Artwork, classic cars, even stamps. There are plenty of different investment types out there for you to consider. If hedge funds and the stock market aren’t right for you, there are plenty of alternative routes for you to take, so why not try something more creative?

Certainly if you’re a lover of all things vintage, you’re going to appreciate this list. We bring you three alternative, and rather retro, investment options that you may never have thought about before.

Vintage perfumes

An unusual one to make the list, but you would be surprised at the number of people who are willing to pay good money for vintage bottles of perfume. Thanks to EU regulations that have been introduced throughout the years, usually banning certain allergens, perfumes sold as Chanel_N°5early as pre-2000 can be worth something.

If you’re inspired to get searching, be sure to explore junk shops and antique or vintage shops, ask to scour the back rooms of chemist shops to see if they have any discontinued bottles, and even car boot sales. Don’t be disheartened if you come across some gorgeous bottles that are empty; even these can be worth something!

Once you’ve found them, keep them in tip top condition. Exposure to sunlight and heat causes perfumes to go off, so be sure to keep them in the dark and in their original packaging (if you’ve found it). Vintage perfumes do tend to be darker in colour, but anything very dark and thick, often like syrup, can be a sign of oxidation - something to avoid. Collectors tend to head to eBay, so if you’re looking to sell you should keep an eye on what the prices are doing to see what yours could be worth.

Here are a few of the most sought after bottles to keep your eye out for...

  • Shocking by Elsa Schiaparelli is a highly coveted perfume, especially if you can get your hands on one of the original mannequin-shaped bottles from the 1930s, which sometimes sell for hundreds on eBay. This fragrance is often considered to be one of Schiaparelli's most revolutionary scents.
  • Many Christian Dior bottles are the favourites of collectors, for example, older versions of Miss Dior.
  • Chanel No. 5. No list of revered perfumes would be complete without Coco Chanel's famous No 5. Still being made to this day, if you get your hands on a 1950s bottle, you have a highly coveted fragrance on your wrists.

Vintage watches

Well-crafted timepieces have stood the test of time for many years, and they are likely to remain for years to come. Despite recent advancements in tech, there are still those out there that love classic watches, and will pay good money for a favourite name.

The Rare Watch Index follows the most valuable watches in the world and tracks their value over the years, focusing particularly on those that are considered to be extremely rare but sometimes crop up in trading houses. Below you can discover the five most valuable watches from the entire index.

  1. Patek Phillipe (circa 1940s) - $245,000
  2. Panerai Radiomir - $90,000
  3. Panerai Luminor (circa 1950s) - $80,000
  4. Rolex Submariner - $53,000
  5. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso - $40,000

As with most rare items, scouring antique shops and pre-owned watch stores should be your first port of call. For the biggest and most renowned names in the industry, remember that you may have to pay a little more than usual, but consider how much it would be worth in just a few years’ time.

Macro_photography_of_a_Rolex_watchNick Withington, Managing Director of William May, explains why traditional timepieces will always increase in value:

“As we see the technology develop, smart watches are becoming more prominent. But, if anything, that is only increasing people’s desire for a good old-fashioned timepiece. Here at William May, we consider classic watches to be true works of art; constructed from hundreds of tiny parts rather than powered by microchips. And a signature watch from the likes of Rolex, Cartier, Tag Heuer or Omega will always be in style.”

Even if you’d rather make money from your watch, older timepieces are still the best way to go for a huge range of reasons. According to the Rare Watch Index, the price of rare vintage watches rose by more than 5% in just a decade. So if you purchase now, your beautiful and classic watch could be worth far more in no time at all.

Rare handbags

When thinking of investments to make, handbags are unlikely to be one of the first to spring to mind. But ultimately you will be surprised at just how much vintage designer handbags can be worth.

Similar to the Watch Index, the Rare Handbag Index tracks the value of some of the world’s most popular designer bags over the past 12 years. They have determined the five most valuable handbags, and their current worth.

  1. Hermès 1990s Cognac Leather 40cm Birkin - $13,000
  2. Hermès Kelly 32cm Sellier Box Calf - $5,500
  3. Chanel 2.55 Medium Classic Flap - $5,000
  4. Christian Dior Lady Dior Cannage - $4,000
  5. Chanel Red Caviar Leather  Vintage Weekender - $2,000

Similar to perfumes, the best way to source handbags that are no longer in circulation is to scour flea markets and antique shops, particularly those on continental Europe. Whilst those mentioned above are five of the rarest bags in existence, don’t just narrow your search window to those.

Hermes_Ostrich_Birkin_BagAny older pieces from the world’s most famous designers are bound to grow in value over the years. As the list suggests above, stick to Chanel, Christian Dior and Hermès. For the last designer in particular, Kelly and Birkin bags are often considered to be two of the most famous ever created. You may have to pay out more than you expect if you come across one of these vintage beauties, but as the Rare Handbag Index will show, their value can increase exponentially in just a few years.

Feeling inspired to invest and perhaps make a little bit of money? Why not take a look through some of our pre-owned watches and perhaps even a little of our gorgeous jewellery? You never know what it might be worth in just a few years’ time!