The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Luxury Watch

Deciding to buy your first big luxury watch could be an intimidating task, and to be honest, the story we hear from long-standing collectors more often than not is this: “If only I knew then what I know now…”

Buying a luxury watch requires some know-how and goes beyond the mere basics that you would look out for in regular watches. Yes, you could walk right into your local luxury watch boutiques and buy that new shiny piece of Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Breguet that caught your eye, but if you don’t choose wisely you’re going to lose your money because time is money. Not all watches are created equal, and similarly to the luxury car market, not all high end watches depreciate equally, either. From the precision of a chronometer to the complications on the dial, there’s so much to learn about luxury timepieces. Don't worry because we will guide you on how to buy your first luxury watch piece.

Main Categories of Watch Designs in Luxury

Quartz became super popular when they were introduced in the year 1959. In fact, they almost killed the mechanical and the automatic watch industry because they were so cheap, accurate and easy to mass-produce. In such watches quartz crystals are used and send an electric current through the crystal, causing it to pulsate. The frequency of the vibration is translated by a circuit into a small motor that powers the hands. If a quartz watch breaks you will probably not have it fixed and instead replace it with some new watch. Maintenance wise all you will ever need to do is swap the battery every 2 years, 5 years or 10 years when the battery inevitably dies. Quartz watches are very accurate. They are more accurate than mechanical and automatic watches. But let's be honest most of us aren't wearing watches because we really have to look at the time. We can simply do that by looking at our smartphones. We're wearing watches an accessory or as a piece of jewellery, especially when it comes to luxury. So, even though quartz watches have the advantage over mechanical watches and that they are more accurate is not a deal-breaker for most people. The reason most people buy quartz watches and the reason and the reason that so many brands use quartz movements is that they are super affordable and so chances are if you see an inexpensive fashion watch out there, chances are it is using quartz or battery-powered movement.

Mechanical

Now for watch collectors who appreciate the artistry, craftsmanship and the horology, they are going to want to look at mechanical and automatic movements. So, let's talk about mechanical movements. These watches are hand-wound timepieces that use hundreds or even thousands of mechanical parts to keep the watch running as long as it's wild. Many hand-wound watches if they are produced by swiss companies with in-house movements. They can be sold for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Thanks to movement companies like ETA which mass-produce mechanical movements for many watchmakers, smaller boutique brands can utilize well-produced engines that compete with the more prominent luxury watches in Switzerland, Germany and Japan. So, what happens is you have a lot of luxury brands that are using the same actual movements as smaller, younger or affordable boutique brands. Now, the major benefit of using a mechanical watch over a quartz watch is assuming you maintain it and keep it wound. A mechanical watch will last for a really long time, for generations but a quartz watch will inevitably die after one point because just like your computer its made up of small electric components that will inevitably fail, which makes mechanical watches worth repairing whereas quartz watches will just get thrown away and replaced rather than  Some of the most expensive watches on the market are powered by a mechanical movement.

Automatic watches

These are kind of like the top echelon. These are cream of the crop when it comes to collecting watches. The major differentiating factor between an automatic watch and a mechanical watch is it that the hands will tick even without winding it. As long as you are wearing it on your wrist the movement of your arm keeps the watch battery running. It makes use of a rotor which keeps spinning as you move throughout the day and as it activates the system called ratchet which keeps the watch wound. Now if we look at both the automatic and mechanical watches in general, automatic watches are not more accurate than the mechanical watches. The real benefit is that they will keep ticking even if you don't wind them. Such category of watches stay fully wound as they have a feature called as the power reserve, which will make it tick for a while. So, if you see an automatic watch that says it has a 42-hour power reserve that means that is it's fully wound and if you take it off, 42 hours later it will still tick. Now the duration of the power reserve will differ between different models and different brands but you can make the assumption that if you take them off and put it on your nightstand it will still tick at day time, of course, if it stops ticking next time you wear it you will have to reset it. If you don't like the idea of winding and resetting the watch that regularly then you could buy a watch winder and place your watch on that when you are not wearing it. This category of watches is definitely at the top of the line and expensive depending on the brand, its craftsmanship and complications involved in making it.

