Antique Pocket Watch Cases

Find an expansive variety of antique pocket watch cases available on 1stDibs. All of the items for sale were constructed with extraordinary care, often using Gold, Enamel and Silver. Our inventory has long been popular, and it includes earlier versions that date to the 18th Century and newer variations that were made as recently as the 20th Century. Victorian and Art Nouveau are consistently popular styles when it comes to antique pocket watch cases. Versions of these items have been a part of the life’s work for many jewelers, but those produced by Elgin, Patek Philippe and American Waltham Watch Co. are consistently popular. Browse our collection of 3 Diamond versions today to add the perfect touch to your look. A selection of bead can be found today on these pages. Most of our antique pocket watch cases for sale are for men, but there are 126 pieces available to browse for women.

Prices for antique pocket watch cases start at $245 and top out at $64,238 with these watches, on average, selling for $1,769.

Can you pull off a vintage pocket watch? Of course you can. With a suit and a waistcoat, a pocket watch can be a refreshing alternative to a wristwatch.

The earliest pocket watches were luxury items, and, owing to cost, they weren’t commonplace until the 19th century. Artfully crafted pocket watches were a symbol of wealth, and manufacturers such as Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe became known for theirs. (Today, they’re among the most sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.)

At the onset, pocket watches resembled small round table clocks, and pulling your small round table clock — perhaps of the silver variety — out of your breast pocket in front of someone else demonstrated unequivocally that you cared about punctuality. For collectors, pocket watches are big, and that means a larger canvas provided for functions without crowding the dial. For example, the Marius Lecoultre pocket watch — made circa 1890 — does everything but uncork your wine.

In the late 1800s, the open-face pocket watch became a staple on the American railroad. It was a requirement for railway workers to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule. This was a boon to the watchmaking industry, with companies like Hamilton, the Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company producing high-grade and workingman’s watches.

By the 1930s, wristwatches comprised the bulk of watch manufacturing in America, superseding the pocket watch. Suddenly, if you wanted to know the time, you merely glanced at your wrist. But given their vintage charm and our general appetite for good design, pocket watches are a piece of statement-making jewelry and today can prove complementary to your formal attire in a manner that is stylish and unconventional.

Let time take its course — browse a vast selection of antique and vintage pocket watches available on 1stDibs designed by legendary brands such as IWC, Cartier and more.