Things to consider before buying a luxury watch
Things to consider before buying a luxury watch
Few gadgets have as rich a historical background as watches. Men’s watches particularly are believed to be first used by soldiers in world wars, for they could not take out pocket watches every time they wanted to track time. There came the concept of wrist watches and it came to stay with hundreds of watch making brands sending their fine products out in the market year after year. The craze for luxury watches is on a rise and despite their high prices; market for luxury watches is expanding.
With more and more people willing to spend hefty sums on luxury timepieces, there is a need to make smart choices before jumping on the bandwagon. Once you have made up your mind, here are a few things to consider before you rush to sign a check in the name of a watch merchant.
Allocate a budget:
The first thing you need to do before stepping into the watch market – literally or virtually – is to assign an amount, or at least a range, that you are willing to spend on a watch. Luxury watches are available in a wide range of prices from thousands of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars and you are likely to be baffled by the options at hand if you have not shortlisted the market by price range. It is always recommended to find a gadget that fits into your price range than doing otherwise. If you are open and indecisive, smart salespersons will convince you for buying what they are selling, regardless of your need and preference. Once you have allocated a certain amount, it will filter the articles that don’t fit the requirement and making a choice would be easier. Keep in mind that you are not essentially limiting your options by allocating a price range unless you are fixated on a certain brand. All forms and styles of luxury watches are available in different ranges, by different brands of course. Even if a brand is your priority, you can opt for pre owned luxury watches by that particular brand but setting a budget is inevitable anyway
Do your research:
It is very important to do your research before buying a luxury watch, especially if it is going to be your first one. There are a lot of things to know about watches not known to laymen – like different types of watch movements, importance and significance of certain materials, choice of components, different complications and range of features, investment value, and etcetera. All these factors determine the life, worth and structural and functional excellence of the final product. Since you do not buy a luxury watch every day, it is fairly important to acquire some knowledge about these things so that you are better able to make a smart choice best suited to your needs. Research is also important so that you know what essential features make a watch a luxury one and you don’t end up compromising on any of the key features.
Pick a style:
Luxury watches come in many different styles. One broad categorization suggests four types including dress watches, sports watches, diving watches and pilot or aviation watches. Though these watches exhibit specialized features for the professionals they are named after, they look like normal watches and are used equally by amateurs and just random watch geeks. Consider your usage before settling for a style. If you are more of a suit and tie person, a dress watch is your thing. If you are a sporty and casually smart person, you can opt for sports watch. There are models out there that are universal in their use and can go with different get-ups. Contemplate on your personality type for a while – how and where most hours in your day are spent – and pick a style that goes more in hand with your natural style
Look for mechanical movement:
Watch movement is the internal machinery that keeps a watch running. If there is one thing that is common to all high-end watches, it is mechanical movement. Mechanical movement is hand made with a lot of intricacy by expert hands in high-tech environment. This elitist level of artistry and craftsmanship is what people pay for in luxury watches. These watches, if maintained well, are designed to last for centuries. Quartz or battery fitted watches are common and useful but they do not belong to the league of super luxury watches. If you are really keen on setting a foot in the league of luxury watches with a superlative degree, look for mechanical movement which is indicative of the finesse of the watchmaker.
Go for renowned brands and authorized dealers:
Where you buy your watch from is a very important consideration. There are renowned watch brands that have built their credibility over decades and have a history to flaunt. Their products are highly acclaimed and carry a worth. These brands have a reputation to stand with and hence they assure no compromises are made on quality and excellence. Since their target audience is typically aristocratic class, they go extra miles to appease their finicky clients. Of course, such high-end brands are exceedingly expensive but they produce exactly what you call luxury watches. When you are up for spending good money, it is highly advisable to spend it with trusted brands and their authorized dealers.
This consideration is even more important of you are opting for pre owned luxury watches. Brand new watches can be purchased from the brands’ own outlets without a modicum of doubt, but second hand watches are not sold there. You need to do thorough research and find highly reliable dealers who deal in original luxury watches and not their replicas. Keep in mind, first hand copies are as good to look at as original but they differ greatly in the mechanics inside and are not even close to the original ones as regards quality and brilliance of the machinery. Needless to say, copies will not last even half as long as the original ones are designed to do.
