Creating a guide to buying a luxury watch isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you’re new to the world of luxury watch collecting and you’re looking to start your collection, you can’t possibly take a single person’s advice and buy the first timepiece they recommend. Every person’s tastes and preferences are different. The good thing about following any guide to buying a luxury watch is that the rules follow the same principles. This guide, however, outlines a more strategic way to look at buying your first timepiece. It will provide you with some great pointers if you’re looking for a gateway into the luxury watch-collecting universe. First, let’s look at why collecting luxury watches is still such a popular hobby today.
Why Do People Collect Luxury Watches?
Indeed, every single one of us is never more than an arm’s length away from a cell phone. So why do we even need a watch, let alone a horde of them? Well, wearing a luxury watch says more about a person’s character and taste than a mobile phone does. They’re always on show, doubling up as an extension of their wearer’s personality. In fact, with so many competitive watch manufacturers on the market, it’s possible to opt for a brand rather than the style of any one particular timepiece.
Personality
Many brands have a distinct identity that can be picked out from a crowd. TAG Heuer, for example, is known for its iconic sports watches, whereas Longines is renowned for creating elegant timepieces. Rolex has a portfolio bursting with unmistakable designs like the Submariner and Daytona, while Breitling offers an expansive range of quality chronographs. The brand you’re drawn to will say a lot about your personality, regardless of whether you’re settling for nothing less than the most coveted timepiece on the market or whether you’re looking for an entry-level watch.
Watches are a Mechanical Marvel
The technology and craftsmanship behind a timepiece also add to the allure of owning a luxury watch. All the intricate parts of a mechanical movement, from the springs to the gears, fascinate horologists. You can often view the performance of a beautiful movement through the back of a watch case. The complex arrangement of the components, all working in synergy with one another, creates a holistic vision of the timepiece in motion. It is what most watch enthusiasts adore about owning a special luxury timepiece (or multiple). Despite living in an age of unprecedented technological advancements, traditional wristwatches are just as popular now as they were centuries ago. It suggests that luxury watches are here to stay and will never tire of their charm and allure.
It’s an Obsession
A watch collector’s compulsion and obsession borders on fanatical and that’s perfectly normal. When an enthusiast says you can’t just collect one, he’s right. The world of luxury watch collecting is an expansive and immersive one. There are so many designs, features and brands to explore and the market is continually evolving. It is why an enthusiast will often spend significant amounts of time and money to secure his holy grail watch, only to keep it for a short amount of time before moving on to another. In many ways, luxury watch collecting is more about the thrill of the chase than settling down with a dream watch.
The watch-collecting community is a large pull for those wanting to get into the hobby. There is a lot to be said about becoming a part of a community of like-minded and passionate people. It’s a little like joining an exclusive club of tight-knit, well-educated individuals who just “get it”.
They’re a Great Investment
Whether you’re aware of this or not (and you probably are), luxury watches are an investment. Rather than spending money on the stock market, many investors want to put their money towards something they can wear and enjoy. Getting yourself on the horological ladder is not as difficult as it may sound. Starting at the bottom, you can begin with an affordable timepiece and sell it, gradually working your way closer to your dream timepiece. Although expensive, luxury watches stand the test of time and are crafted from reliable materials that reflect a higher price tag compared to designer watches. That said, you don’t have to shell out your entire savings to acquire a luxury timepiece. There are so many affordable luxury watch brands out there that create timepieces that hold their value well.
Above all, it is the aura of exclusivity that acts as the crucial motive behind collecting watches of a high calibre. For some, it goes far beyond a hobby, it becomes a way of life. Luckily for you, there has never been a better time to join the ranks.
How to Buy Your First Luxury Watch
If it’s your first time buying a luxury watch, fear not. This advice should serve you well for getting your foot well and truly on the horological ladder.
Trust Your Gut
Of course, the usual tips on how to begin watch collecting should all be considered but maybe an important piece of advice should be to go with your gut instinct. In many circumstances, you can overthink the watch-buying process. Sometimes it just needs to fit right. You can strike an instant connection with a watch when you first place it on the wrist. Sometimes the features of the watch come second. If it looks and feels good – how can it ever be a bad decision? It’s nice to have a formal watch that also offers a high water resistance or a sports watch that compliments elegant attire by night, but you should feel comfortable wearing your watch. Water resistance and power reserve indicators are great as long as they don’t eat into your attraction to the watch.
Don’t Feel Intimidated
Luxury watch boutiques and workshops like ours can look expensive and intimidating. Don’t let it put you off coming in and trying on a few timepieces for size. We here at Charles Martin Watch Company may know a lot about timepieces but we don’t bite. A quick chat with one of our specialists will make you feel more than at home whilst perusing the many luxury timepieces we have on offer. Immersing yourself in the world of luxury watches can feel daunting at first, but part of the fun of having an interest in exquisite timekeeping is growing your knowledge as you go along.
Try Before You Buy
Thickness, weight and proportions are very important when it comes to trying a luxury wristwatch on for size. Unless you are very familiar with how different watch designs fit and feel on the wrist, it’s advisable to go into the store and try the watch on first. Even with a small case diameter, watch cases can feel bigger on the wrist depending on the size of the face, the case depth, the glass front and the shape of the case itself. It’s also worth bearing in mind that a 40mm TAG Heuer watch will fit differently from a 40mm Omega watch. In most instances, you won’t know whether the watch is for you until you’ve spent a few moments with it on the wrist. At Charles Martin, we’re more than happy to guide you through the different models we have in stock, as well as all the watch’s best features.
Create a Tick List
We said you should go with your gut when buying a watch but if you already know the brand you want, it could be a case of choosing features from a selection of watches you already know you’ll love. Decide whether a flyback chronograph is necessary for your lifestyle or whether a simple chronograph delivers all the sportiness you need. Maybe you prefer a particular case material or want a watch fitted on a leather band to compliment relaxed attire.
Case materials can have a huge impact on the style of a watch. The world could get very boring if every watch was round. That said, a circular case shape is the most common. They certainly exude a classic and timeless look, whereas square-shaped cases like those from TAG Heuer and Audemars Piguet are somewhat more modern. Clean, crisp and geometric, they became common in the 1970s, while rectangular-shaped cases from the likes of Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier nod to the Art Deco period. Aside from these shapes, there are oval, tonneau and cushion-shaped watches like the Panerai Radiomir to choose from too.
Do Your Research
Like with anything, before buying a luxury item, you should do your research first. Discover the prices of watches you like in new and pre-owned states and get an indication of what kind of money is needed to afford such a watch. You should also research a reputable supplier or genuine luxury watch stockist and check out their reviews. The advantage of buying from a reputable walk-in store, of course, is that you can enjoy a more luxurious experience. It might seem like an old-fashioned way to do things, but the experience of walking into a brick-and-mortar store is particularly fitting for a luxury product as traditional as a timepiece.
Have a Budget In Mind
There’s nothing worse than setting your heart on a watch you can’t afford. Before you begin to explore the world of luxury watches, set yourself a realistic budget. It’s a good idea to find out how watches vary in price depending on brand, style and materials. If you have a chosen model in mind, check all the online marketplaces to see how its price varies. In doing so, you should get an idea of what you should expect to pay for one. Of course, buying a watch in a physical store gives you the advantage over buying online. You get to meet the retailer in person and discuss any concerns you have, and the quality of the aftersales service is generally better once you have created a rapport with the seller.
New or Pre-owned?
Obviously, the decision to buy new or from the pre-owned market is largely weighted on the budget you will have set for yourself. But the good news today is that people don’t tend to hold onto their luxury watches for as long. Fellow watch fanatics are continually chomping at the bit to buy their next timepiece. It means you can find a watch in relatively mint condition for a great price these days. Some enthusiasts prefer to go new, whereas others feel that pre-owned and vintage watches offer you more in the way of character and charm. There’s also a good possibility that the watch you have your heart set on simply isn’t in production anymore. Many watches from high-end manufacturers move out of production fairly quickly. It’s what keeps the watch more desirable and the pre-owned market thriving.
Enjoy the Hunt
This brings us to our last piece of advice; enjoy the hunt! You’ve considered the brand you prefer, given its ethos and its heritage. You’ve thought about your preferences in terms of style, size, material and strap options. You’ve figured out whether all these specifications are obtainable given the budget you’ve set yourself. Hopefully, by this stage, there are a handful of timepieces that are worth your consideration. Deciding between which one is now down to the hunt.
Which model can you find for the most affordable price that ticks most of the features on your preference list? The search for the next luxury timepiece is often part of the fun for many horological enthusiasts. Hopefully, this article has given you some food for thought before you purchase your very first timepiece. Entering the world of luxury watch collecting doesn’t have to be so daunting. The fun is in learning the ebb and flow of the market and the various price ranges you can play with as your collection grows.
If you’d like to read more articles like this, be sure to check out the regular content we feature here at Charles Martin. From gift guides to selling your timepiece to wristwatch reviews, we cover it all.
