Hey Guys, I’m handing this post over to guest contributor Leo Parker, who’s a luxury watch expert. He’ll take you through the fundamentals of selecting a quality timepiece, broken down by budget. Enjoy.
Luxury watches are, unquestionably, one of the ultimate status symbols for any man. It’s an industry of exceptional craftsmanship, with many prestigious brands vying for the attention of style-conscious men the world over. Needless to say, if you’re new to the world of high-end timepieces, it can be quite daunting to know where to begin. So let me be your Sherpa on your journey to find the perfect luxury timepiece for you.
The main thing that you’ll need to consider when it comes to purchasing a luxury watch will be how much you’re looking to spend and, fortunately, there’s a watch out there to suit different budgets. Let’s take a look at some examples of entry-level, mid-level and top-of-the-range luxury watches to showcase the various timepieces that are available on the market.
Entry-Level Luxury Watches
An excellent example of an entry-level luxury watch would be 88 Rue Du Rhone. The Swiss brand offers an exceptional array of timepieces for an astounding price, given the quality of craftsmanship that goes into their creations. Although 88 Rue Du Rhone watches are newcomers to the luxury timepiece scene, they come from industry pedigree, for they were developed by the grandsons to the founder of another established Swiss brand, Raymond Weil.
88 Rue Du Rhone watches, such as the breathtaking 42mm chronograph timepiece above, typically retail between $750 - $1,500, which, for a luxury timepiece, sits at the entry-level end of the spectrum. Other notable brands that fall under this category of accessible luxury timepieces include the likes of Bulova, Accutron, Longines and Raymond Weil.
Mid-Level Luxury Watches
The mid-level bracket of luxury watches is more comprehensive, and most watchmakers will have timepieces that fall within this category. These beauties will typically set you back between $2,000 - $5,000, and the Montblanc, TAG Heuer and Bell & Ross shown above retail in that range. Other notable brands in this category include: Bremont, Baume & Mercier and IWC.
As you can see, there are some spectacular timepieces which can be picked up in the mid-tier bracket of luxury watches. If your finances allow, you should always try to stretch your budget as far as possible, as the craftsmanship of high-end timepieces become more exemplary as prices increase.
Luxurious and flawlessly manufactured, all the watches that fall in the mid-level bracket will definitely score you plenty of points in the style stakes, serving as an excellent status symbol for those looking to ramp up their sartorial standing.
High-End Luxury Watches
For those in the enviable position of money being no object, there is a spectacular array of high-end timepieces on the market which is, quite frankly, jaw-dropping. An impressive showcase would include the phenomenal watches above from Audemars Piguet, Cartier and Zenith, which will set you back in excess of $30,000.
The design and craftsmanship of this bracket of timepiece truly is a cut above – you’ll definitely witness a difference in quality for such a purchase. They’ll invariably boast features not typically found on watches lower down the spectrum, such as precious metals, jewels, more intricate mechanisms and eye-catching tourbillons, to name but a few.
So, if you’re planning to purchase a luxury watch this year, this should hopefully give you a little insight into the types of watches to adorn your wrist according to your budget. Luxury timepieces really are a fantastic status symbol, and it’s a good idea to do some research into the different brands and their backstory to find the ideal timepiece to suit your personal style and sensibility.
*Guest contributor Leo is a luxury lifestyle blogger who has a love of the finer things in life. He has a particular affinity for fine timepieces from the likes of Breitling, IWC and TAG Heuer even though, lamentably, he can’t afford the watches he so often writes about. He regularly writes on behalf of a number of men's lifestyle and luxury blogs and magazines.
[All images used with permission from The Watch Gallery.]