Is Now the Best Time To Buy a Watch?

How do you know when is the best time to buy a watch? Time to read this article and find out!

Having written for the luxury watch industry for several years, I often get asked a common question. “When is the best time to buy a watch?”.  

It’s usually the kind of question an indecisive enthusiast asks. They may consider factors that an impulsive buyer wouldn’t. 

They might ponder what the industry is telling them about trends. They may research whether a particular watch is hot right now or which model is likely to appreciate.

You can’t knock this strategy. Sometimes, a careful and considerate approach to collecting luxury watches is important when you’re parting with a lot of cash. 

After all, the industry is constantly fluctuating, and trends are coming and going. Buying a watch without considering whether it has the potential or not to increase in value is simply nonsensical. Right?  

On the other hand, some enthusiasts would strongly disagree. They’d say that if you love a watch, you should buy it no matter what because it makes you happy. Therefore, you shouldn’t buy a watch purely as an investment (unless you just so happen to love it too wholeheartedly!).  

When Is the Best Time To Buy Watches?

Clearly, there are two types of luxury watch collectors out there. The ones that buy from the heart and the ones that buy with their head. 

I don’t think any one particular strategy is better than the other. Both offer valid reasons for buying a luxury watch. A) Because it’s a carefully considered purchase. B) Because it’s what you actually want to wear.  

When people ask me, “When is the best time to buy watches?” my answer largely depends on who I’m talking to. 

Is the person wanting to save a dollar or two? Or are they looking at a watch as an investment proposition for themselves?  

When To Buy a Watch

If you’re deciding on when to buy a watch, there are a few questions you should ask yourself first. 

Are you figuring out whether the timepiece is good to buy for selling again in a few years? 

Are you wondering if the style of the watch will look good on you in ten years? Or, are you wondering whether to grab a soon-to-be-discontinued watch while you can and immediately sell it?

The main concern all collectors have is whether our new purchase is going to lose value after we invest in it. Will it hold value and be worth something in years to come? Are we overpaying or underpaying for a watch? Or will the watch plummet as soon as we buy it?

The Best Time To Buy a Luxury Watch — What the Market Is Telling Us

A large part of the decision-making process when considering the best time to buy a luxury watch comes down to the market.

Take this situation, for example. Rolex hints that it may be discontinuing a watch. A collector rushes to secure it, knowing it will only shoot up in price on the pre-owned market. 

All of a sudden, a collector is wearing the hottest investment on the market. 

They’re wearing something that other collectors can’t get their hands on anymore. Instead, those people are on a waiting list for Rolex’s new version of that watch, and that waiting list is long. That’s the way the market works.

When there is a demand for watches of a particular style, collectors will pay premium prices for them. Is that watch what they necessarily want? Not always. The purchase is a strategic one to get a good return on the watch later down the line.  

Buying a watch that is hot on the market is another way to secure yourself the ultimate grail watch, too! 

Many enthusiasts buy a watch as an investment to acquire their forever timepieces. For example, a solid gold Panerai may not be your cup of tea. But you’ve seen that it’s doing exceptionally well in the pre-owned market, and you’ve seen a good price for one. 

You buy the watch and sell it to a keen enthusiast willing to pay more for it. You can now afford your grail watch, and everyone’s happy!

Figuring out when to buy a watch is different for every collector. As I mentioned earlier, if you love a watch enough, you’ll buy it anyway. 

It could be that you’ve figured out what your collection is missing. You could be debating a new complication and how it will fit into your existing collection.

When To Buy a Watch: Things to Consider

Sale-wise, the general consensus is that there is no best time to buy watches. It all depends on what you’re looking for.

While some retailers drop their prices in January or over the Black Friday period, it’s nothing to write home about. You may get a mere 10% discount off a watch after the Christmas period, too. But it certainly won’t influence how and when you grow your collection.  

When You Find a Good Grey Market Dealer

Reductions in watch prices often come from old stock lines when grey market dealers pick them up. They’ll then sell them for the lowest price they can.

Ashford and Jomashop are two examples of grey market dealers. Ashford, for example, buys old stock from retailers, selling it for a much cheaper price, albeit without the manufacturer’s warranty.  

When You Spot a Good Deal on the Pre-Owned Market

You can take advantage of most savings, however, on the secondary watch market. It’s the place to find the hidden gems of the watch world when no one else is looking for them.Iconic Patek Philippe Nautilus and gold Rolex Sky-Dweller watches may be fetching more than $30,000 on the pre-owned market.

But while everyone is chasing those sports watches, that’s the time to invest in something rarer!

Bag yourself a vintage Patek that only you and a few other collectors are looking at right now. Chances are, the tables will turn and soon fetch a good price.  

When You Spy a Collectible Vintage Model

For elite collectors, the allure of buying a vintage timepiece is about other factors, too. Keen enthusiasts go wild for characteristics that were, at one point, defined in history as manufacturer “mistakes”. 

They love the appeal of the faded bezels and the patina acquired over time in a vintage collectible. Although technology has advanced so far in today’s world, many believe the beauty of owning a vintage watch is in its aged character.  

So, when really is the best time to buy watches? Well, if you’re a “see it, buy it” person — now! 

But if you don’t tend to go all laser-focused over a watch, you’ll wait. You’ll probably bide your time until you drop on something you love and want. And really, either approach is totally fine!

What Kind of Buyer Are You?  

As I mentioned earlier, you can figure out when to buy a watch depending on what kind of buyer you are. 

Are you in the market to sell a watch for more than you paid for it? If you are, prepare to put a lot of patience and effort into the process. Bear in mind that it can sap some of the enjoyment out of the process, too! 

Of course, if you are that kind of buyer, you’ll likely not want to wear the watch either. Putting a big scratch or dint on the case is going to scupper your plans of getting a good return.

Likewise, you may be the kind of buyer who is looking for a daily timepiece. The missing jigsaw piece is in your horological puzzle. The process of finding this kind of watch can take a little longer.

You may spend three months researching the market and waiting for the best time to buy. This way, you’re likely to get exactly what you want without any compromises.

A lot of collectors also like to meet and discuss which watch they want next and why. It gives fellow enthusiasts a chance to sound out their preferences and get a feel for what others are going for.

Above all, one thing is certain. You won’t be successful at figuring out the best time to buy a watch if you don’t love watches. Part of the skill and fun in buying watches is to learn as you go. 

What worked? Which decisions lost you money? Did you leave it a fraction too late in some instances?

Closing Thoughts  

If you find a watch that you instantly fall in love with, now is a good time to buy it. In fact, there is no such thing as a bad time to buy a watch. This is especially true if you’re willing to make room in your collection for it. (If not, do you really need it?)  

However, some collectors prefer to buy carefully and consider the market before they part with their money. 

Market trends are an intuitive way to decide what you purchase next and why. A good amount of research will tell you what’s doing well and where you should be putting your money right now.

If you’re in the market to make money, buying and selling strategically is key. Making the right choices could bag you that grail watch sooner than you think!

Ideally, you want to strike a good balance, though. Choosing something that you enjoy wearing but also something that holds value. Above all, buy what you love.

What’s your strategy for building up your collection? Do you buy with your heart or with your head? Leave your comments below, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter!