Your first purchase of a luxury-level watch should be thrilling and memorable. But we understand that for newcomers, it might be a terrifying prospect. Because everyone’s demands, tastes, means, and concept of “luxury” differ, no one can tell you which watch is best for you. A little direction, on the other hand, can help you ask the proper questions and make an informed decision for yourself.
First and foremost, why do you desire a luxury watch?
There are several reasons why you might want a “good watch.” Identifying your position and motivation can immediately help you narrow your search.
Do you simply want a stylish, long-lasting everyday watch?
The good news is that you have a lot of terrific selections and aren’t confined to prominent brand names and high prices. The bad news is that you haven’t restricted your options significantly, as many watches offer this level of quality. You should examine additional criteria such as pricing, style, and features, as well as whether any of the following situations apply to you.
Do you wish to add a watch to your personal style?
Visual components and brand names may play a larger role in your decision, but you’ll also want to consider aesthetic essentials like dress or athletic, modern or retro. Sport watches are popular and come in a variety of forms inspired by specialized activities such as diving, aviation, racing, and the military. You’ll be well on your way if you can identify a genre that piques your attention.
Do you need a watch to help you give a more professional presentation?
This is a popular cause for people to get their first luxury watch: some people believe that a good watch can help them be taken more seriously by managers or impress potential clients. For these objectives, well-known brands and models, including as Rolex, Panerai, Omega, IWC, and Zenith, are safe and will serve you well. These are all brands with prices that start in the mid to upper luxury range, but a simple and robust mechanical watch can be a terrific option for people on a tighter budget, as well as expressing one’s own taste and uniqueness.
Is your watch going to be a status symbol?
This is an extension of the last point: you’re doing well financially and want to brag about it. (As in, well-known.) Sure, glitter like gold and diamonds can help, but often just the brand on an otherwise plain-looking watch does the trick – think Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet. Complicated characteristics such as skeletonization, avant-garde designs, and tourbillons can convey status to watchmakers.
Do you want to buy a luxury watch just to experience its quality, engineering, intricacies, and history?
You’re well on your way to being a #watchnerd, and even if you acquire a watch for another purpose, you might grow to appreciate it in this way as well. This is a wonderful reason to want a watch, but because this is what most luxury watches claim to give, you’ll want to reduce your options even more and consider additional factors outlined below.
What is a “luxury watch?” And what qualities might you anticipate for your price range?
The essential beginning point for any watch purchase is the budget. Today, all timepieces are considered luxury because they are not required in daily life. For some, $100 may seem like a lot of money to spend on something they don’t need, but others may believe that “luxury” extends far into the thousands of dollars.
Features that were once beyond of reach for many people have become more accessible than ever because to advances in manufacturing technology, the internet, and globalization. With small microbrands leading the way and larger brands responding with a greater emphasis on entry-level value, you can now get watches with luxury features like sapphire crystal, ceramic bezels, Swiss automatic movements, and refined details for a few hundred dollars — these are luxury features, and why we’ll start talking about “luxury watches” at $500.
To determine the types of features you may expect at different price points, we’ll look at watches divided into three categories: entry-level, mid-range, and high-end. These are imperfect categories that will bleed into one another in practice — and there will always be exceptions — but the following generalizations are intended to help guide first-time purchasers on what to look for.