Buying a Luxury Watch? Read our Expert Guide First

 

Buying a luxury watch can be a tricky proposition – especially if you are looking to make it a worthwhile investment. It is important to understand the key aspects of buying a luxury watch before you buy. You can pick the perfect luxury timepiece by considering everything from price to style. Here is a brief guide to choosing a luxury watch.

What Makes a Luxury Watch?

While there is no agreed formal definition of what a luxury watch is, the general consensus is that it is one that has been manufactured to the highest standard. Often it will use high-quality components such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious jewels – although some of the most desirable models have stainless steel cases. Luxury watches are also limited in production to create scarcity and therefore maintain a high demand – and a high price. These are not the only factors, but they help in enabling a certain kind of watch to attract a premium price. Try out this fake rolex.

Style

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when choosing a luxury watch is how it looks. You should always buy a watch because you like it and want to wear it – who wants to keep a valuable timepiece locked away in a safe all its life? There are a huge range of styles available in men’s luxury watches and high-end timepieces for ladies. So, the first step we would suggest is to take a look at the styles of watch you like and create a shortlist of pieces within your budget. A good place to start is WatchShop’s best selling luxury watches.

 

 

Buying a Luxury Watch as an Investment

Luxury watches can come with price tags that make the cost of your car seem on the cheap side. Not only does this make these watches a sought-after item, but it also begs the question of when these items should even be worn at all. Very few watches appreciate in value over the year – Rolex’s steel sports models being one of the few that are a relatively safe investment – and so we recommend that you wear your watch and don’t keep it locked away. You may even decide that instead of a single top-end timepiece, you choose a couple of options from the more affordable luxury brands (for example Tissot or Hamilton) so that you have a choice of quality watch for every occasion.

 

 

Features & Functions

The features and functions of luxury watches are known as ‘complications’. There are a huge number of different complications: the most common being the humble date window. From there, you will find features such as a 24-hour dial, moonphase display, power reserve (so you know how long the watch will run before needing a wind), chronograph (for accurate stop-watch timing) and perpetual calendar (that will tell you the right day and date, taking into account the length of months and leap years)!

 

 

Luxury Watch Prices

You might think that luxury watches are going to be very expensive – and it is indeed the case that timepieces are available that cost tens of thousands of pounds. However, there are many more affordable options under £1000 from brands such as Frederique Constant, Maurice Lacroix and Hamilton. Many of their models use exactly the same Swiss ETA movements as higher-end brands like TAG Heuer, Breitling and Omega.

 

 

Quality & Longevity

The biggest benefit of buying a better watch is quality and longevity. That is not to say you cannot get a bargain at the lower end of the market, but the adage “you get what you pay for” is certainly true when investing in a luxury watch. You can expect a luxury timepiece to last a lifetime – although you must ensure that those with automatic self-winding or hand-wound movements are serviced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

 

 

Caring for Your Luxury Watch

Most Swiss timepieces will need to be given a checkup by a qualified professional about every five years, with battery-powered models requiring a new battery somewhat sooner. You will know when your self-winding watch is ready for a service as its timekeeping will gradually deteriorate. Just like your car, it is recommended to have your watch serviced whenever recommended by the maker to keep it free from faults and to prevent any problems from causing more expensive damage.