Ascot-based dealer Warren Wilkinson has collected, sold and repaired watches and clocks for 40 years and is a regular standholder at Love Fairs events. “I don’t mind when people look at my pieces, then check their smartphone for comparable prices,” he tells ATG. “It’s the way people shop now.”
At Brighton, Wilkinson’s wrist and pocket watches ranged from £30-800, with the most popular brands being Omegas, Rolex and Longines. “People also like watches by Smiths and Ingersolls because those can be had for as little as £30.”
Sabrina Giles from Hertfordshire considers women’s pocket watches from the 1920s.
To younger buyers, Wilkinson had sold a 1950s aluminium wall clock by French maker Jaz and some 1940s and ‘50s utility mantlepiece clocks. “Young people identify with this period more than Edwardian or Art Deco, as they can say ‘my nan had one of them’.”
