Solar Vintage Watch

If you like to be the only one wearing a particular type of watch, why not consider a solar vintage watch? Because vintage watches are no longer sold at retail locations, you're not likely to run into anyone else with exactly the same watch. It can become your signature watch, a special, one-of-a-kind accessory for your wrist that's also useful. Best of all, you'll never need to replace a watch battery!

Solar watches are inspired from the ancient sun dial.

Most people are aware that solar watches are powered by the sun, but many of us aren't sure exactly how that works. The sun has been helping us tell time for centuries through sun dials, but the advent of the solar watch in the 1970s took it to a new level. Solar watches employ tiny solar panels that turn light into energy that operates the watch. The panel is located beneath the crystal, so that light flows through the crystal into the panel.

Once the light is turned into electric energy it is stored in a storage cell, and the watch draws the energy it needs to operate from that cell. This is why the watch works even when it is not exposed to sunlight. The watch can run even in a dark room because the light has already been converted to electricity and stored. As long as the watch is regularly exposed to light, the watch will continue to store the energy it needs to run.

There are several advantages to solar watches. Most would agree that the convenience of never having to wind the watch or replace a battery are the biggest advantages. Many are charmed by the fact that solar watches are ecologically friendly and do not produce chemical filled used batteries that will lie in landfills.

For some types of collectibles a vintage item is older that 25 years and newer than 100 years; however, because the first solar watches arrived on the market in the 1970s, the oldest vintage solar watches are less than 40 years old. It is important to keep this in mind when seeking out vintage solar watches so that you don't waste time looking for solar watches made in the 1930s or 1940s.

When you're ready to begin looking for a unique vintage solar watch, there are a few tips to keep in mind. First and foremost, when buying vintage watches, the most important thing is that the watch still keeps time. No matter how good the watch looks, if it doesn't keep time it's a bad investment, so be sure to verify that the watch works. Also, check for flaws in the watch, such as loose hardware, a damaged watch band, or a cracked or scratched crystal.

If you enjoy searching out antiques and collectibles, you can spend many happy hours sifting through the wares at a crowded antiques mall, racing through an estate sale or bidding at antique and collectibles auctions hunting for the perfect solar vintage watch. You might even luck out and discover a perfect vintage watch at a garage sale, hiding beneath a pile of old clothes.

However, if hunting for an elusive vintage watch is not your idea of a fun way to spend several weekends, then head to the internet to take a look at the websites of some of the leading dealers in vintage watches. EBay comes to mind immediately, but there are other sources. For your own safety, take care to buy only from reputable dealers and secure websites.

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