Sorry if this is an old saw, but how old does a watch have to be before it is considered to be "vintage"? Pre-quartz? Pre-1970? Or what? Is there a hard and fast definition?

 

damn I'm getting old..

 

I think even hardcore collectors might object to any patina on them. A restoration/refinish might be justified in this case

 

Would you consider a Rolex 16800 as a vintage? It's from the 80s

 

A watch becomes vintage when its value starts to rise.

 

Possible exception to the 90's rule: an 861 Speedmaster with tritium dial and hands? I'm asking, not telling..........

 

Because of the old rules relating to vehicle excise duty and exemptions from the same, vintage (in the UK) always referred to something more than 25 years old.

 

I think it's 100 years

"1.2 What is the law covering imports of antiques
Customs Duty antiques of an age exceeding 100 years which are classified under heading 97.06 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN) of the European Communities may be imported free of customs duty. The CN is the legal instrument under which customs duties are charged in the UK. The CN is included in the Schedule of HMRC Integrated Tariff of the UK which is referred to in this notice by its short title ‘Tariff’.

Excise Duty goods (other than spirits and wine) that are proved to our satisfaction to have been manufactured or produced more than 100 years before the date of importation are relieved from excise duty under section 9 of the Customs and Excise Duties (General Reliefs) Act 1979."

 

"Vintage" Is an attribute that defines the qualities and value of an object worn or produced at least twenty years before the present moment, and which can also be referred to past centuries without necessarily being circumscribed in the twentieth century. Objects defined "vintage" are considered objects of worship for various reasons, including the superior qualities when compared to other earlier or later productions of the same artifact or for reasons related to culture or costume. (Wikipedia)

In my personal opinion "vintage" is pre-1970, but the real golden age ends in the 50s.with some exceptions in the 60s

 

I thought it was when a watch that does not look new is placed on eBay.

 

That's antique. In this context, the reference is to excise duty (importation), not vehicle excise. Vehicle excise was set at 25 years up until (from memory) 1987, at which point it was amended to apply only to vehicles produced before 1973. More recently, it has been re-implemented to apply to vehicles more than 40 years old on a rolling basis.

So, 25 or 40 years are both acceptable answers if you're looking for a hard and fast figure.

 

Ok. I guess law isn't my thing. So.. how old do watches have to be to have 0 import tax?

 

That's an antique, which I agree is 100+ years old.

Vintage isn't the same a suit antique

 

that makes a lot of watches very very Rare than

 

VINTAGE OR ANTIQUE

This is a 1965 VINTAGE Omega watch... sitting on some 1964 VINTAGE Beatles autographs... sitting on some 1857 ANTIQUE English comic books.

 

If this can be extrapolated to men than this is bad news for me because my value decreases with age. Rather be considered vintage than old!