The quest for the perfect watch never ends. You may be rolling your eyes when you read that line. After all, if you have one watch that works and tells you the time, that should be enough, right? Well, absolutely, but if you’re a watch aficionado, you will find that your head and heart will never be satisfied with such purely utilitarian thinking.
There’s also the fact that one’s taste and aesthetics evolve, which means that the watch you once wanted—and now own—may not be enough. Because you like a different style of watch now, and would really like to own one in order to rotate with the watch you already have.
And so it goes. Before you know it, you’re deep in the rabbit hole of watch collecting, keeping track of new releases, reading up on vintage watches, obsessing over watch Instagram (yes there is such a thing). I’ve been there and done that (in fact, I’m still there and still doing it), so by now I am aware that when it comes to watch collecting, there are a few rules that you need to observe.
Don’t be impulsive
It’s easy to get swayed by a watch that is the flavour of the season. For instance, a few years ago, Swatch and Omega pulled off an incredible collaboration by releasing a cheap, plastic version of the iconic Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. The effect was instantaneous: Long lines outside Swatch boutiques around the world and resellers scalping gullible enthusiasts by charging three to four times the retail price online.
The watches looked great, but soon, problems started surfacing. The chronograph pushers would fall off, or in some instances, case backs might break off. At around ₹20,000, the Swatch Moonwatches were inexpensive by Swiss watch standards, but that’s still a fair chunk of change. And while there is a huge price difference between that and shelling out over ₹8,00,000 for the OG from Omega, perhaps it may be a better idea to wait and let your impulse to buy cool a little, so that you can make a rational decision.
Don’t buy watches on credit
Which brings me to my second point—never buy watches on credit. A good watch is an expensive purchase, even if you’re buying, say, a Seiko 5 automatic GMT for about ₹40,000. And from that price point, things only get more expensive. Watches cost money, and rightly so, considering the materials, craftsmanship, finishing (and branding) involved. And while it is absolutely fine for you to spend big bucks on a nice watch, it should be with money that is readily available.
There are very few things in this world that you should buy on credit (probably none), and a watch is certainly not one of them. If you really like a watch, and it is beyond your current budget, save up. The time it takes to gather the money is also time that you have to change your mind about that particular model.
Educate yourself
Watches have been around for centuries, and wristwatches for at least a hundred years. In all that time, there have been many epochal moments of amazing watch designs and advances in movements. In fact, so many of the great watches that one can buy today have their roots in iconic models of the past. You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t make use of the rich resources online—be it watch publications or YouTubers—to learn more about the history of watches and watchmaking.
Doing so goes beyond merely making an informed choice on your next purchase. It also helps shape your aesthetic choices and the type of watch that you may want. Be it dress watches, field watches, dive watches or chronographs—to name just a few of the main types—educating yourself means that you will end up buying a watch that you will love beyond the initial honeymoon phase.
Watches are not an investment
Quite a few people I know refuse to buy a watch unless they are convinced that it is a desirable enough model that will earn them a profit in case they were to sell them. However, the truth is that barring a few models from Patek Phillippe, Audemars Piguet and Rolex, every watch loses market value as soon as it leaves the boutique with its new owner.
Watch investment is a myth, and it is the worst possible reason to buy a timepiece. If you have the money to buy a Patek Philippe Nautilus or a Rolex GMT-Master II, you likely already have way better investment options. And here’s a secret: Beyond around the ₹2 lakh price-point, watches cease to be a value proposition. When it comes to watches that cost more, you are paying for the brand name. And no matter how famous the brand, you will still incur a loss when you sell it on. So buy a watch that you genuinely would love to wear everyday.
Buying a watch is as much an emotional decision as it is a practical one. After all, in this day and age, we don’t really need a mechanical or quartz wristwatch in order to tell the time. However, being free of screen-fronted technology for even one aspect of your life can be a deeply enriching thing. And remember, wearing a wristwatch in 2026 is actually quite a badass thing to do!
Handwound is a monthly column on watches and watchmaking.