With the current watch market having a wide variety of brands to explore and choose from, buying your first luxury watch can be both exciting and daunting. A luxury watch can represent style and class. Thus, it’s essential not to rush and buy the first selection you see. And while taste and preferences generally vary from one person to another, at the end of the day, you’d want a watch that helps highlight your overall personality and style.
While shopping for a luxury watch, you may come across various outlets and websites claiming to stock the original. However, you’ll need to carefully check for authorized dealers and distributors from an official source. This can help you avoid the risk of buying replicas that wouldn’t last long like the original pieces.
In fact, some watches would even have inscriptions to confirm their authenticity. For example, in Switzerland, the seal of Geneva certification is needed to verify that a watch has been made following their strict set of rules. You can find this certification inscribed inside the dial casing.
And so, if you’re looking into buying your first luxury watch, below are some things to look for:
The Luxury Watch’s Quality And Information
Even though a luxury watch would help showcase your class, it’s more than just a stylish timepiece. It’s an investment that appreciates the art and design of a true masterpiece. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure you’re buying a high-quality watch.
Among the first signs of quality is the luxury watch’s brand name. And perhaps, many people may easily associate a name with quality. However, there’s more to quality than just the name. As mentioned, in Switzerland, the watch industry is required to follow standards. And these generally result in some of the best quality luxury watches.
Watch movements whose assembling, casing, and inspection are all in Switzerland carry the ‘Swiss Made’ branding. However, those that use Swiss movements but are assembled outside Switzerland have the ‘Swiss Movement’ branding. In addition, there are other watch movements, too, like the Japanese watch movement, which follows Japanese standards. And so, while shopping, consider looking out for these branding inscriptions inside the dial casing.
Another mark of quality is its accuracy which is defined through the chronometer rating. This rating shows that a luxury watch has undergone rigorous testing under the Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres (COSC). Such watches would carry the term ‘chronometre certifie’ inscription under their dial.
The Luxury Watch’s Features And Calibre
Apart from telling the time, a luxury watch can also have other features that enhance its quality and prestige. In this case, your taste and lifestyle can determine the extra features you want in a watch.
For example, some watches may have anti-magnetic designs best suited for a medical technician or an engineer. While other watches have chronographs, making them ideal if you’re a runner or scuba diver. On the other hand, if you fly frequently and don’t want to keep switching between time zones, you can have a GMT world timer that has multiple displays.
Aside from these outright features, you can also look for other design and aesthetic qualities that meet your taste and preference. For instance, one of the essential factors you can look out for is the calibre or the watch’s movement type. This can either be automatic, mechanical, or quartz. This is a feature you should look at keenly if you’re particular about your watch’s movement.
The Luxury Watch’s Material
The strap, lug, crystal, and casing are generally made from different materials. Most luxury brands use synthetic sapphire for the crystal due to its durability and scratch resistance. On the other hand, the strap can be made of stainless steel, leather, or resin. Some can even be satin or nylon. The case and the lug can be gold, stainless steel, or platinum. Others, though, can also be made of plastic.
All these material types give you various choices as per your taste. Your budget can also determine which material to take. Additionally, if you wear your luxury watch on special occasions only, a gold or platinum case material may be ideal. Stainless steel can suffice for daily wear due to its resilient and anti-shock characteristics.
Final Words
When looking to buy your first luxury timepiece, there are a few things to look for and check while shopping to ensure you’re making a wise choice. After all, a luxury watch can be a personal investment- a stylish and expensive one in this case.
With that in mind, look out for the watch’s quality, material, and the features and calibre you desire to get the most out of your purchase.
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