New in Pocket Watches
18th Century British Antique New in Pocket Watches
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
19th Century Swiss Antique New in Pocket Watches
18k Gold, Rose Gold
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique New in Pocket Watches
Diamond, Enamel, 18k Gold
19th Century American Antique New in Pocket Watches
Diamond, Enamel, Gold
1930s Swiss Vintage New in Pocket Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau New in Pocket Watches
Silver
1880s American Antique New in Pocket Watches
14k Gold
Early 20th Century American New in Pocket Watches
14k Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque New in Pocket Watches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Swiss New in Pocket Watches
Silver, Enamel
20th Century New in Pocket Watches
Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage New in Pocket Watches
Platinum
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique New in Pocket Watches
Diamond, Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century Unknown Renaissance Antique New in Pocket Watches
Pearl, Enamel
19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique New in Pocket Watches
Gold, Enamel
Antique and Vintage Pocket Watches for Sale on 1stDibs
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.