Buying a new watch is a challenging project for experienced collectors as well as for novice buyers, especially if the piece you are looking for is an expensive, luxury item that is not only a stylish device for measuring time, but an investment as well. If you think you can do with a little help with the selection process, here are a few questions to ask before purchasing a new watch.
When Did the Watch Come Out?
The latest releases are usually the most expensive, followed in the line by improved versions of formerly popular models.
What Is the Movement in the Watch?
The most common movement types are manual, automatic and quartz. Manual and automatic watches are mechanical, meaning that they use mechanical parts, such as springs and gears to measure time, while quartz watches use batteries and electric circuits to do the same.
Choose a mechanical watch if you are prepared to wind it daily – if you tend to forget such things, go for an automatic, self-winding watch or a quartz. Mechanical watches are more complex and require more knowledge and work hours to build, therefore they are much more expensive than quartz watches, even though the items that belong to the latter category offers more accuracy and durability.
What Features and Functions Does the Watch Offer?
You will see watches that tell only the time, maybe the date and you will find watches that feature complex displays, with gauges for depth, altitude, moon phase and other parameters. If you are an avid diver, you might be interested in the depth to which the watch stays water-tight or you might want to know whether the watch is shock-proof.
How Much Will Maintenance and Servicing Cost?
The best watches are sensitive, sophisticated devices that need regular, professional care. When buying your watch, make sure that you find out exactly how you can take care of your precious new asset and also find out about the duration and the costs of any watch repair Denver services that you might need.
Maintenance work usually includes interior and exterior cleaning, polishing, lubrication with special materials, inspection of the gears and battery replacement, while repair procedures depend on the type of fault experienced. If your watch is very special, repairs that require the replacement of parts might take quite long because the replacement parts need to be ordered from the manufacturer and they might need time to custom-create the piece for you. The more complex the repair is and the more work it involves, the higher the final repair bill will be.
What Does It Feel Like to Wear the Watch?
This is a question that you should ask yourself and one that only you can answer. Wear the watch of choice for a few minutes in the shop and try to figure out whether it reflects your personality and your style. The style of the watch needs to match your overall dressing style as well, so try to make a mental inventory of your entire wardrobe and imagine what the watch would look like when worn with your favorite outfits.