Liverpool’s History With Watches

When you think of Liverpool you probably think Beatles, football and the famous docks but few people know about the watchmakers whose works of art remain valuable collectibles to this day. Thomas Russell lived on slater street in Liverpool when he began manufacturing watches in 1849. He became famous for the ‘Russell time o’day’ watches and signed them all ‘Makers to Queen Victoria’. While the name of his company changed from Thomas Russell & son to Russell’s limited after his partnership with Alfred Russell fell through he continued designing and selling watches from Church street and then with addresses in Toronto, Manchester and Llandudno.

Alfred Russell continued with the original business Thomas Russell & son watch co. ltd. and began importing Swiss watches and music boxes in 1938. Many of these watches, especially ones signed to Queen Victoria are highly collectable and carry a hefty valuation if they are pre 1901. Peter Litherland is another watchmaker in Liverpool who began as an inventor in 1756 and created the mechanism of a watch called the rack lever escapement, now used in all modern watches. His name now appears on many antique skeleton clocks that used this design from 1791.

Probably the most successful of the Liverpudlian craftsmen would be James Condliff. Beginning in Gerard street in 1816 he manufactured the popular skeleton clock which become a huge hit during the industrial revolution. Condliff’s business expanded to be one of the most successful in the country with his clocks still being worth a fair amount today.

With many of these watches being sold for thousands maybe it would be a good idea to have a little root around your granny’s attic- after asking her obviously- and see if you can spot anything that catches your eye. These time pieces tend to increase in value over time so while this is a perfect excuse to go on a spending spree at the jewellers in town it’s also an incentive to part with the watches you’ve had in their box since you got it for your twenty first birthday as a parting gift from youth.

While in our current era there is no real need for watches with our iphones at our fingertips we still have an obsession for how the time looks on our wrists and Paul McCartney is no exception. After famously sporting two of these tickers during the bands 1964 Australian tour, the Beatles popularised two watches in particular. McCartney wore one watch set to Australian time and the other to British time to keep up with his girlfriend in London and while this is of course very sweet it is not the reason the Beatles sent watch sales sky rocketing. Inspired by the 1966 hit, Rolex came out with the ‘Yellow Submarine Datejust’. With a tiny submarine at the end of the seconds hand and it’s different shade of colour for every month on the date wheel it really encompasses the style of the musical period. But despite this fun design this watch is armoured in titanium coating giving a sophisticated finish to a classic Beatles design.

The second watch made famous by this iconic group is Raymond Weil Maestro ‘The Beatles Abbey Road limited Edition’. With it’s sleek dial resembling the abbey road vinyl detailed with micro grooves it also pictures the group as small silver figures in their famous pose on Abbey Road as a part of the numerical units. The design features their famous Beatles logo and is any fan’s dream watch. While these are no longer available on the website they tend to circulate the internet on various dealer sights so keep your eye out if you’re a die-hard Beatles fan with a love of watches.
Watch Boutique take a whole range of designers so whether you have a limited edition Beatles watch or an antique time teller with a story behind it, they are ready and willing to give you a valuation and help you send you’re watch to a new loving owner. Watches mostly have to have a resale value of £500 but if you’re not too sure how much yours is worth just send in a few pictures and you should get a quote within days. It’s a quick and easy process and cuts out the waiting time of Ebay and the charges that companies often take for you to sell through their website. With Watch Boutique  you will receive cash immediately hassle free and at a fair price.

Watches have been a part of our lives from the 16th century and since then have become the accessory that we’re willing to splash more cash on than anything else. With some costing more than a deposit on a house or a sports car we simply can’t get enough of these masterpieces of traditional craftsmanship, modern technology and artful design. So why let such a timeless device go to waste. Sell on your old watch today, receive a nice contribution to your next horological venture and let your graceful gadget be adored by a new owner. Because leaving your watch somewhere to rot really is a waste of time.

If you’re thinking “how do I sell my watch” then don’t delay and contact us today for a free valuation!

We cover the whole of the UK, so if you’re looking to sell my watch in London, have a used watch to sell in Nottingham or anywhere else throughout the UK then contact our team.

Sell My Watch In Birmingham – Get Paid Cash For Your Pre-Owned Luxury Watch