We’d like to share some thoughts and tips with you to consider before buying a watch. We can’t cover all of the things you would need to consider in this blog, so we would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and questions on the other things we also need to consider. So please feel free to mail them to info@grandtimepiece.co.za.
1.) KNOW THE SIZE OF YOUR WATCH
This seems to be very obvious but the one thing that can give a better indication is the lug-to-lug width. Too much emphases get placed on the case diameter of a watch which gets influenced by two virtual factors. 1)The size and thickness of the bezel and 2) the size of the hour marker circle. However, the lug-to-lug distance of a watch (illustrated in the picture below) will play a very important role to get to the perfect fit.
Let us explain how…
The important part is that you want the lug-to-lug distance of a watch to be smaller than the width of your wrist. Our preferred ratio is when the watch case has a case size of 60 to 75% of the size of the flat surface of your wrist and the lug-to-lug distance is 75 to 95% of your wrist width. More than 100% will make your watch overhang your wrist and not look so great. To get a rough estimate of the size of the flat surface of your wrist, just measure your wrist size (in millimeters) and divide it by 3.
2.) RESALE VALUE OF YOUR WATCH
The ideal scenario is that we never would want to sell our watch and hold onto it for a lifetime. The sad reality is that our taste or circumstance sometimes changes and we end up thinking of selling it to make space for another timepiece you’d much rather be wearing. To avoid a costly regret, later on, you’d rather be spending some time ahead of a watch purchase to see if the particular watch you are interested in, is popular.
We’ll explain why…
If you consider buying a new watch, we recommend you mostly try and stay with reputable watch brands. Take your time to research and read reviews from reputable watch experts to get peace of mind before you purchase. If you think of buying pre-owned, always try and buy from a pre-owned watch dealer with a reputable track record based on customer testimonials and recommendations. Ask the watch dealer some questions that will affect your watch value over time…
1) Does it have Box and (most importantly) Papers? This will prove the authenticity of the watch. Buying a watch without this will negatively impact your watch value. The original papers stating a watch’s serial number and purchase date contribute to about 10-15% of its value. Without it, you can’t prove prior ownership as well.
2) Does the seller include a warranty and what does it cover? This is important to know as a reputable Seller/Dealer will always offer a warranty. It will mean that the dealer has done a throughout check on the timepiece before making it available on the market. Without a warranty, it can cost you some money should something go wrong a few months later.
3) When last was this watch serviced? Important to know as you don’t want to send it in for a service that could be costly a few months later. I explain this more in point number 3 below.
3). UNDERSTAND THE WATCH MOVEMENT AND THE COST TO SERVICE YOUR WATCH
These two considerations go hand-in-hand. The first thing you need to consider is understanding your watch’s movement. This forms part of one of the most valuable research you can do before buying a watch. Especially when you plan on buying a pre-owned or vintage piece. Not understanding it and having a little bit of knowledge when you are looking at buying a watch is a dangerous thing.
The reason is that if you buy a watch with a movement that is outdated in terms of sourcing parts when it comes to servicing it, it can cost you a lot of money to import parts overseas. Worst yet, if you can’t find parts here you’ll need to send the watch overseas to be worked on there. Secondly, if you buy a watch with a highly decorated and complicated movement, the servicing cost can also put you out of pocket with a handsome amount. In comparison, I’m sure you will relate if I say you can buy a luxury vehicle for an affordable price because it is out of its motor plan. There’s a reason for that…..when something goes on the engine, it can cost you dearly.
That’s why we at Grand Timepiece offer a 12-month warranty on all our watches to give you peace of mind. We also have our own certified watchmaker that enables us to offer service on most brands. This helps us to keep the cost relatively low to our clients.
4). WHAT IS YOUR LIFESTYLE?
Whenever you thinking of buying a watch, you need to consider what are your day to day movements. Can you envision that watch on your wrist all day? If you have an office job and are going to wear this particular watch to work on a weekly and daily basis, then perhaps an elegant dress watch might be the right fit. You would want the case to be a bit slimmer so that it fits in neatly under your cuff.
Alternatively, you want your watch on your wrist when you go diving or swimming but still want to be able to wear it to work. Then a less bulky diver’s watch could be the answer. Whatever your lifestyle, make sure your wristwatch fits in. This is a crucial step before buying a watch.
