It’s more than brand, price, features—it’s about what it says about you
Getting a luxury watch is a milestone event. It’s a moment that says, “I’ve made it.” A watch of this calibre is a timepiece —something special to look at and admire. A watch that makes a statement about who you are, what you’re made of, and your journey to get to the place you are.
It’s success. It’s prestige. It’s a symbol of power.
You’ve made your decision to buy a luxury watch, now just how do you do it? That’s the tricky part. Because a watch like this is a statement piece—a piece of jewelry that means more than merely telling the time—you need to choose something that connects with you. Any $5 watch can tell you want time it is, you’re looking for something with style, craftsmanship, substance, and beauty.
Here are a few tips on looking for your first—or next—luxury watch.
Start doing your research
Google may not be the be all and end all of research, but it’s the first place to start your search for tips. Starting with “how to buy a luxury watch” is simple but breaks the ice. Posts like Things to Look For When Buying a Luxury Watch from Esquire, Luxury Watches: A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Your First from Highsnobiety, or How to Buy Your Next Luxury Watch Online | GQ (this is sponsored content, which doesn’t mean it’s wrong, just read between the lines), give you a start on your search.
Digging into sites like Hodinkee yield great, real, posts like In-Depth: Twelve Mistakes New Watch Guys Make, And How To Avoid Them (From Someone Who’s Been There) and In-Depth: Twelve More Mistakes New Watch Enthusiasts Make (And How To Avoid Them) both giving you some insight into buying a watch from people who know buying—and wearing—watches.
Look, look, and look some more
A luxury watch isn’t an impulse purchase, it’s something you take time with—especially if it’s your first watch. If you’re a collector and you see a watch you’ve spent years looking for—and find it—that’s different. But also the same. A collector looking for a special watch knows what they want. The looking part is done.
If you can look at watches in person, do. Look at the classics like Rolex and Omega. Look at Audemars Piguet, IWC, and Vacheron. Try watches on. See how the heft feels on your arm. Or enjoy the lightness of a truly thin and beautiful watch. Do you like bracelet or bands? Do you want a simple face or a complex chronograph?
Start building your list of things you like, and don’t, about each watch. As you get a sense for what you’re most attracted to, you can start narrowing things down. We haven’t talked about price yet, because budgets are tricky things. You might start with a price in your head, but find what you really would like more than you expected.
We’ll get to price next.
Narrow your list and search in earnest
With a few favorites in mind, now is when you start looking for the best you can get for your money and the best deal. Here’s a tip from one of the posts above:
This is the rookie mistake to end all rookie mistakes. You’re just getting into watches, you’re on a budget, but you reallllly want a [insert expensive, desirable watch here]. But resist that urge. Don’t buy a Submariner with a case that’s smooth and polished like a river rock or that Speedmaster with replacement hands, a cracked bezel, and a janky bracelet. It will feel good for about 10 minutes, and then it will start to hurt. And then it’ll hurt more. And eventually, you’ll wonder how you could ever be so foolish. Via In-Depth: Twelve More Mistakes New Watch Enthusiasts Make (And How To Avoid Them)
Sometimes there is the watch you can afford and the watch you can get. For your first watch, starting with the watch you can get might be your bet. Or save your money to get the watch you love down the road. Watches are like great pens. Once you use a truly exceptional one, you know they are worth every penny. Great, luxury watches stand the test of time and become something to hand down through generations.
That’s not something you can put a price on.
Be discerning
With your decision made, find the place to buy your watch that combines quality, price, and customer service. Sky Luxury offers a range of watches from Audemars Piguet, IWC, and Vacheron for discerning customers and collectors.
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