Antique and Vintage Mickey Mouse Watch Value
Since we have recently received a lot of questions regarding the value of antique and vintage Mickey Mouse watch models, we decided to cover this topic in a blog post. Hopefully, this way some of you might get a better overall picture of the vintage Mickey Mouse watch world.
Disney watches have become more and more popular over the years, with vintage timepieces exceeding the $1000 price mark. How much is your Disney watch worth, you may ask? Let's find out together how much some models from different brands cost, and you might get a better idea of how to rank yours.
If you want to browse through a large variety of vintage Disney watches for men and women, both with mechanical or quartz movement, visit our Disney watch section. Here you will find hundreds of rare Disney, Looney Tunes & other characters watches that are looking for a new story!
What makes a vintage Mickey Mouse watch more valuable?
There are many things to take into consideration when evaluating a vintage watch. Some of the most important things are the watch brand, year of manufacture and the number of watches of that particular model ever produced. Other things you must consider are whether the movement is mechanical or quartz, the overall condition of the watch and movement, whether it has an extra function such as a musical one, and maybe the most important: if it is functional or not.
We will go through each and one of these factors and show you some examples, so that you can differentiate between different models, prices, brands, and values.
1. Watch Brand: What are the watch manufacturers that have produced Disney Watches?
Disney has made many partnerships along the years with many reputable brands such as Bradley, Seiko, Ingersoll, Timex, Invicta, Lorus, Swatch, Gerald Genta & others. The value of their watches depends as mentioned, on a variety of factors such as year of manufacture, movement, and functionality.
The most expensive Mickey Mouse watches were made by Gerald Genta. If you're interested in the most expensive Mickey Mouse watches of all time, we wrote an article about this topic that you can read here.
Gérald Charles Genta was a Swiss watch designer and artist. He is known for his eponymous line of timepieces as well as his design work with other high-end watch manufacturers, including IWC, Omega SA, Universal Genève, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet.
He has designed some of the most iconic watch models from some of the biggest brands out there. There are a few Gerald Genta Mickey Mouse watches with prices ranging between $2000 and $20.000.
Gerald Genta Fantasy Retro Mickey Mouse Race Driver Ref RSF.X.10.123.CA.BD.RUB. Price $15.000 - $20.000
Rolex needs no further introduction, as it is the biggest watch brand of all time. Walt Disney was a big fan of Rolex watches and there is a theory that there was a secret agreement between Disney and Rolex and some pieces with Mickey Mouse on the dial were produced. However, this theory has neither been confirmed or infirmed by either party.
There are many Rolex watches that feature Mickey Mouse, but the Mickey illustration may be added aftermarket. A good place to search for such watches is Chrono24.
1970s Rolex Mickey Mouse Ref. 6694 Watch. Price: $4500-$5000
Ingersoll was the first watch brand to ever produce a watch that was featuring Mickey Mouse on the dial. The idea to create a watch featuring Mickey Mouse on the dial was developed by Kay Kamen, who sold it to the Ingersoll-Waterbury Company, which was struggling to avoid bankruptcy at the time.
The first Mickey Mouse wristwatch was released in 1933 and it retailed for $3.75 at the time. It was a huge success: Macy's sold 11,000 pieces on the first day after the watch went on sale.
Photo source: secondhandhorology.com
Read more about Ingersoll and how to see how old your Ingersoll Mickey Mouse watch is in our dedicated article.
Seiko is the pioneer of quartz watch movements. You can never go wrong with Seiko watches when it comes to accurate time-keeping and durable movements that will last for decades.
There are a few different types of vintage Disney Seiko watches. Firstly, you have the ones with the Seiko Logo displayed on the dial, which are more valuable and harder to find. These watches have been made in the 80s and 90s and have a value between $300 and $2000.
The price depends on the Seiko watch model, age, whether it also has the original box and papers, and other factors as well. When it comes to quartz movements it is best to go with Seiko, or other brands owned by Seiko such as Lorus.
Secondly, you may also find watches that have been produced by Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII), as indicated on the back of the case. This is one of the three core companies of the Seiko Group. These watches will offer you the Seiko quartz accuracy, but at lower prices. The Seiko branded ones will have more complex mechanisms and that is why they are more expensive.
The prices will range from $50 up to $300, with limited edition watches and rare models at the higher end.
Lorus is one of the brands made and marketed by the world-famous Seiko Watch Corporation.
Lorus and Seiko started producing Disney watches in 1985. Some of the most interesting watches are the musical ones that play one or two Disney songs, depending on the model. Each of these songs can be activated by the extra buttons that the watches have on the side of the case.
When buying or selling a similar watch, make sure that the watch is in full working condition. The second hand must move as the song plays and then go back to its original position. We have a video about this that will be included further along in this article.
1990 Musical Mickey Mouse Lorus Seiko Quartz V421-0020 Z0 Watch (2 songs). Prices: $95-$300
Vintage Musical Lorus Mickey Mouse & Minnie Watch | Lorus V421-0020 Z0 Special Edition Model - $200-$300
Timex is an American manufacturing company founded in 1854 as the Waterbury Clock Company in Waterbury, Connecticut. In its early years, the company used to be called Ingersoll, and later U.S. Time. Eventually, the company got the name Timex, which is so well-known today.
Most Timex watches that feature Mickey Mouse are either newer models, or produced under Ingersoll and U.S. Time brands. The early Mickey Mouse watches are mostly mechanical, whereas newer models come with a quartz movement.
The newer Disney watches produced by Timex often feature other Disney characters as well, such as Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, Lion King, and many others.
