Whether you’re purchasing a first luxury watch or adding something to a collection, there are certain characteristics that must be present. Knowing what you’re getting makes it all the easier to determine if the price is right or if you need to keep looking. That knowledge covers a lot of ground. Do you know how to properly wind and set time on Rolex? What about knowing how to verify authenticity based on where the serial number is located? Keep these and other factors in mind and you’re more likely to end up with a watch that’s everything you hoped it would be.  

There’s a reason that some brands have reputations that are more positive than others. As someone who plans on purchasing a luxury watch, you want to know why those reputations are so great. The reasons may vary slightly from one brand to the next, but the overall answer is that the brands can be trusted in terms of quality, style, design, and longevity. Once you know what each brand has to offer, it’s that much easier to focus on the ones that seem to be the best fit for you. 

One of the qualities that you’re likely to encounter is the mechanical workings of the watch. Most watches designed for general use make use of quartz movements that keep running with the aid of batteries. When a battery wears out, it’s easy to replace it and keep going. 

With many luxury watches, mechanical workings continue to rule the day. Some of them are self-winding while others have to be manually wound. There’s also the need to have the workings cleaned by a professional from time to time. This helps to ensure that the cogs, springs, and other elements continue to perform at optimum levels. It helps to know something about what to expect based on the maintenance and upkeep of the workings. 

Luxury brands typically make use of higher quality materials for everything from the workings to the casings to the bands. There are usually no desires to cut corners in order to optimize profits. If some material purchased for the production of a line of Rolex watches is found to be deficient in some manner, it’s removed from the production process at once. In fact, the production can come to a halt until the right materials arrive. 

A lot rests on the use of superior materials. Along with the design elements that ensure the watches last for decades, those materials help to build and maintain reputations. When you know more about how materials are selected, it’s easier to understand why the watch is such a great investment. 

Quality assurance may begin with the choice of materials, but it won’t end there. Throughout the process, there are checks and balances to ensure that each watch meets the standards set by the company. Even after a watch is finished, it’s subjected to rigorous evaluations before leaving the factory. You’ll find that the makers of luxury watches are happy to outline what they do in order to ensure no defective watch ever makes it to the marketplace. 

Every watch produced by a luxury watchmaker comes with authenticating documents. In fact, the documents themselves often include characteristics that make it more difficult for counterfeiters to duplicate them. That’s one more way that you can be assured that the watch you’re purchasing was produced by the brand. 

If you choose to buy from a reputable collector or through an authorized dealer, there will be documents that confirm the authenticity of the watch. Look them over carefully, since they may contain information about the numbering on a limited edition watch or some other aspect that will help it to increase in value as the years pass. 

Whether purchasing a watch for yourself or as an investment, choose wisely. In the end, you have something that brings a lot of pleasure and could prove to be a valuable asset in the future.