The primary goal of owning a wristwatch is the ability to tell the time. However, watches do more than tell the time. They are commonly ogled for being a work of art. Watches reflect the craftsmanship, skill, and expertise of those who designed them. Miniature as they appear, a great deal of engineering and technological advancement is put into designing these little beauties. Some other watches are used to tell ancient stories, preserve memories, and relive histories. There are several importance that can be attached to watches and it comes as no surprise to see people with so much drive to collect watches. Watch collectors make every effort to collect as many pieces of limited watches as they can. Collecting watches comes with so much thrill and if you are looking to build your collection, here are seven tips that you will find helpful;
- Know What You Want: The collector market is a very dynamic and extensive one. You can get lost if you do not know what you want. As a new kid on the watch collection block, you must know what you want. What kind of watch are you looking to collect. Concluding this first tip will act as a guide throughout your collection journey. Start by studying market trends. Then align your interests with these trends. There is a wide range of brands and types of watches that you can settle for. Just make sure that you are not following the crowd.
- Search for Peculiar Pieces: Collecting watches is not about buying everything that you can lay your hands on. An excellent collection goes beyond just amassing classics. You need to have high-quality watches that are rare or in limited quantity. An example of this is a swiss made watch. The rarity of the watches that you have helps to add value to your collection.
- Find a Reliable Seller: One problem that counters the thrill of collecting watches is bogus watches and con sellers. These sellers have saturated the watch market and you can get glass for the price of diamonds. You need to make sure that your watch dealer is legit and trusted. Watch collectors take their time to do a background check on dealers before patronizing them. Rather not have a piece in your collection than lose your money for a fake piece.
- Stay Up-to-date: Luxurious watch designers do not produce their watches in large quantities. They produce a small batch at a certain time or memorialize an occurrence. This means that the watches do not stay long on the market. Sometimes, they don’t even make it to the market – they are sold during a private sale. As a watch collector, you need to have ears in the market so you can get information for when a new design is going to be released. This way, you can be ahead of other collectors and gather much more rare or limited edition pieces.
- Beware of Trends: As a collector, you must always watch out for and steer clear of watches that are in vogue. These watches are usually admired by everyone and can be easily purchased. For most of these trendy watches, their replay value is always low and they reduce the value of your collection. Go for the rare pieces. People will pay unbelievable amounts to get them from you.
- Keep It Original: It is a common thought among collectors to customize their collections. However, if you have plans to sell off part of the collection in the future, altering the design of your watch isn’t a great idea. Other collectors who will buy from you want the watch exactly the way it was produced. Hence, it is best to leave them the way they are made by the designer.
- Be a Collector, Not An Entrepreneur: Many people who collect watches do so because they want to sell them off for a higher value in the future. Watch collection is all about amassing hard-to-get watches. Collecting watches for the sole purpose of reselling is wrong and should be discouraged.
Being a watch collector allows you to learn a lot of fascinating stuff about watches and the stories behind them. There is so much that you can learn and the more you know, the more you get to love watches. However, you need to tread lightly if you want to become a collector. These tips above will help you find your way and navigate your path as a collector.