There are other watch brands such as Citizen, Invicta, and others that are producing Mickey Mouse watches, but they can not be considered vintage yet, since these partnerships are quite new.
2. Year of Manufacture: First Mickey Mouse Watches were produced by Ingersoll.
The first Mickey Mouse Disney watch was produced by Ingersoll back in the 1933. This means that until 2030 no Disney watch can actually be called antique (antique = at least 100 years old). We just wanted to make this clarification, so that you know that the so-called "antique Disney watches" are actually vintage.
1930s Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Wristwatch. Price: $600-$1400
RARE Vintage 1940s Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Watch - Limited Edition - $400-$900
Buy it now!
If you manage to find vintage Ingersoll Mickey Mouse watches, they are a keeper. Finding one in working condition is incredible. Their design and movement are an indication of the premium quality of their craftsmanship, given the fact that they are able to keep time quite accurately after so many decades. And they look so retro and elegant on the wrist.
Finding these early models is incredibly rewarding. Over the years, newer Mickey Mouse watch models have been released from brands such as Timex, Seiko, Lorus, and many others, as mentioned above.
3. The number of models that were produced: Is your Mickey Mouse or Disney watch a Limited Release Model?
Big brands such as Rolex & Gerald Genta produce all of their watches in a limited quantity, which increases the interest for them and consequently their prices.
There are also models by Seiko, Lorus, Ingersoll, or Disney that are Limited Releases. This information is usually indicated on the back on the case. They are worth more than regular models that have been produced in large numbers and that are widely available to the public.
Limited Release watches can feature any Disney characters on the dial, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, The Lion King, Cinderella, and many others.
4. Mechanical vs Quartz movement
When it comes to watch collecting, you will see that most people will say that mechanical watches are the real collectible ones. For most watch collectors, the mechanical parts, the engineering, the mainspring, the sound of the balance wheel, all are equally important as the brand's history, when it comes to the overall value and appreciation for the watch.
Mechanical movements have been around for hundreds of years, explaining the passion and desire for such watches. When it comes to vintage Mickey Mouse Disney watches, 90% of the old, collectible ones will be powered by a mechanical movement. Brands such as Ingersoll have produced only mechanical Disney watches.
If you find a vintage Seiko watch with a quartz movement, it would be a shame not to recognize its value. But when it comes to highly collectible mechanical Disney watches, the ones produced by Ingersoll are some of the most collectible and desired.
5. Overall condition: How well has the watch been preserved and does it have its original parts?
The overall condition is very important for watch collectors. Having all the original parts, few scratches, no rust, dust or water inside the watch are critical to the overall value of a timepiece.
When storing a watch make sure to keep it away from water, moisture, dust and other damaging factors. Using a watch box, soft materials, or other protective measures will ensure the right preservation.
Water Damaged Rolex DateJust 3035 Movement
6. Extra Functions- Musical Watches
Many vintage watches may have a lot of extra functions such as chronometer function, diving protection, rotating bezels, sub-dials, annual calendar complications, and many more.
The more complex the watch is, the more you will pay or receive for it. One of the best examples when it comes to Mickey Mouse watches is the musical watch. There are some beautiful musical Lorus Mickey Mouse watch models out there. These are probably the best-sellers in our vintage Disney watch collection.
With quite a few variations, these watches have different colors, dials, and different types of songs. We encourage you to take a few minutes and watch the video below, where we explain more about these watches.
Disney and Looney Tunes Musical Watches | Check out their musical function!
Find more about these amazing watches here.
7. Does the watch work or not? Wouldn't you rather have a functional vintage Disney watch?
What is the purpose of a watch after all? Vintage watches that tell accurate time and have a functional mechanism will have a higher value on the market.
Vintage mechanical watches have numerous watch parts inside, each one designed to add to the overall functionality of the movement. All these parts must be in perfect synchrony in order for the watch to keep on ticking. From simple screws that keep the mechanism in place to the balance wheel, a mechanical movement is a masterpiece to glimpse at. When selling or purchasing a watch, having a guarantee that the watch is fully functional will significantly impact its price.
However, there are people who enjoy collecting vintage watches just for the beauty of their design. Moreover, some watch enthusiasts prefer purchasing a timepiece that doesn't function, and work on the mechanism themselves. So, if you're one of those people who enjoy a beautiful watch that doesn't tick, or one of the watch-making enthusiasts looking for a project, don't get discouraged. There are many vintage Disney Mickey Mouse watches out there that could use some help. And the price will be cheaper.
Quick clarification: Antique vs Vintage Watches
Antique watches are at least 100 years old. Vintage watches are at least 20 years old. Any watch under 20 years is likely to be classified as simply “old” neither modern nor quite yet vintage.
Until 2030 there will be no antique Mickey Mouse watches out there. The word antique has been used by many sellers, including us, to show that these watches are a lot more than 20 years old.
Do you enjoy buying vintage watches? Let us know in a comment below!
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I have a Mickey Mouse watch. It says Swiss made at the bottom and Bradley near the 12. It has a registered number of A 17579. Any information on it would be appreciated.
I have a Swiss made #23 Mickey Mouse watch that is 45 years old .. is there any value
One of my client paid for my legal work with his collections of Disney watches and toys, Football jerseys championships with tags, stuffed animals Disney – I had them just sitting in a closet not handled – trying to find out if anyone interest to purchase
I have 1933 mickey mouse watch but the stem is missing is it worth getting fixed and how much will it cost?
I have a 1935 watch that is just like the one at the top of this article. It is in excellent condition, what is it really worth. I also have a ton of the musical Mickey watches that are about 40 years old.