Useful Tips For Purchasing Your First Luxury Watch

Whether we like it or not, the modern concept of time seems to govern our lives. From getting the kids ready for school to trying to organise a Zoom meeting, we need to know what time it is.

Luckily for us, we no longer need to rely on primitive timekeeping devices to help us through our days. Sundials (a few clouds and you’re late), wax candles that burn down in a certain amount of time (think of the mess, not to mention the fire risk), and sand hourglasses are a thing of the past. It is the era of clocks and watches!

With modern technology, time is displayed everywhere, your phone, your car, and your lap top for example. So, the first thing you need to ask yourself is…..what do I need my watch to do? 

Function vs Fashion

There are many reasons for buying a watch, you need to think about what is yours. Will it be a permanent fixture on your arm or only worn on special occasions?

Function

If you are going to be an avid watch wearer, do you also want it to display the date? Do you need a chronograph for timing or a backlight to be able to read the watch in dim light? Some watches even offer a Moon phase window, useful if you’re into astrology or are a werewolf.

Fashion

If you are looking to invest in a prestige watch simply because they look awesome, then great! This is also a very good reason, but I would be more mindful of the type of watch I would purchase. Maybe spending the extra money on a watch with lots of features is not necessary. Maybe spend that extra bit on style instead.

Mechanical vs Quartz

Prestige watches can come with either mechanical or quartz movements. “What does this mean?” I hear you cry….. 

Simply put, a quartz watch will require a battery, this will obviously need to be changed every few years and can cost between £10-£100’s depending on the watch and where it is taken. The battery will keep your watch ticking nicely without a second thought from yourself. 

A mechanical watch is an altogether different animal. For starters there are two different types of mechanical watches, manual winding or self-winding. If you purchase a manual winding watch you will need to remember to wind the watch every few days or so keep it moving. If you forget, it’s no biggie but you will need to re-set the time and date each time it is not wound. A self-winding watch will wind itself with the motion of your arm. Great if you don’t want to have to remember to wind it, but if it’s not worn daily you will have to reset and wind it manually each time it stops due to lack of motion. 

Luckily things exist that will wind your watch for you, hurrah! I fall into the category of person that would either forget, or is too lazy to wind my watch myself, terrible I know. Take a look at these fabulous watch winders by following the link below: 

Set a budget

It can be easy to get distracted by beauty and blow your budget when shopping for a prestige watch. Really think about how much you want to spend and stick to it. The best makes of watches can run into several thousands of pounds, and then some! The good news is, the better the watch, the better it will hold its value. A really great, well-made watch can last a lifetime and be a sound investment.  

Pre-Owned vs Brand New.

Find a trusted seller

Brand new or pre-owned aside, you must make sure that you are buying from a reputable seller. Unfortunately, counterfeit watches are out there and they can be hard to spot if you don’t know what you are looking for. Make sure the watch has the correct box and relevant paperwork to help establish authenticity. I would avoid places like on line marketplaces, you can’t see the seller or the watch and the pictures are not always the best so you can be easily fooled. Try and find somewhere that has good reviews, an established customer base and know what they are doing. We pride ourselves on our knowledge and customer service, but not all places are like us. It’s not all doom and gloom though, with a bit of research you can avoid being caught out when parting with your hard-earned cash.

Do your research

The most valuable piece of advice I can give you would be to do your research. Look at different watch styles, features, sellers and materials. If you do your research well, you feel more confident with your purchase and that horrible feeling of “buyer’s remorse” won’t get a look in. A great place for free advice and knowledge is internet forums. Social media have some great groups set up for watch lovers that are even specific to each make of watch. They can be a treasure trove for the novice watch collector and you will generally get honest answers from people that already own watches that you may be thinking of purchasing.

Don’t forget to take a look at the wonderful range of watches we have on offer at HC Jewellers. We are always happy to help with any questions you may have, as we have an in-house watch expert and we also work closely with an independent watch maker.

We currently have sale on all pre-owned luxury watches, to help you get started with your collection this season.