If you spend any time looking at vintage watches, especially insanely high-end vintage watches, there’s a good chance you already know who Alfredo Paramico is. If not, you should.
NAME: Alfredo Paramico
OCCUPATION: World class watch trader
HANDLE: @AlfredoParamico
FOLLOWERS: 42.2k
LOCATION: Miami Beach
Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Italy in 1969, and at the age of 24 I started a career in investment banking in New York, before moving over to London where I spent 14 years. After London I moved to Milano, and then Madrid. I’ve always covered important positions in derivatives trading.
My passion for watches dates back years and years. As a kid I was very attracted to small and heavy objects – so what better than watches! I’ve been collecting for the last 25 years and I can safely assume I’ve had the best watches on Earth.
How do you unwind?
Exercise! I practise Crossfit every day. I like sport in general, but I also enjoy hanging out with friends after a long working day. Music and theatre are also a part of my life and a means of relaxing.
What’s your daily watch and why?
I don’t actually wear watches all that often. It’s not a comfort thing, it’s practical – I never find the need to look down at my wrist to tell the time. I just want to have them in my collection. My choice could range from a first series Patek Phillipe ref. 1463 in steel or a unique Daytona with emeralds, to a Patek Minute Repeater in platinum or a unique Patek ref. 5004 in white gold with special dial and white gold bracelet.
I also love vintage Cartier and Longines chronographs of the 40s. When I do wear a watch, very rarely, it’s always something fancy and cool. My first watch was a Rolex Submariner ref. 5513, which I eventually sold to fund a Double Red Sea-Dweller. When it comes to buying a watch, there are three things I consider: quality, quality and quality. Of course, condition is also very important.
What’s your daily ride?
My current daily drive is a Ferrari 458 Convertible Orange (Rosso Dino). Back home in Italy I have a 152 Dino 206 GT, which I bought from the original owner! I also drive a Harley Davidson Forty-Eight in Miami, and have a Ruckus 50cc for small trips in the Beach area.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am very heavily involved in trading watches but I also advise collectors on new acquisitions. I love my job, I love watches and I love the daily chats I have with other dealers or collectors. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time to manage the Watch Fund, the only regulated Fund investing in watches, which we created in 2011 and which has become a great success. Living in Miami with the Fund in Luxembourg created too much distance. Also, with my other trading activity, I wanted to avoid an uncomfortable conflict of interest – so I quit the job.
Scrolling down your Instagram page, it’s clear you’re all about vintage. What do you prefer about older pieces?
My education definitely starts with vintage watches – that’s where I’ve put all of my effort for the past 20 years. Having said that, I’ve never disregarded contemporary production pieces. I always pay attention to new generations of watchmakers, and I love watches in general. The reason I am so deeply in love with vintage watches is because the level of emotion a vintage dial gives me is incredibly huge. I’m literally taken by the harmony of a vintage watch. Some of them are the perfect example, with impeccable proportions. I’m thinking, for example, of the Patek Philippe ref. 2499 first series (which I had the honour of owning, in pink gold). To me this is a benchmark for any watch in terms of stunning proportions.
