5 Tips for buying your first luxury watch

Buying a watch is very easy. Buying a good luxury watch is a bit more difficult. How do you find the perfect watch if you are not yet very familiar with the market? What do you have to look out for? What are must-haves and what warning signs should you not ignore? Savvy watch lovers who are aware of the market situation and already know how to efficiently keep track of the latest trends naturally have a head start. Those who are facing the purchase of a luxury watch for the first time can quickly feel overwhelmed. We want to clear up the fact that the whole thing is not as complicated as it seems at first glance with this article.

Which watch suits me?

On the one hand, the range of different watches is almost immeasurable. On the other hand, this also means that the right watch can almost certainly be found for everyone. Whether smartwatch, dresswatch or mechanical watch - many motivations for watches can be traced back to the following points:

● Watches as a status symbol

● Watches as a way to express identity or to signal membership in prestigious populations

● Watches as a potential investment opportunity

● Watches as a tribute to the craft itself

● Watches as networking support and conversation starters.

It is also often a mix of reasons that ultimately convince first-time buyers to purchase a watch. To avoid regretting the purchase afterwards, there are several tips that have already been tried and tested.

Choose a watch that you also like

A good starting point are the various platforms on which watches are bought and sold. Here you can already make the first important decisions: Size of the watch, shape of the case, material, type of dial. Should the watch have certain functions? Do you already have a certain bracelet in mind? For beginners, a round watch made of noble metal is generally a good choice, which is durable and covers all basic functions; i.e. hour, minute and second hands as well as the date. To test how well the watch actually fits your wrist, you should then visit an analog watch store. There, you can see how the models actually look and feel. If the watch does not fit properly or feels uncomfortable, even if it is beautiful, it is still not the watch of your dreams.

It all comes down to price

There are reasons why we put money so high on this list. If you are considering buying a luxury watch, you most likely have the budget for it. Nevertheless, the question of cost should not be completely disregarded. High-quality watches are of course always priced accordingly, but also follow-up costs such as repairs that allow the watch a long life should be included from the outset. For the purchase of a high-quality clock it offers itself to use money, which you can raise in any case, for example bonus payments, commissions or also money gifts, which received you to holidays or other special causes. Especially since such a purchase is associated with higher expenses, you should not be influenced too much by advertising or your own environment. It's your watch - your taste and wishes are what count.

Which brand can I identify with?

The constant competition between brands for customers also offers advantages to prospective customers. You can easily find out which brand represents which values and beliefs. This can be in the form of sponsorship for sports competitions, or for cultural events.

A brief overview:

Ulysse Nardin and Panerai are good choices for sailing enthusiasts; amateur pilots might be better off with Breitling or Longines. Rolex, TAG Heuer and Hublot are classic brands for motorsports fans. Omega produces the official watches for the James Bond franchise, in addition to homages to space travel. So there is a watch for almost every interest. If you're looking more for "good conscience" brands, such as those that support environmental initiatives, Oris may be the brand for you. Among other things, the manufacturer produces watches whose dials are made of recycled plastic and is also otherwise committed to sustainable production. Breitling and Panerai have also recently launched eco-friendly models.

Where should I buy my watch?

For the best atmosphere to buy a high-quality watch for the first time, it obviously makes more sense to go to an appropriate retail store. If you plan to build up a watch collection, you should find a reputable retailer as early as possible, with whom you can establish a good relationship. Under certain circumstances, you may be invited to exclusive events or benefit from special offers. If this is not so important to you, you can of course also order your desired watch quickly and easily online from anywhere. Ordering a fine watch from the comfort of your sofa can of course feel just as luxurious. Both options are similar in terms of warranties and services, but it's generally a good idea to make sure that the service provider you choose is trustworthy.

Where can I have my watch serviced?

Similar to cars, good watches also need maintenance at regular intervals. In general, the recommendation is to have such maintenance performed about every three to four years. If you bought the watch locally in a store, you can also bring it back there for maintenance. Workshops that are certified for this by the brands themselves are also an option. Here, there is a possibility that the maintenance prices may even be a bit lower. Especially if you don't want to resell your watches, it makes sense to hire competent watchmakers to do the maintenance, since you don't need papers documenting all the maintenance here.

We hope that our advice will help you choose the right watch and take care of it. At this point, however, a warning: once you have bought a watch for everyday wear, you will certainly start looking for dress watches or sports watches in not too long. Thus, a non-binding interest quickly turns into a full-blown passion. When the time comes, even an experienced collector can advise people who are looking for their first luxury watch.