Whether you’re an avid watch collector or just looking for a new piece to add to your accessory collection, buying the perfect watch can be a tricky experience. With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming trying to find the right watch that suits your style and your budget. Fortunately, we have a few tips and tricks you can keep in mind when shopping for a new watch.
Consider Your Budget
The first thing you should do when shopping for a watch determines your budget. Watches vary in price based on the brand, materials used, and features included. You don’t want to break the bank on a purchase you can’t afford—to set yourself up with a realistic budget before you start browsing around. It’s also important to take into account any additional costs like taxes and shipping fees which can quickly add up.
Price Ranges & Expectations
Watches can be as low as $20 to over $25,000 from a designer brand. The price varies depending on style, material, brand, movement, and features. If you can, keep a little bit of wiggle room in your price point.
There are many types of watches under $300. You can expect casing and band materials such as cloth, leather, and stainless steel in this price range. Battery, solar quartz movement, and low to moderate water resistance features are also available in this range, especially sports watches.
You can get features such as rubber, cloth, leather bands, stainless steel casing, and quartz movement in the $300-$800 price range for watches. The good news is, brands such as Bulova, Hugo Boss, and Armani – all provide better materials and more advanced features in this price range.
Once you get into the $800-$1000 price range, you can start buying more high-end models and brands. Two major features in this range are the Swiss construction and the PVD coating. The Swiss construction makes watches higher-end than others and the PVD coating protects watches from wear and tear. Leather, stainless steel, and titanium materials with varying degrees of water resistance levels are available in this price range. You can also find watches with analog faces and quartz movements at this level.
Now let’s get into the $1000-$2500 range, you can now buy watches with manual movement, golds, and diamonds. You can also shop from high-end designers such as Oris, Longines, Gucci, and Givenchy. The quality of the watches also increases in terms of materials, coatings, and long-lasting constructions.
The watches in the $2500-$5000 price range can vary greatly depending on the materials and designers. Watch brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Glashütte, Nomos, Patek Philippe, and A. Lange & Söhne have watches that can go $5000 and beyond. The materials can include precious metals, although some still apply stainless steel. The movements are preferably manual in these watches.
If you want to go beyond $5000 and be extravagant, your perfect watch should be self-winding, scratch-resistant, and water-resistant up to 20 meters. Moreover, look for an analog, 4 additional dials, and look for the presence of minerals and expensive metals.
Consider Your Lifestyle
When selecting a new watch, think about where and when you’ll be wearing it. If you’re looking for something that can withstand rough conditions, such as outdoor activities or sports, then look for watches with features like water resistance and shock absorption. On the other hand, if you plan on wearing it mostly to formal events or in everyday settings, then opt for something sleek and subtle that won’t draw too much attention away from your outfit.
Find Out What’s Trending
Fashion is always changing, so it’s important to keep up with what’s trending to make sure your watch stays fashionable. There are plenty of online resources where you can find out what styles of watches are popular right now and which ones might be falling out of favor soon. This information can help you decide which type of watch would best fit your lifestyle and taste while still staying fashionable at the same time.
Research Different Brands
Once you’ve established your budget, it’s time to start researching different brands of watches. There are hundreds of brands out there with varying styles, so it’s important to know what type of look you’re going for before making any purchases. If possible, try on different watches in stores so that you know exactly what fits best on your wrist. This will help narrow down which brands have the style and design you’re looking for.
Consider Features and Functionality
When shopping for watches, it’s also important to consider features like water resistance and battery life. Watches come with all sorts of features—from alarms and timers to GPS tracking and stopwatch capabilities—so make sure to read up on each feature before investing in one particular model. It’s also important to think about how often you will be wearing the watch; if it’s something that will be worn frequently, then durability should be taken into consideration as well.
Perfect Watch Needs Perfect Fit
When you have considered all the factors we’ve mentioned already, it’s time to take the last step. Make sure that the watch fits you. You want your perfect watch to be tight enough around your wrist. You should look at the watch case – if it’s too small or large then you shouldn’t take it. The watch’s case must be a good fit for you (in terms of size).
A good size test of a watch is to try to shift it up and down on your arm. If it moves, then it’s too small. If it doesn’t move at all and leaves an imprint then it’s too big. If it doesn’t leave an imprint and you can’t really shift it up and down on your arm, then it’s a perfect fit for you.
If you are a tall or husky person, make sure that the band is not going to be too small. Similarly, if you have small wrists or a slight body frame, you need a smaller watch case as well as a band.
Consider Additional Features
Most watches come with basic features such as date displays, chronographs, and timers but there are plenty of other options available depending on your budget and what type of lifestyle activities you plan on using the watch for. For example, if swimming is one of your hobbies, then a water-resistant model would be ideal while those who love outdoor activities might appreciate having a compass or altimeter feature built into their timepiece.
Conclusion
Buying the perfect watch is all about finding one that fits both your style and budget while offering all of the features you need or want in a timepiece. Do some researches ahead of time so that you understand what types of watches are available on the market today and which ones would best suit your needs or lifestyle. Once you understand these basics then finding the perfect watch shouldn’t be too difficult!
