Antique Chinese Pocket Watch

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal antique Chinese pocket watch for your home. An antique Chinese pocket watch — often made from ceramic, brass and metal — can elevate any home. Your living room may not be complete without an antique Chinese pocket watch — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. Each antique Chinese pocket watch bearing Victorian hallmarks is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made antique Chinese pocket watch over the years, but those crafted by Jacob Petit are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

Prices for an antique Chinese pocket watch can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $345 and can go as high as $27,060, while the average can fetch as much as $1,245.

Can you pull off a vintage pocket watch? Of course you can. With a suit and a waistcoat, a pocket watch can be a refreshing alternative to a wristwatch.

The earliest pocket watches were luxury items, and, owing to cost, they weren’t commonplace until the 19th century. Artfully crafted pocket watches were a symbol of wealth, and manufacturers such as Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe became known for theirs. (Today, they’re among the most sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.)

At the onset, pocket watches resembled small round table clocks, and pulling your small round table clock — perhaps of the silver variety — out of your breast pocket in front of someone else demonstrated unequivocally that you cared about punctuality. For collectors, pocket watches are big, and that means a larger canvas provided for functions without crowding the dial. For example, the Marius Lecoultre pocket watch — made circa 1890 — does everything but uncork your wine.

In the late 1800s, the open-face pocket watch became a staple on the American railroad. It was a requirement for railway workers to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule. This was a boon to the watchmaking industry, with companies like Hamilton, the Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company producing high-grade and workingman’s watches.

By the 1930s, wristwatches comprised the bulk of watch manufacturing in America, superseding the pocket watch. Suddenly, if you wanted to know the time, you merely glanced at your wrist. But given their vintage charm and our general appetite for good design, pocket watches are a piece of statement-making jewelry and today can prove complementary to your formal attire in a manner that is stylish and unconventional.

Let time take its course — browse a vast selection of antique and vintage pocket watches available on 1stDibs designed by legendary brands such as IWC, Cartier and more.