You can also find pre-owned pocket watches from the Swiss manufacturer Omega at affordable prices, sometimes for less than 200 euros. However, gold models can cost up to 4,000 euros.

Pre-owned pocket watches from the International Watch Company (IWC) can be purchased for around 800 euros. Gold models, however, are available for 25,000 euros. The prices for vintage pocket watches from Patek Philippe start at around 3,500 euros. However, there are also models that cost nearly one million euros. The Graves Supercomplication , a special order pocket watch for the American banker Henry Graves, Jr., sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2014 for 23.2 million Swiss francs (CHF), making it one of the most expensive watches in the world. The Patek Philippe 89 is slightly less expensive, although it's still one of the most intricate pocket watches ever produced. In 2009, it sold for around $5 million at an Antiquorum auction.

The History of Pocket Watches

Pocket watches have been around since the 15th century. The invention of the spring drive made pocket watches possible, as it enabled the entire watch movement to be miniaturized. Before then, large grandfather clocks were powered by weights attached to chains which wound the movement. The oldest known watch with a spring drive dates back to 1430 . It features a fusee, which equalized the uneven pull of the mainspring. This watch belonged to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and is on display at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (Germanic National Museum) in Nuremberg.

Peter Henlein, a locksmith from Nuremburg, was one of the first to use a spring drive together with an escape mechanism in a wearable watch. He was able to get the watch down to pocket watch size using this construction, and the shape of the timepiece resembled a can . One of these models is on display at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremburg. The German town of Nuremberg was the center of watchmaking in the 15th century. Historians know it as the "Silicon Valley of the Middle Ages" due to the many inventions made in the town.

These can-shaped watches, which were most likely carried in bags, eventually developed into wearable watches fashioned onto chains. Since the first portable watches still weren't very accurate, they only had an hour hand. This changed in the mid-17th century when better escapement systems were developed, resulting in portable watches with both hour and minute hands.

The majority of older pocket watches are unsigned, as adding company names and logos wasn't common practice until the 19th century. Sometimes you're only able to tell the origin of a watch based on its construction, design, or decorations.

Pocket Watch Cases

In the 16th century, pocket watch cases were often spherical or box-shaped. Over time, the case developed into the common flat design we know today.

Pocket watches are classified as either Savonnette or Lépine, an important distinction. The Lépine version is named for the French watchmaker Jean-Antoine Lépine. In this construction, the seconds display, winding stem, and crown are all in line with each other. Lépine pocket watches have no spring cover, and thanks to their construction, they're especially flat. This makes them well suited as tailcoat watches. Savonnette watches, on the other hand, have a spring cover protecting the dial and watchglass which can be opened by a push-piece. The term "Savonnette" comes from French and means "little bar of soap." Savonnette pocket watches have the seconds display at six o'clock, and the crown is on the side at three o'clock. This construction makes it easier to hold and use: You can hold the pocket watch in your right hand and use your thumbs to operate the spring cover push-piece and read the time.

Pocket Watch Cases

  • Lépine: Crown, winding stem, seconds hand in line with the winding stem, no spring cover
  • Savonnette: Seconds display at six o'clock, crown on the side, spring cover for protection

Intricate Pocket Watches

Pocket watches can do much more than just show the time. The most intricate pocket watches come from the Swiss manufacturers Patek Philippe, Breguet, and Vacheron Constantin.

The Graves Supercomplication: 24 Complications

With a total of 24 complications, the Graves Supercomplication held the record for the most intricate pocket watch for decades. It features a perpetual calendar , double chronograph for timing intervals, and astronomical displays . The watch shows the normal time, sidereal time, the sunrise and sunset time, and the starry sky over New York City.

The Graves Supercomplication was custom made for the New York banker Henry Graves, Jr. , a passionate watch collector and Patek Philippe fan. The American car manufacturer James Ward Packard was also a lover of rare Patek Philippe watches. Both men commissioned many watches from Patek Philippe with the goal of beating one another in acquiring the most intricate timepiece. The competition ended with Henry Graves, Jr.'s Graves Supercomplication. Originally commissioned in 1925, the watch was finally completed seven years later in 1932. It took a further 12 months for the watch to reach Graves. Since Packard died in 1928, he was unable to commission any more pocket watches. Therefore, it remains a mystery whether Patek could have made an even more intricate watch than the Graves Supercomplication in the early 1930s.

Patek Philippe's Calibre 89 with 33 Complications

Patek Philippe's Calibre 89 overtook the Graves Supercomplication as the most intricate watch in 1989. With a total of 33 complications, the Calibre 89 set a new record. Among its complications are a double chronograph, perpetual calendar , a moon phase and age display, and a second time zone display . There are also many astronomical displays on the back side of the watch. The pocket watch also has acoustic complications such as a grand and petite sonnerie, a minute repeater, and an alarm function. Patek Philippe only produced four Calibre 89 pocket watches.

Vacheron Constantin's 57 Complications

In 2015, the Swiss manufacturer Vacheron Constantin set a new record. Their pocket watch, reference number 57260, has 57 complications. Vacheron Constantin produced this watch for a wealthy, anonymous customer. The watch features many calendars: a Gregorian perpetual calendar, a Hebrew perpetual calendar, an astronomical calendar function, and a professional business calendar based on the ISO 8601 standard.

A Royal Pocket Watch: Breguet Marie Antoinette

The Breguet pocket watch Grande Complication No. 1160 is, like its predecessor the No. 160, a rarity. An unknown admirer of Marie Antoinette commissioned the watch in 1783 when Breguet was the purveyor to the royal French court. Marie Antoinette was known to be a fan of Breguet. The watch was meant to showcase the watchmaking know-how of the time, and gold was used in lieu of other metals when possible. The automatic watch features a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and a power reserve display. It also displays the equation of time, the daily deviation between the true and mean solar times. The mean solar time is the time we use day in, day out. Breguet finished the watch in 1827, 44 years after it was commissioned. Marie Antoinette had already died 34 years earlier.

The No. 160 pocket watch was on display in a Jerusalem museum until 1983. It vanished without a trace and remained lost for 24 years, until it reappeared suddenly in 2007. Nicolas G. Hayek, the founder of the Swatch Group, commissioned Breguet to remake the No. 160 in 2004. Since the original was still missing at the time, the watchmakers had to reconstruct it using old drawings and reference documents.

Abraham-Louis Breguet was the founder of the manufacturer and is considered a genius master watchmaker. He is the inventor of the tourbillon, a complication which minimizes gravity-related deviations and ensures the watch runs precisely.