When you are ready to branch into the world of high end watches, there are many considerations you must recognize before going to the register. A lot of people will want the perfect look and fit and that is of course entirely subjective. However, one thing that is far less subjective and also important to many watch buyers and collectors is the issue of value, and specifically, which brands will hold their value and even increase in value with the passage of time. Some brands are so well respected that they will see their watches always maintain high value and demand, and other names in the industry will wane in interest.
So which luxury watch brands will best hold their value over time?
The short answer is that cream of the luxury watch crop will always retain their value. Companies like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, JLC, Vacheron Constantin, and of course Rolex will maintain value. This is because they are all well-known names and people will always remember the best brands and those will keep their name recognition high in the collectors’ eyes. Also, these high end watches are truly made better, and that quality makes the value remain extremely high. Rolex is well known to have an in-house manufacturing capacity unmatched by any other brand, and because of that, everyone can recognize that a Rolex is a marvelous creation. In this world, more so than many others, you get what you pay for, and a high end watch truly is more valuable that the others.
Any watch, like a new car, will lose its value when purchased new and first worn. It’s a fact of the matter: a brand new item is no longer brand new once it’s removed from the packaging, or in the world of cars, driven off the lot, so to speak. Many high end watch lovers are extremely wealthy and won’t care about that dip in value and will therefore always buy a watch new. However, for others, and particularly for collectors who are looking to flip watches for a profit, it’s important to consider buying an already-owned watch. There are many websites that sell and trade high end watches, and the advantages of working with a resaler like that are many. For example, you will be able to get the paper trail with past history and work performed on the watch which creates transparency that is important for buyers and sellers.
Also, you have a bit of peace of mind that the watch is indeed real if it’s gone through the scrutiny of a professional’s eye. If you’re anything but a professional watch lover and you buy from an independent party you are in a high risk group for not getting your money’s worth or, even worse, getting ripped off big time.
Another factor that will help a watch keep its value is the material it is made out of. Since the wear and tear could be what lowers its value, a material like steel will hold up against time better than a precious metal watch.
A trusted brand like those mentioned above stand a higher chance of retaining and increasing in value. And as should be no surprise, if you go into the vintage market, the ultra rare watches will cost more now, but should be able to be sold later to a knowing collector.