Investing in luxury watches: Do's and Dont's

Before we give some free Wristler tips, of course you know that we are not financial advisors. We are enthusiasts, have a passion for beautiful watches and like a little risk. So you may lose your deposit or part of it. So handle your money consciously. 

Determine your budget

Because there are so many different brands of luxury watches, we can imagine that you can't see the forest for the trees. You can buy a Rolex, of course. Or a Cartier, a Patek Philippe. But each watch has its charm, appearance and, of course, price. Not everyone can buy a Patek Philippe watch. Therefore, think about the budget you want to spend on a watch: is it money you don't need or can't afford? Then you can then choose which watch to purchase. If you want to know what the Return On Investment (ROI) has been over the last decade, we have developed an investment tool to compare it to other investment assets, specially for you, and it’s free!

Because of all these brands and different prices, different returns are also present with these watches. A Rolex is popular, with good returns. The same goes for Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Only the prices of these watches are not bad: you are easily €10.000 to €100.000 further when you buy such a watch. Do you want to get in a little more budget friendly? Then look for a nice Cartier watch, such as a Tank, a Must de Cartier or a Pasha. 

Personal Taste

Watches can be divided in categories. Some might give their preference on new watches only. Others might fall for the charm that vintage watches bring with them. It is important for you to find out what your personal preferences are based on this. One thing to keep in mind as well is your preference of metal. Some people deteste wearing Gold watches, some only wear gold or two-tone. These things can be based on your skin tone, or simply your personal taste.

Would you prefer a Rolex anyway? You can make it as crazy as you want with a nice (two-tone) Datejust, Day-Date or even a Daytona. We don't want to assure anything, but the past few years have proven to be successful when it comes to the returns on these watches. 

What we do think is important: buy a watch you like. Or cool. Because you appreciate the technology, or just the look of the watch. For example, look at one of those beautiful watches from Omega: we are absolute fans of the vintage Omegas. Or a Must de Cartier 28mm: classic, stylish and easy to match. 

Buy the Seller

With mechanical watches, it is a must to have any form of guarantee on your watch. This is really determined by the company you buy your watch. Some sellers give up to 24 months of warranty on the movements of the watch. This is a bit more difficult when talking about vintage watches. Vintage watch movements tend to be a bit more sensitive than newer watch movements. This makes it more difficult for the seller to stand in for the longevity of the movement of the watch. Make sure you are aware of their warranty policy, and the value that long lasting warrenty’s offer you. In some cases a service for your watch can cost you more than €1.000. If you know you are set for the first two years warranty wise, you can spend a little more on the specific watch, when keeping in mind the cost of service.
 

So we only wear what we think is cool. And what we can afford, of course. And whether we make money with it? We don't really care. Because we love watches. Do you want to start the search for your next watch or investment? Then of course you can turn to Wristler. The stock changes daily, so keep an eye on the site. So that you are always up to date with the latest collections. And are you looking for something specific? Let us know and we will be happy to help you!