In-Depth: The HODINKEE Guide To Buying Watches On ...

Inscriptions can provide other interesting information. A few years ago, I sent an eBay listing of a black dial Heuer Carrera to Ben, knowing he was interested in getting one. The watch had a 1963 date engraved on the case back. I knew it was an early Carrera because it lacked a “T” above the SWISS on the hour registers and had other indicators. Ben ended up winning the Carrera, which happens to have the earliest known serial number for the model. This, along with original 1963 print advertisements I found, helped prove that the Carrera was introduced in 1963, not 1964 as many thought. This story was even mentioned in Jack Heuer’s autobiography.

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Keep an eye on the bracelet or strap, and buckle.

Whenever I see a vintage watch on an expandable vintage bracelet, it sells for far less than it should. Maybe people have bad memories of these bracelets pinching their wrists and arm hair. However, when I see those bracelets, I am usually happy because often the watches are unpolished and original. That was the case with the aforementioned Heuer Carrera – it came on a junky bracelet that was not original. The watch looks and wears much better on a strap.

You might also find a watch on its original strap with the original buckle. This can tell you a lot about the originality of the piece. Original buckles can be worth hundreds of dollars depending on the brand and type, so finding one can be a big plus.

You can’t wear a box and papers.

Although having a box and original papers is nice, you can’t wear them. In my opinion, it’s better to buy an original and good watch than a piece in mediocre condition with the original box and papers. Not only can the papers be fake, but sellers will also buy original boxes and papers separately to match with the watch. This is not unethical as long as it is disclosed and can be a sort of arbitrage opportunity but is something to keep in mind.

Are you going to spend four or five figures more on a watch because it has the box and papers that may not be authentic? It’s something to consider and, from a collecting point of view, can be justified depending on the watch.

One concerning thing I often notice with watches that have original boxes and papers is that they are heavily polished. If the owner was obsessive enough to keep them, they were usually obsessive enough to have the watch serviced every three years. Polishing the case or reluming the dial and hands was common practice during servicing. You can also see that the inside of the case backs of these watches has tons of service marks. It’s a double-edged sword—while it’s nice to have a watch that has been kept up mechanically, the associated polishing and other work on the case and dial can be detrimental.

Exercise caution with certain brands on eBay.

Some brands are better than others to buy on eBay. As a picky collector, I see very few vintage Rolexes worth buying. Many vintage Submariners, for instance, have heavily polished cases, replacement dials, or other problems. Be careful with Rolex papers. Some sellers buy Rolexes with one account, create fake papers, and sell them from another account. Very few vintage sport Rolexes are unpolished, and even fewer come with the original box and papers.

Flags were raised when people saw that every Rolex offered by certain sellers came with original papers. After some investigation, it was revealed that other accounts (likely associated with the sellers) were buying watches, vintage paper, and typewriters. When a friend visited a particular seller’s home, he found it packed with vintage typewriters and old paper.

Factor in the cost of service.

Vintage mechanical watches require service every few years to work their best and avoid damaging the parts without proper lubrication. It’s good advice to consider the cost of servicing when you get the watch and to have access to a good watchmaker. Behind every great watch collector is a great watchmaker.

As iron sharpens iron, watch collectors sharpen watch collectors.

No good watch collector is an island. Learning from others and developing friendships enriches the watch-collecting experience. It might start on a forum or Instagram with a few messages exchanged. Soon, you may become Facebook friends and then start texting. Developing friendships with others with similar interests can be extremely helpful. These friends can offer realistic checks before buying a watch and act as great resources for learning more.

Focus on eBay auctions rather than Buy It Now listings.

I usually avoid Buy It Now listings when looking for watches because they are generally overpriced. I prefer “barn finds” – watches that may come from an estate. I like buying from someone with a random assortment of stuff rather than a seller who specializes in watches because of originality.

Sellers with random stuff are either cleaning out an estate or are estate pickers who may have some idea about watches but are not experts. These estate-find pieces are often original. eBay allows you to filter for auctions or Buy It Now listings at the top of search results.

Some Buy It Now deals can be incredible.

The most incredible Buy It Now deals are usually snatched up shortly after listing, often in less than 60 seconds. I swear over 100 people are refreshing Rolex Buy It Now searches every second, hoping an unknowing person will list a Rolex Milsub for $5,000. I know people who do it all day with every brand from Heuer to Universal Geneve, and sometimes they get lucky.

There have been unwitting people who listed rare watches with a Buy It Now price far below their value. However, the longer a Buy It Now listing stays up, the lower the odds of finding a good deal, unless you’re bargaining via the Best Offer function.

Check if the watch has been relisted.

If it has been relisted, there probably is a good reason it did not sell. Perhaps it has a refinished dial, the movement is missing pieces or in bad shape, or it is simply overpriced. I’m not saying you shouldn’t bid, especially if the seller has been reducing the price each time it’s relisted, but exercise caution. If no one else is bidding, are you missing something?

Examine the seller’s feedback.

If the seller has many negative reviews and a rating far below 100%, it may be best to avoid them. Is it a seller with a "0" rating or an account recently opened with numerous low-value transactions? Those are causes for concern.

