Many watch collectors would like to turn their hobby into a profitable business. However, finding one’s way in the world of antiques is not that easy, and one might commit quite a few mistakes. This field requires profound knowledge, and rarities normally do not generate high demand on the mass market. Vitaliy Buzoverya, whose professional biography has been closely connected with Soviet watches, shares his expert advice on the matter with a wide audience.
Entry Threshold and Education
The antiques market has been rapidly evolving. Previously, most people who succeeded in it either had a specific higher education or came from the families of professional collectors. Today, enthusiastic amateurs can learn everything from scratch. They can complete courses at auction houses or antique salons to study theoretical aspects, states Vitaliy Buzoverya. To gain hands-on skills, aspiring newcomers to the field should constantly work with objects to learn to determine their value and authenticity.
However, a certificate itself is not enough. A collector should be ready to regularly invest time in the activities that solidify their knowledge and expand their network:
- Monitor the market and track current prices;
- Study catalogs and specialized literature;
- Communicate with other collectors and antique dealers;
- Attend exhibitions and auctions;
- Build a reputation in the professional community.
Vitaliy Buzoverya confesses: “Collecting requires ongoing learning and practice. I dedicated the first two years to immerse myself in the topic — studied catalogs, visited exhibitions, and communicated with experts.”
5 Ways to Monetize One’s Interest in Antiques
There are several ways of generating income by collecting old objects. Here are the five main monetization options, starting with the least risky ones.
Expertise and evaluation
The most obvious way to start making money from knowledge is to become an appraiser. The services of a trained expert cost from $30 to $150 per hour of work. It is important to:
- Get a specialized higher education or complete courses at auction houses;
- Compose a portfolio of successful assessments and expertise;
- Build a reputation in the professional community;
- Formalize one’s activity as a self-employed individual or entrepreneur.
Restoration and repair
This path suits those who are deeply versed in the technical aspects. It costs around 100 USD to repair a mechanical watch. If parts need to be replaced, the price may increase two or three times.
Online trading
Vitaliy Buzoverya notes that thanks to online platforms, one can start trading antiques with minimal investment. To try their hand at this business, one needs to:
- Register as an entrepreneur or self-employed individual;
- Create accounts on specialized platforms;
- Learn how to photograph objects to make them look visually appealing;
- Create competent descriptions of lots;
- Arrange safe delivery.
If the initial budget permits, one can contract assistants to handle some of these tasks. To cut down expenses, there is an alternative way — to learn to use AI-powered tools that can write descriptions and improve photos.
Educational activities
Specialists with strong communication skills can provide paid consultations, organize workshops and seminars, run informational blogs, and launch courses. Mass media often look for speakers who are ready to share their expertise with the audience.
Opening an antique store
It is the most challenging, but also potentially the most profitable way of monetizing one’s passion for collecting watches. The minimum investment can vary significantly from one territory to another. It will include the costs of renting premises, buying commercial equipment and watches for sale, and advertising at the start.
Just like the other above-listed options, this business is unlikely to deliver a quick buck to its owner. Instead, one should be prepared for long-term investments and continuous training — and in the long run, these activities can become rewarding.
Risks and Pitfalls of the Antique Business
Vitaliy Buzoverya recalls: “When I was getting started, everything seemed so simple to me. I thought I could buy an item for $100 and sell it for $200. The reality turned out to be more complicated. To make money on antiques or vintage, one needs not only money, but also profound knowledge, patience and constant work on oneself.”
According to him, the antique business involves four primary types of risks:
- Fakes. Experts report that up to 50% of the items offered for sale may turn out to be fakes. As one of the possible cases, unscrupulous specialists can assemble watches, using spare parts from different manufacturers.
- Unpredictable market. The demand for antiques is subject to economic fluctuations — what is highly valuable today may lose a considerable part of its price tomorrow.
- Long payback period. It can take months to find valuable items, and years to sell them. Building one’ reputation in this market requires time and systematic investments.
- Legal registration. One should be ready to officially register their business and provide documentary proof of the origin of valuables. Special permits can be required to trade certain categories of items, and their export can be prohibited.
An additional factor that needs to be taken into account is the seasonality of sales. “There is a noticeable decline in summer, with all major sales occurring in autumn and the New Year period. One needs to be financially prepared for this,” warns Vitaliy Buzoverya.
To sum it up, turning one’s passion for collecting watches into a full-fledged profession requires time, knowledge, and patience. For those who are ready to constantly learn and develop, this path can become not only a source of income, but also a vocation. Sincere interest and commitment can help overcome difficulties.
Background and Personal Life of the Expert
It is not by chance that Vitaliy Buzoverya’s professional biography is centered around Soviet watches. He was born in 1974 to a skilled watchmaker of the renowned Raketa factory and a history teacher who genuinely loved her job and the sphere of art. The future collector grew up surrounded by conversations about watches and became a connoisseur at a very young age. Together with his mother, he regularly visited flea markets, where he learned to evaluate vintage and antique items by their looks.
In 1996, Vitaliy Buzoverya graduated from the history faculty, where he got excellent grades. He spent two years working in a museum, but quit this job because his salary was too low. From 1998 to 2003, the specialist earned his daily bread as a private history tutor, giving classes at home. Then, he spent five years conducting guided tours around the city with custom programs he composed by himself. From 2009 to 2019, Vitaliy worked in thrift shops as a salesperson and a manager. After that, he fully devoted himself to collecting, evaluating, and repairing watches. He also runs a blog on his hobby and has accounts in the major social networks, which helps him establish connections with like-minded enthusiasts.
The expert maintains warm relations with his family members. Vitaliy got married when being in his third year at the university. Together with his wife, he moved to a rented apartment, and to pay for it, he conducted bus tours around the city. By now, the couple have divorced, but they stay in touch and remain good friends. Their elder son Andrey, born in 2003, works in the IT industry. Their younger son Yevgeniy, born in 2007, is about to graduate from school.
Vitaliy Buzoverya purchased his first rare watch in 1992, at the Sennoy flea market. Until today, this Raketa 3031 remains the most valuable piece in his collection, which contains around 150 models. He started regularly buying vintage and antique items in 2000, to display respect to the craft of his father and his colleagues. The expert’s primary sphere of interest is the classic period of watchmaking in the USSR — namely, the 1960s and 1970s. He is also interested in other Soviet artifacts, such as movies and photos, and believes that many of such gems are still to be discovered and appreciated by experts and the general public.
