Buying Your First Watch

Ready for your first luxury watch?

 Are you ready to take the big step of buying your first real luxury watch but don’t know where to start? Here is a little food for thought when making your decision.

Decide on your budget?

As with any large purchase – be it a home, a car or a luxury watch – it is important to settle on a budget, be disciplined and stick to it. This is often easier said than done, but you will surely thank yourself later for the effort. It is key to have a look at current market values and be realistic in the targets you set yourself. If, for example, you currently have £3,000 saved, but have your eye on a Rolex steel Submariner (ref: 16610) that has an estimated market value of £5,000, you would need to add to your kitty significantly before being in a position to make a purchase. It may take 6 months, for argument’s sake, to raise the extra £2,000 but you may find that by the time you have the total funds ready, the price of the watch may have grown to £5,500. So finding that balance between saving enough and not waiting too long is vital.

Not a one-size-fits-all choice

It’s possible that you have always loved the look of a sleek, elegant gold dress watch – perhaps something like the classic Patek Philippe Calatrava. Worn by sophisticates the world over for decades, this model certainly exudes style and grace. But just because you like this model, doesn’t mean it is the watch for you. If you are a great hulk of a man then a smaller, daintier watch is probably not the most logical choice. Equally, if you are a smaller, petite woman, a larger watch like the mountainous Rolex Sea-Dweller DeepSea is most likely not for you.

So start with a watch that you like and that is suitable for your style, size, and lifestyle.

Be realistic

Always dreamed of owning a rare pre-moon-landing Omega Speedmaster? Lay awake at night fantasising about wearing an A. Lange & Söhne tourbillion? When buying your first watch, it is vital to stay grounded and set yourself realistic targets. Certain watches are difficult to acquire, even for seasoned collectors – so it is important to temper any unrealistic expectations.

All things to all people

When laying out the criteria that will determine your first purchase, don’t forget that no watch can tick all the boxes. A watch that is designed to traverse rugged terrain or journey to the bottom of the sea, is not likely to be sleek enough to wear with a suit and tie. Similarly, a dainty cocktail watch wouldn’t be much help when ascending a mountain.

Google is your friend

We live in the golden age of information so use it to your advantage. There are countless blogs, opinion pieces, websites, videos, articles and social media accounts dedicated to the world of watches. Do the necessary research, put the effort in and remember that an informed decision is a sensible one.  

Not all sellers are equal

Once you have done all your exhaustive research and narrowed down your options, it is time to find your watch. Buying a pre-owned watch, especially online, can seem very daunting. It is tempting to go with the cheapest seller out there, but the price really is only one element to consider, and probably not even the most important one. Do your homework on a seller, and consider factors such as how long the company has been established, what warranty is given, if there is a returns policy, if a buyback option is offered, and what other customers have had to say about them. Whatever watch you end up going for, you are likely to be parting with a substantial sum of money, so make sure to be thorough and chances are you will be making the correct decision.