I signori del tempo and the value of the second wrist watch

Where does the passion for watches come from?

I have always liked to "look far", to go beyond the present to try to see things in perspective by interpreting the future.

My passion for watches was already present in 1979 when, little more than a teenager, I bought used watches (what we now call vintage but at the time were simply old watches) I did an overhaul, I polished them, I arranged them with care, attention and a lot of patience. and then I resold them.

I was one of the first to apply and teach the techniques to "refurbish" used watches, only to realize that we were actually doing some damage.

At the time, the techniques for fixing used watches aimed at fixing and polishing to remove scratches and defects of the time.

"Today the philosophy has changed and I myself am one of the supporters of the used watch that maintains its characteristics, which is respected and not distorted, because it must not be refurbished but rather keep the signs of aging that tell its history and his experience. "

How did collecting and the culture of the second wrist watch come about?

The culture of the vintage watch coincides with that of the collector's watch. Fifty years ago, collectors were the people who were essentially interested in pocket watches and the collections of important and particular watches were really the exception. There was no collectible watch culture as we understand it today. The used watch was simply an old used watch.

Milan was the cradle as well as the world capital of the clock, followed by Naples and Palermo ... cities like London, New York, Paris couldn't stand comparison. In Milan there were the most beautiful watches because in the 70s and 80s the dream of people was to be well dressed and with beautiful watches on their wrists.

Collecting as we understand it today was born thanks to the Swatches.

Many people became passionate about the exchange that was done "a bit for fun" with plastic, colored, collectible Swatches .... on the wave of the ingenious strategy implemented by the brand. And there were many people willing to exchange any watch, even historical and valuable, to get hold of a Swatch!

Then the taste was refined, people learned to understand how to move and how to behave in the field of collecting. Also because we do not forget that a fundamental prerequisite of collectible products is the ability to maintain their characteristics unaltered over time ... characteristics that the period watch, whether vintage or modern, fully possesses.

Finally a curiosity. The term "second wrist" was born some time ago from the intuition of Maurizio Desideri who rightly asked himself "why define used watches 'second hand' when they are worn on the wrist? Let's call them "second wrist watches"!

For several years the watch market has gotten out of hand by professionals and has become a world crowded with improvised suppliers, completely devoid of professionalism and knowledge, attracted by the possibility of obtaining easy earnings.

Fortunately, in recent years the watch market is returning to the hands of serious and competent professionals.

Dealing with vintage watches, or in any case recent second-wrist watches, requires in-depth and multifaceted knowledge; understanding if a watch is a fake, if it is no longer contemporary or if the components are original is increasingly complex.

Today the problem is the fakes that are really scary. Not only are there watches with non-original pieces, but they run "complete fakes" in the sense that the watch, the box, the guarantee and the dealer's letter are fake. The object must be open, analyzed in every detail and verified even in the smallest details and it is not possible to do it in a professional and competent way if you do not know your profession very well.

In fact, dealing with used vehicles means knowing many brands and many models for each brand, the individual components and a number of details that require relevant professionalism.

Is the second wrist only interesting for collectors?
The second wrist watch has value both for collectors and for many people who approach the watch used to make an investment. There are in fact watches that have had incredible increases in value.

In 1991 I found a note in an old wallet that reported traces of the exchange made with a friend in which I bought an "old watch" for a modest amount ... the current value of that object clearly demonstrates how much the purchase of a watch was the best possible investment, without comparison with a bank deposit or a good part of financial assets.

They are also perfect as a gift because it is a precious thing, a symbol of value, it marks the time and says who you are, it satisfies you, you can flaunt it, it is a status symbol ... if you are a sportsman you can easily wear two, one technical and one a traditional one.

Many people choose second-hand watches precisely to give a value that is not lost over time. Distrust in banks, stock market fluctuations, cryptocurrencies,… have made people get closer to something real, concrete, solid, that can be handed down and left to subsequent generations.

The second wrist has a great added value because buying it means buying the real economic value of the object: the market decides the price, at that price it is purchased and the value is maintained over time (or much more often, the value grows over the years. ).

The watch has only the advantages and the purchase in a reliable, professional shop, which guarantees the origin of the product and defines the price on the real market value of the product: this is the real guarantee!

The optimal condition for watches is that they are worn or in any case charged with a certain periodicity, which is obviously not easy for collectors who usually own many watches. Keeping a watch stationary for long periods has a number of implications, starting with the lubricating oil which becomes pasty and therefore struggles to facilitate the movement of the spring and mechanisms.

For this reason, maintenance and overhaul are recommended for watches that remain stationary for a very long time. It was on the occasion of these interventions that I gave Theca the idea to produce very practical watch poches.

There are also watch winders boxes that are particularly suitable for those who own perpetuals.

If the watch remains in the bank box, it must be kept taking special precautions because it is in damp and cold places and you risk finding the watch damaged, with the oxidized mechanism or the moldy strap. The advice is to use a hermetically sealed container with the addition of an element that absorbs moisture. This storage method is also useful in case of water damage that an airtight container (not vacuum packed) can prevent.

Second-hand watches are precious and delicate objects: opening them and intervening on period mechanisms always generates a certain apprehension. For this reason they must be protected and preserved with special attention.

That's it. I believe that everything must be done with soul and passion: I love my job, I have been doing it for many years and always with the same enthusiasm, I am myself a collector of some truly exclusive watches to the point of being mentioned in must-have books in the sector.

The clock is a work of art and it is a pleasure to admire its details and learn about its history. Likewise, I appreciate the environment that has been created in my shop, the relationship of respect and trust that is created with the customer who becomes a friend. Because the gain is not only economic but it is also the opportunity to compare and relate to others, to work well and with pleasure, to know that people remember you.

My father always said that:

"smiles, availability and good manners are the things that cost less in life and make you earn more".