Dr. Jon
08-26-2005, 11:38 PM
On this board there are no dumb questions about watches.
We do not do values here, so we can not directly tell how much ti insurance to carry and we need more information to start estimating whether this is worth doing.
First are there any other marks on it? Hall marks for gold are small and you have to look carefully. If the case is gold there is a good chance its worth insuring. If it is gold there will almost certainly be some markings on it saying this.
Some movements (The works) have high value/desirability. For us to assess this we will need photos.
Lastly insurance itself is a complicated topic. Replacement value implies that yo can replace it or that it can be appraised. It is very hard to get good appraisals in old watches. Last time I tried I went to the most prestigious jeweler in the town where I lived and after looking at it he just asked me what to write!!
Unless you are a dealer or are involved in the immediate purchase or sale of a watch, its value is hard to establish well enough to have a solid insurance claim. I insure watches when I ship them or have them shipped but I do not insure individual pieces at home. I keep almost all of them in safe deposit boxes.
To estimate value or identify the maker most of use start with the Complete Price Guide to Watches Engle and Gilbert or "Shugart" as we usally refer to it. many public Libraries have it. You should be able to find something that looks like your watch in there.
Better yet take some pictures. One way to do this, if the back of the watch comes off (snap off or screw) put it on a scanner and send us scans of the movement, dial and case marks.
We do not do values here, so we can not directly tell how much ti insurance to carry and we need more information to start estimating whether this is worth doing.
First are there any other marks on it? Hall marks for gold are small and you have to look carefully. If the case is gold there is a good chance its worth insuring. If it is gold there will almost certainly be some markings on it saying this.
Some movements (The works) have high value/desirability. For us to assess this we will need photos.
Lastly insurance itself is a complicated topic. Replacement value implies that yo can replace it or that it can be appraised. It is very hard to get good appraisals in old watches. Last time I tried I went to the most prestigious jeweler in the town where I lived and after looking at it he just asked me what to write!!
Unless you are a dealer or are involved in the immediate purchase or sale of a watch, its value is hard to establish well enough to have a solid insurance claim. I insure watches when I ship them or have them shipped but I do not insure individual pieces at home. I keep almost all of them in safe deposit boxes.
To estimate value or identify the maker most of use start with the Complete Price Guide to Watches Engle and Gilbert or "Shugart" as we usally refer to it. many public Libraries have it. You should be able to find something that looks like your watch in there.
Better yet take some pictures. One way to do this, if the back of the watch comes off (snap off or screw) put it on a scanner and send us scans of the movement, dial and case marks.