Provenance is an important part of collecting vintage watches. Alongside all bumps, scrapes and patina developed along the way, tracing the life of a watch is crucial for many. One feature in particular may be an instant indication of where a watch began its life. A double-signature. The name of a retailer stamped on a dial instantly gives you a starting point to understand a timepiece. Not only that, but the history behind that model instantly doubles with a historic connection between brand and retailer.

Before familiar brands became established, before they had boutiques in every corner of the globe and a significant online presence, they relied heavily on their network of retailers. This allowed them to reach markets that would otherwise have been difficult to penetrate from their manufactures in Switzerland. Beyer and Gübelin played an important role in cementing respect for Patek Philippe and Rolex in the German-speaking world. As for Serpico Y Laino, they allowed both brands to capitalise on the explosion of wealth taking place in Venezuela in the ‘30s and ‘40s. The reputation and respect for Patek Philippe in the United States is partly built on the efforts of Tiffany& Co, over more than a century, to promote the brand as if it were their own. From exotic locations like Caracas, to less sunny Liverpool, retailers positioned all around the world acted as a gateway for watch brands to their local markets.

As there was no bricks and mortar representation for the likes of Rolex or Patek Philippe in these territories, the retailers amassed real power, controlling what watches were sold in their city or country. With that power came respect and recognition from clients. As people started to trust and recognise the name of their local store over the watches in the window, this started a quiet revolution in branding and marketing that would see titans in the luxury industry share a precious watch dial.

These kinds of partnerships are seldom seen in any other sector of the luxury world. What started as a practical consideration, helping manufacturers extend their global reach, has now developed into a detail highly sought-after by collectors. In fact, a retailer’s name on the dial significantly increases the value of some of the most collectable watches.

Despite the premiums that these items can now demand at auction, it wasn’t too long ago when they were seen in a less favo