Dress Watches

A dress watch is quite different from your usual luxury watches; to be specific most dress watches simply tell time and nothing unorthodox, with few to no ornamentations or blossoms. A lot believe that more the minimalistic the watch is more better the watch looks in this category, the reason for one of the driving principles in the making of such watch. The minimalistic design makes these watches a multifaceted accessory, in turn working for every function, whether you’re dressed in formal attire, suits or even a tux. If a watch looks simple it doesn’t mean it would be cheap. Although there are a lot of dress watches available at affordable prices, therefore you have options available.

Commonly Known Luxury Watch Buyers (Who do you wish to be?)

You could be a collector if you are into the intricate designs and complexities of watchmaking and other detailings related to the horology world and if you know their worth as a long term investment or if you adore them for their beauty.

In the case of women, it is quite a common trend to buy fashionable and blingy watches that goes well with their outfit as an alternative to jewellery.

For most people generally, watches are all about adding a new dimension to their personality and looks, which means looking for watches that look good.

In the case of men, they don't necessarily have much to choose from. So, watches are one of those limited accessories they can wear and that's the reason they buy them.

Why Are Luxury Watches So Special?

Buying your first luxury watch is a special experience. So, what makes it so exciting?

Firstly, it keeps reminding you of your achievements. After a long and strenuous year of work, every time you look at your luxury watch, it will reflect the amazing efforts that you put in to reach that success point in your life. Not only will it help you see time but more than that it will constantly remind you of your capabilities.

Secondly, if you have the money why don't you buy something gorgeous and worthwhile at the same time rather than buying like people who spend billions of pounds on art pieces, which is literally of no use other just being stationary and beautiful.

Thirdly, it helps you commemorate a special occasion like your wedding, or the birth of a child, or your anniversary. With that, you could even engrave a special message on the back of the case. After a couple of decades, you can even pass it down to your child which could be an emotional moment for both of you like family heirloom happening.

Fourthly, some watches even turn out to be a major investment like the Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin are always appreciating because of the demand for them. Importantly these are limited editions and so the demand will only rise if the watch turns out to be a success among the followers.

Moreover, any luxury swiss watch, having a detailed handmade mechanism with a transparent display in the back and front, is a thing of allurement and to be commended every time you look at it. If you buy a watch with the moon phase dial you are bound to understand the complexities and craftsmanship that goes into the making of such a watch and every penny spent on it looks worth it.

Lastly, it becomes a part of you. why? because your choice of watch detailing the physical attributes says a lot about who you are as a person or where you see yourself heading into your future.

Do Your Research Before You Buy A Luxury Watch Online

It is a given that you cant buy every particular thing that you see online, there are always scammers out there are ever-ready to catfish you. It's a huge problem and elite online shoppers feel super bummed when they buy an expensive branded product online and it turns out to be broken, has scratches or worst - may be a fake.

To spot a fake on online media can be a very difficult task as the products look quite original in the images, enough to fool some.

Before you buy a luxury watch online do your own research. Make sure you read online customer views to make sure the website is genuine. But in these times scammers are becoming way more smarter than you would have thought, they fake the reviews by writing it on their own, so make sure you notice the red flags and signals which indicate the same. You can always go to the cops but it doesn't guarantee the fact you will get your hard-earned money back. Always make sure you avoid websites like Amazon when buying the same. It might be a good place to get great offers and discounts but they are also a good place to attract scammers on board. Feeling confident about the reputation of a seller is key.

Why Its A Safe Bet To Buy From A Dealer

There are numerous benefits when it comes to buying watches through offline mediums like dealers which are authorised buy a particular brand or from multiple brand retailers. Next time you decide to buy one this would surely help you. It is a safe bet because you get certified products with a bill and genuine documents to support the same, which makes the whole process authentic. In addition to it, you get a warranty too for a particular period which is hard to claim if bought through an online medium. More often than not a buyer who is new to the world of luxury watches might not even care about the important maintenance facet which is crucial for the long term functioning of the watch. Moreover, dealers who are official partners for some of the brands have easy access to small parts of the watches in case of repairs and they also know how to keep their customers happy by ensuring after-sales service. You also are informed about the making of a watch and its features when you are at a brick and mortar store and how to keep the watch alive and get your queries answered at the same point without a wait.

An Important Tip

Make sure you maintain your watch over the years after you purchase. Keep in mind to wind the watch from time to time as I explained above but in case you have a watch winder you make sure that you don't overwind it as it affects the revolutions. You service your luxury timepiece at a respected dealer and get them to apply lubricant to the miniature components and replace the seals for water resistance. This should be done every 5 years at least. All the best!