Things You Forget to Consider When Buying a Watch

More often than not, a lot of research and shopping is conducted before purchasing a luxury watch. There are many things that the soon-to-be watch owner considers: “What is my price range?” “What features do I want in a watch?” “Is there a certain brand that I want?” However, there are several things that are extremely important to consider, but many forget to do so. The purpose of this post is to serve as a friendly reminder to not forget these aspects that are often overlooked, but are still important to consider.

1) The ticking of the watch.

When you are in a store trying on several different watches, there are usually many people around you and most likely and, because you are in a public place, there will be some noise. While the noise does bother you at that moment, you may later realize that that noise really impeded your ability to choose the right watch for you. You choose a watch, purchase it, and proudly walk out the door.

The next day, you are sitting in a business meeting or in a movie at a theater and you hear this loud ticking noise. After a few minutes of looking around and trying to figure out the cause of this noise that is slowly driving you mad, you suddenly realize that the watch that you just spent several thousand dollars on is ticking so loudly that everyone around you can hear it.

You may think that this is silly example, but it happens. In fact it happened to one the Crown & Caliber team members just the other day at the movies and this was the culprit:

 

2) Glare

Chances are, you will wear your watch outside at some point. If it is a bright day, you want to be able to be able to look at your watch without having the glare of the sun blind you. That is why anti-reflective coating is so important. When browsing the watches at the store, glare may not be an issue in the softly lit boutique. However, it could quickly become an issue the minute you step outside. Most high-end luxury watches will include anti-reflective coating on the crystal and some will have it on the caseback. However, some of the entry level, lower price range watches may not come with an anti-reflective coating.

3) Hold Their Value

Some people purchase watches with the idea that it will increase in price over time. Unless it is a limited edition watch or some watch that holds a special significance, such as a Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 2526 or a Paul Newman Rolex Daytona, the watch will not appreciate. The minute a luxury watch is purchased, it begins to depreciate in value. However, some watches depreciate significantly, while other depreciate significantly slower. If you are interested in it’s resale value, you will want to do some research on the pre-owned luxury watch market. Lucky for you, we have already done the research for you. Check out which our research on different brands in the pre-owned market: Which Watch Brands Hold their Value Most? – Part II (with data).

4) What Can Be Passed Down?

Many people own luxury watches that have been passed down through generations of family members. When purchasing a high-end luxury watch, such as a Patek Philippe or an A. Lange & Sohne, the buyer can rest assured that it will last for many generations. If passing down your watch to your son and grandson is important to you, then you want to make sure that you are purchasing from a brand that is known for their quality and durability.

Also to consider is the style of a watch. A brand like Rolex or Patek Philippe creates watches that are classic in design so will most likely always stay in style. However, more modern watches, such a Hublot and Richard Mille, have models that may not pass the test of time. If you are interested in passing down the watch, make sure it is a design that will never go out of style.

There are many things to consider when purchasing a watch and most of them are very obvious. This short list just brings to your attention some of the things that don’t seem to be important when purchasing a watch or may never even cross your mind, but prove to be very important later on. There are many things that could be added to this list. Can you think of any? Let us know and we will add them!