The foremost question that may go through a person’s mind, while purchasing a luxury watch for the first time may be which watch is worth investing among a plethora of options available today. Once an individual decides to invest into a luxury watch; irrespective of the reason there are many factors a buyer must be aware about before purchasing their first luxury watch.

May it be an Omega watch online or while buying a Rado from a well known retail outlet; which can start anywhere from Rs.60, 000/- and go up further depending on the budget; here is a general overview of what to look into, while purchasing a watch in that price range.

1. Mechanical or Quartz

Men’s watches above Rs. 60,000/- will normally have a rather special type of quartz movement or a good quality mechanical movement. Buying a luxury watch generally means having the best possible mechanical movement as such watches never require a battery and actually display the classic way of making watches offering a certain traditional value. However if the luxury watch you are interested in has the ticking of quartz and not the mechanical movement that is fine, as in general quartz watches are actually very reliable and accurate; though at the price offered they essentially require to be of a special type of quartz.

2. Screwed Links

There are generally two types of links used to hold the metal bracelet together screw bars and pins. Screw bars are generally considered better as they are made of higher quality, last longer and also give a better look to the watch. It would be a good idea if your luxury watch has a metal bracelet and the links are held together with screw bars rather than pins.

3. Anti Reflective Coating

Compared to lower priced models generally high priced models will have anti reflective (AR) coating on watch crystals as similar to the ones found in glasses. AR coating can be applied in two places which would be ideal if your watch has that; as one would want as little of the glare as possible while trying to read the face of a watch. However it is imperative the AR coating is present on at least the bottom side of the watch

4. Brand Story

With endless number of brands available in the market this becomes tricky and sometimes the lesser known brands may be much better than the mainstream ones. Hence a popular name is not enough while investing in a brand, and it would be best to understand the story behind the brand and maybe behind the designs as well. Any ardent watch collector would vouch for this method and would probably know great detail and history behind their watches. Eventually it is best to look for very well-known brands or an interesting founder who has actively been involved in the manufacturing and design process of the watch.

5. Watch Finish and Polish

All that glitters is not gold in the same way all nice-looking watch surfaces are not necessarily good. The highest quality is milled steel blocks that are precision cut and then polished by hand; while the cheaper ones have stamped or injection molded metal that is not as nice or durable. A better quality metal used provides better polish and finish. Hence while making the purchase the buyer must be careful to look into the metal to ensure all the edges are polished well and the finish is neat; rather than a coating which may strip off later. This insures the watch looking well polished and new over a longer period of time.

6. Chronometer Certification

Chronometer certification is a process where a watch movement is sent to the COSC and tested over a period of days. Not all luxury watches even the high range ones have this feature, though if your watch has this feature it adds to the value and reliability of your watch. As a very small percent of Swiss watches are COSC Chronometer certified; having this helps add to the story of a watch.

7. Unique Design

Investing in an expensive watch demands some sort of uniqueness and originality to the design; as one would not want to pay thousands of rupees for a watch for it to be mistaken as a watch which is worth much less. However spotting a unique design also takes a certain level of skill and understanding of watches. Hence if you are a new collector it might be helpful to ask around, do some research or follow your own feeling as to whether the watch stands out from other and also matches your sense of style.

8. Value

All the factors listed above like good movement, attractive and original design, and high level of craftsmanship using quality materials ensure good value and demand of the watch in the future. Normally it will not be possible to resell a watch for more than it has been bought, but it would be good if the price does not fall too much after one has invested a hefty amount in a luxury watch.

Buying the watch

Besides this there are various other features one may look into while purchasing a watch depending on their style and requirement; like a watch which has a chronograph (stopwatch) and so on. Buyers today have numerous options to make a purchase with several malls and well known watch stores selling proper branded watches. Also online is a great place to look while buying watches and contrary to the opinion that watches sold online may be fake; as in case of retail stores one just needs to do a thorough back ground check on the genuineness of the online watch seller.

Few things one may keep in mind while thinking of buying that Rolex, Cartier or Omega watch online– be wary of deals which sell a product worth 80,000/- for half the price, check if the seller is reputed one by checking attached accredited organizations; along with checking the guarantee and return policy. Also be sure to check for purchase protection and seller reviews by buyers on sites like eBay and PayPal while buying online. Also, with plethora of existing and upcoming online sites, one can purchase high-quality watches at Zimson Watches and other similar retailers.

Another method is of calling the manufacturer and checking the serial number, which is the same as one would do while buying from a retailer.