I read about someone buying a watch from a seller with a "115" rating, which turned out to be a scam. The past transactions were all low-value items like feminine products, clearly faked to build feedback for a higher-level scam sale of an expensive watch.

When examining a seller, I like to see a mix of items for sale, suggesting they are listing things from an estate, and a history of positive feedback over many years. This feedback doesn’t need to be tons of transactions, sporadic feedback can be realistic for an average eBay user.

Look at the bidding history.

Shill bidding is a problem, so be aware of the signs. Are there many bids back and forth between two low- or no-feedback accounts? This is usually an attempt to drive up the price and should raise concerns about the seller and the watch.

Avoid off-eBay deals.

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Whenever someone lists a nice watch on eBay, they get flooded with messages asking if they would accept a lowball offer or if they would remove the listing and do the transaction off-eBay under the guise of saving eBay fees. This is dangerous because the offers are usually far less than the watch would get if the auction ran its full course. Also, there are many scammers out there. If you do the transaction off eBay, you lose the protection eBay offers.

When I see a watch I want, I message the seller, imploring them not to accept any off-eBay deals because the price will likely be lower than if the auction ran its course.

eBay favors buyers.

Over the past few years, eBay has become much more buyer-friendly. Sellers can now only leave positive feedback for buyers, and eBay works to refund purchases that do not arrive. It’s important to review a seller’s return policies. It’s preferable to have a seller willing to take the item back for a refund within a certain time frame.

Honestly, I’ve had such good luck with eBay that I’ve only needed to request their help once when some rare vintage watch tools never arrived from a South American country. I bought the item, the seller shipped it, and provided a tracking number. After a month, the item had not arrived, so I checked the country’s postal service site and saw it was delivered within the country. The seller initially responded to my queries, then stopped. It became clear it was a scam – the seller had likely shipped it to another address in the country, hoping I wouldn't notice until the refund period expired. Keep this in mind when buying items online.

As a food stylist and a hungry person, I have considerable experience buying cutlery. Whether you're looking for food photography props or a flatware set that will last for generations, I have all the tips you need for finding second-hand silverware.

Where to Find Second-Hand Cutlery

Etsy is a popular online market for artists and vintage sellers. It's also a B Corp, meaning a third-party holds them to high social and environmental standards. All second-hand items on Etsy are at least 20 years old and usually in good condition, making them more expensive than items at second-hand stores or garage sales. However, there's a huge selection on Etsy, so you might find a great deal.

Food52, known for publishing and collecting recipes, also has an online vintage shop. This shop carries high-quality vintage pieces, which can be pricey. If you want cutlery for food styling, entertaining, or interior design, this is the place for you. However, for an everyday flatware set, stick to other seller options.

Second-hand stores

Second-hand stores are obvious places to buy second-hand goods. They are my favorite places to buy utensils because I can evaluate the pieces' quality and test their comfort. To find second-hand stores near you, search online or ask around.

Some second-hand stores only accept vintage items, while others accept newer used items. Vintage items are often pricier but may be of higher quality. More modern items are often less expensive but could be low-quality. Most shops specify on their websites or social media whether they are strictly vintage retailers.

Garage and Estate Sales

I've found some of my favorite food styling pieces at garage and estate sales. These sales are perfect if you are on a tight budget and often have larger flatware sets than Etsy or Food52. Depending on the sale, you might even find some high-quality vintage pieces. To find garage sales near you, walk through a neighborhood on a sunny weekend morning – you're bound to find one!

Which Cutlery to Buy

Go for Stainless Steel, Ideally 18/10

Stainless steel is the most durable and safest cutlery material. It's heat-, cold-, and water-resistant, won't bend or snap, and isn't linked to any negative health effects.

Manufacturers label stainless steel according to the amounts of chromium and nickel it contains. Common grades include 18/10 (18% chromium and 10% nickel), 18/8 (18% chromium and 8% nickel), and 18/0 (18% chromium and 0% nickel).

Higher percentages of nickel make the stainless steel more resistant to corrosion, so most experts recommend buying 18/10 stainless steel. When buying second-hand, look for these ratios etched into the side of the flatware. If you can’t find the ratio, ask the seller if they know the stainless steel’s grade.

Go for Single Materials

Stick to cutlery made entirely of stainless steel rather than pieces with wooden or plastic handles or other mixed-material decorative touches. Mixed material cutlery doesn't last. Wood warps from dishwasher trips, and plastic breaks off. Mixed materials look great in food photography but aren't practical for everyday use.

Be Wary of Colored Metals

Manufacturers create rose-gold, black, and other metal colors through electroplating or physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating. Both processes wear down over time. These colors are great for food photography but not for eating dinner. If you want your silverware to last, skip the trendy colors.

Test the Balance

Weight distribution is important for comfort and practicality. If I'm putting a knife or fork on my plate, I want it to stay there without toppling over.

If you're at a second-hand shop or garage sale, test flatware's balance by picking it up and seeing if it feels comfortable. Try to balance it horizontally on one finger to find its center of balance. Ideally, the center should be in the middle of the utensil.

If you're shopping online, ask the seller if the pieces are top-heavy or bottom-heavy. They'll likely be happy to answer!

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How do you shop for second-hand cutlery? Tell me all about it in the comments!