There comes a time in every young professional’s life when they are faced with a major decision. The ultimate decision that could be very monumental or rudimentary for the future of an individual. You may be reading this feeling nostalgic about your first purchase of a timepiece. Or you could be the young professional looking into purchasing your first piece. So what criteria determines how one should go about making a first watch purchase?
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Price
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Purpose
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Brand
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Type
We’ll start with Price as it is normally the #1 determining factor that governs the actual buying of watches. It is very important to know your price range when buying a watch for a variety of different reasons. But most importantly, you need to know how far outside of your budget that you are willing to go. The watch market is fairly volatile just as the car market and pieces get bought and sold very quickly. This can be advantageous or disadvantageous for the end buyer. For instance, let's assume the model you are looking to buy is only available in an older model or newer model. While the age of the model may not seem important, much like a car this can drastically increase or decrease the value of a particular watch. Scarcity is another important aspect of watch pricing so keep this in mind when searching for a piece.
The next most important qualifier for buying is purpose. There are an unfathomable amount of watches in existence and many of them have unique features. There are watches with utility that can add ease to your daily routine or even aid you in your work! There are watches that allow you to dive great depths with them, watches that display dual time zones and even watches that can aid pilots! Luxury watches are not just some fancy wrist ornament, they have usability and they tell complex stories. Each watch has its own story to tell and some have multiple. Be sure that the purpose of your first watch is what you need. Otherwise you could always trade it via your favorite Grey Market dealers here at WATCHXNYC.
What brand should you start your collection with? Rolex? Omega? Cartier? Breitling? Some brands provide a higher level of luxury, others may pride themselves on utility or durability. Most people are going to recommend starting with a classic brand and I would tend to agree. However, when buying your first timepiece it should feel much more organic. A first watch should be a great memento, something to be cherished for a lifetime. When you decide to make your first luxury watch purchase make sure it is the one you really want.
Lastly, keep in mind that the type of watch matters. There are many different types of watches and you will most likely hear about sport and dress watches in comparison with each other. But there are many different sub genres of watches. There are complications such as rattrapante(or split-seconds chronograph), moon phases and even tourbillon. Every watch is special but some definitely possess more intricacy than others. With this comes higher price and exclusivity this is something to keep in mind when researching an allocation.
Ultimately, buying your first watch is no simple task. Which is why it takes some people years to make a decision. And whether you plan on making your decision within days, weeks, months or even years. It is highly important that you educate yourself on timepieces, what they do and how they work. So that you can make an intelligent purchase when the time finally comes. Check out our website, and feel free to contact us for any questions about watches. We would love to help you make that first choice!
