Gary G
3734
A spendid topic!
I think that I am already on the record as an advocate for "authenticity" and integrity/coherence as critical determinants of value (and appeal to yours truly).
That said, the question of what will be seen as valuable in 30 years' time is a bit trickier! I won't try to decompose the issue into an intellectual argument (for once) but will assert my view that the following will be seen as valuable:
1. Anything by Dufour -- both for its inherent quality and for his role in creating independent horology
2. Most Voutilainen pieces -- particularly the Observatoire and the decimal repeaters, although who knows what else he will come up with 
3. The Vianney Halter Antiqua, as a seminal watch that created contemporary horology
4. The "best" of the Greubel Forsey pieces, for their purity and lights-out quality of construction
5. "Characteristic" pieces from major makers (e.g., the original Lange Dato, the JLC Gyrotourbillon, PP 5013) that both stand on their own and represent the very best of their creators. I should probably also mention pieces like the VC skeleton repeater and perhaps the FPJ dead seconds tourb (maybe or maybe not the Resonance, which to me is a poor man's Duality, but that's a topic for another thread!).
Now that I've annoyed all of the Resonance owners, perhaps time to sign off for now...
Best,
Gary G
Future Vintage
Lately I have been thinking about which watches that are being produced today and in the last 10 years will be sought after 30 years from now, sold for high prices at auctions, and stand the test of time. With so many watches being produced each year I th...
It is difficult to imagine....
...any time in the past 50 years, and in the next hundred years, when people who appreciate fine watchmaking would not have sought out, or will not seek out, and admire the work of Dufour, Voutilainen and their ilk. Cheers, pplater.
I agree, I think classic styles will always endure.
What is your opinion on RM, Uwerk, MB&F, etc? Will they still be popular and well thought of or will people be wondering why the hell we were buying these watches and what the watchmaker was smoking when he/she came up with these designs? Stewart
One possible factor I did not consider
with more modern designs is this: Modern innovative designs are popular to some because they are new, different, and deviate from the status quo. In thirty years there will be watchmakers continuing to push the envelope with new ideas and interpretations ...
That is an astute point Doc
I hadn't thought of that--and I would bet you are dead right. These kind of wild, 'out there' watches are desirable because of how crazy they are, compared to now, not necessarily compared to what will be '30 years ago'... (if that makes sense!) Good poin...
...not so sure..
Look at the prices many beautifully engraved English pocket watches go for. These were examples of haute horlogerie with hand engraved balance wheel covers, screwed chatons, enamel dials. Amazing hand craft but not very desirable to the majority of collec...
Very difficutl to say / guess...
I would see two categories: 1/ Timeless watches, which will, by definition, always " travel well in time ". 2/ Innovative watches, such as the Freak, for example. Best, Nicolas.
I see several somewhat mutually exclusive factors influencing this ...
The first is trends and what is in fashion at the time. Pocket watches and small vintage wrist watches are less in demand at the moment, for example, and so larger vintage pieces that were considered atypical in their day are more acceptable now. The seco...
Another insightful point Andrew
Who knows what level of skill/availability of watchmakers will be around in 30 years...? And that factor could inform whether you want to risk owning a piece that perhaps could not be serviced, or that could only be serviced by a few watchmakers on the pl...
Multiple factors come in play ...
My cents: 1) It depends, strongly, on the future parts availability. Rolex "bubble back" had a strong push, years back, until the owners faced parts challenge. Today, at least where I live, a "bubble back" does not receive any attention. I just wonder if ...
My thoughts
I never trust the auctions--the results are too often fabricated, the brands buy their own watches, etc. Or various sellers in conspiracy with each other make sure certain brands stay on top--to insure that their careers selling these brands or models sta...
Thanks for the input, Mostel.
Based on some of the responses to the posed question I want to clarify a few things. One, as ztirual says, collect what you like. I was not asking an opinion on what I should buy or that we should buy certain watches that will be worth alot in the future....
Collect what you like
If what you buy is of very good quality (lest's keep it that vague, and note that this is not an objective factor) and in very good condition (a pre-requisite!), then there is a chance for what you have loved (that's already something) will be appreciated...
I thought Patek would get mentioned a lot.
Vintage PP are extremely popular now, so I would expect today's PP will be popular in the future. I imagine the same will be true for Rolex. Good choices. Stewart
I can give you a few examples
Not popular Rolex models during their time. Milgauss only appealed to lab technicians, scientists , not popular and discontinued for many years. Explorer 1655 ( Steve McQueen ) and the Rolex Daytona in the 70's . These now fetch high prices due to their r...
Just wanted to add
Brands like MB and F and Urwerk and others may never be classics... but I was thinking... why would they want to be? Isn't their reason to exist a whole other thing? Would I make a car with 5 and a half tires hoping it would be a classic? Would that be my...
Art and watches
Hi Mostel, I like your analogy of watches and art. In the Art world, the classics, modern and contemporary coexist beautifully and are sought by Art collectors worldwide. Contemporary art sold at auctions and from commercial art galleries fetches very hig...
Thanks dreamer,
Again, this is just fun speculation, not investment advice on what to buy that will be worth alot in the future. You should definitely buy what you like, unless you are going to keep your watches factory sealed in a safe, then it doesn't matter. I want to...
A spendid topic!
I think that I am already on the record as an advocate for "authenticity" and integrity/coherence as critical determinants of value (and appeal to yours truly). That said, the question of what will be seen as valuable in 30 years' time is a bit trickier! ...
I agree with you Gary that the independent brands
will be popular in the future. One, there aren't as many of their pieces produced. Two, when these watchmakers have passed away, their watches will become that much more valuable. My favorite independent is Roger Smith, unfortunately I don't think I can't...