Vintage watches and watch keys appeal for the mechanical craftsmanship packed into such small spaces, with parts individually cut, finished and often engraved by hand at a time before mass production took over. Pocket watches from the 16th century up until the late 19th century needed a separate key to wind the mainspring and set the time, fitted through a hole in the case back onto a square winding arbor. Once the stem-wound mechanism became widespread from the mid-to-late 1800s, keys were no longer needed for winding, though many original keys survive as collectable pieces in their own right, including advertising keys once given away by watchmakers and jewellers. We carry a small selection of these alongside our watches.
Our watches cover a mix of pocket watches and wristwatches, including Swiss-made pieces from established manufacturers, and we occasionally carry designs in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh too, a style that runs through several of our other jewellery pages, including our rings.
We add new stock regularly, so it's always worth checking back for something new. Every piece is shown exactly as you'll receive it, so you can check the design and condition before ordering.
