David Silver

The Vintage Watch Company, owned by father and son duo, John and David Silver, was established in 1995 and is now based in London’s historic Burlington Arcade.

Over the course of a quarter century, not only has The Vintage Watch Company been sourcing and selling some of the most prized Rolexes on Earth, they have been photographing, archiving and cataloguing every single watch to pass through their hands, in the quiet seclusion of the loft rooms at Burlington Arcade. In doing so, they have amassed one of the world’s largest pictorial records of the history of vintage Rolex.

To document the impressive collection each watch was professionally lit and photographed for The Vintage Watch Company website. As time went by, however, it became evident to David that what he was building went far beyond a sales catalogue; it was rapidly becoming a truly unique archive, the likes of which had never been seen before, and which would be near-impossible to replicate.

Such was the archive’s scale and significance that David Silver changed tack. Rather than simply upload this treasure trove of images to a section of the company website, he decided to create a book for the world to enjoy – a book dedicated to all those who have bought into the vision of The Vintage Watch Company and who share the passion of its founders.

Rolex aficionados thumbing the pages of this book may find examples similar to the treasured vintage timepieces they carry proudly on their wrists. They may even set eyes upon their very own watches, sealed in time for evermore. In fact, a number of readers will own many of the Rolexes featured in this book, and it is with immense gratitude that David Silver showcases those individual pieces for all to see. For others, he hopes that this book inspires, seduces and lights a fire in all who choose to purchase the book, so that they will one day purchase their very own piece of Rolex history.

The Vintage Watch Company is dedicated to showcasing Vintage Rolex wristwatches from c1910–c1990. Their unparalleled collection carries over 2000 pieces and is the largest collection of Vintage Rolex watches on display in the world. The shop is now a destination for watch collectors and discerning shoppers from around the world. @mrdavidsilver @vintage_watch_company