Things To Keep in Mind Post-Purchasing Your First Luxury Timepiece

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Congratulations on purchasing your first luxury watch – but what’s next?

The wait is over – After countless hours of research, scrolling through catalogues, and careful consideration, you’ve finally got possession of your first luxury timepiece. As you open the box, you’re greeted by your shiny two-handed (or more) timekeeping treasure right staring at you – Oh, that feeling! I’ve heard it said that seasoned watch collectors compare this moment to the day they met their first love – sacred, cherished, and incomparably euphoric. But as you treat yourself to your first-ever luxury timepiece – that you oh-so-deserve, it’s important to care for the little guy. Similar to how you’d cautiously drive your new car, understanding its power, limits, and appropriate means of use.

How will you adequately store your timepiece?

Whether you own a nifty Black Bay or a seven-figure Franck Muller, or whether your new timepiece is your top-tier, fancy dress watch or you own a plentiful collection – we all have a tendency to leave our watches on our dresser after use. Until one fine day, a clumsy nudge ends up costing us a hefty repair fee and some heartache. The question isn’t how this happened, but why is your new timekeeping treasure left on your dresser when it should be adequately cased?

Don’t wait for this simple mistake to teach you a hefty lesson. After purchasing a luxury timepiece, it’s absolutely critical to invest in a high-quality watch case. This not only guarantees protection against the perils of clumsiness but also sunlight which can fade the dial and leather strap dye. Additionally, protecting it from heat, humidity build-up, and dust collecting underneath the crystal or inside the movement. If you own an automatic timepiece, you could also consider getting a watch winding case, just so that it never runs out of juice. Here are a few options you could consider.

Understanding the limits of your timepiece

There are two limits to your timepiece you need to be wary of – waterproofness and magnet resistance.
User manuals of luxury watches typically spell out their ‘water resistance’. In most cases, these range between 30 meters to 300 meters – but in my opinion, if your timepiece isn’t exclusively (or almost entirely exclusively) built for undersea indulgences, don’t wear it while taking a dip. A 30-meter water-resistant dress watch ideally shouldn’t be anywhere near water – at best, it’s splash-resistant. While so, 50-100 meters is decent for casual swimming and 200+ for recreational diving in the case of screw-down pushers. It’s also a good habit to rinse your timepiece in fresh water after use, simply to wash off salt and chlorine particles that may cause corrosion or fading. With all of this being said, Breitling, Panerai and TAG Heuer offer chronographs that are dedicatedly designed for underwater use.

Big magnets are a kryptonite to the workings of your timepiece, especially 20th-century make. While smaller, computer speakers or portable speakers may not be an issue, be careful of woofers or sub-woofers. As a rule of thumb, stay about a foot or two away from big speakers. Check the anti-magnetic rating of your timepiece – you’ll know how careful you need to be with it.

Considered watch insurance yet?

Like all precious things in life, timepieces too must be insured against unfortunate fates. Whether it’s theft, damage, loss, or other causes, insuring your timepiece gives you peace of mind that even if you catch some bad luck, there’s still a (partial) safety net for your horlogerie investment. Typically, after spending a large sum of money on a new watch, buyers frown at the idea of paying an additional insurance fee. However, think of the cost of not paying the cost of protection. A little consideration, research, and wise decisions could save you from a hefty loss.

While you don’t need a class on how insuring works – check for company reputation, premiums, coverage limits, potential deductions, and exclusion clauses.

Secure all essential documents

One of the most critical requirements for reselling a luxury timepiece is original. Even if you’re not looking at resale, it’s still important to have all original documentation ready in case of warranty claims, product servicing, or while availing of any post-purchase services.

Here’s a quick checklist of items to preserve safely:

• Original sale receipt
• Warranty card
• Servicing records
• Original watch case (box)
• Original case items (accessories)
• Operator’s manuals
• Authenticity certificate (if applicable/provided)
• Watch insurance certificates/documents
• Photograph of caseback.

All these documents aren’t simply formalities, think of them as passports for your timepiece – Life surely gets tough without one. Considering the hefty sum you’ve just spent, it’s also important to double and triple-check all documentation for errors that could pose an issue later. Finally, preserve a digital record of all the above as backups.

Understanding how often (and for what purpose) you’ll be wearing your luxury watch.

Is this a timepiece you’ve purchased for use everyday, occasional, or specific, or simply to shine in your cabinet as a fancy investment chip to show off to your fellow watch nerds? This is typically a question answered before buying a particular timepiece but in case you haven’t yet – now’s a good time. Wearing a watch is purely a subject of personal preference. It’s perfectly up to you if you’d like to wear your Royal Oak, Octo, or Santos to the boardroom on weekdays or sport it at your Sunday golf meets. If it’s your new daily – embrace it. If it’s for occasional wear – think about places you’d wear your watch to, and where you wouldn’t. This will also help you determine your watches’ place in your collection. Finally, if it’s an investment timepiece – the less worn, the better.

How to ‘care’ for your new timepiece

Ever wondered: how vintage car collectors keep their four-wheeled treasures shiny and running even decades later? – The answer is, by simply caring for them. With periodical check-ups, cosmetic touch-ups, and attention to detail, watches, much like cars, can live forever. Begin by learning the art of watch cleaning and acquire the right tools for the same. While changing straps or making adjustments using any tools, be careful of causing accidental scuffs and scratches. If your hands aren’t steady enough, leave it to the professionals – that’s where your warranty comes in. Finally, while your new luxury watch may be designed to handle the extremities of the world, don’t treat it like a warrior.

Explore watch strap options

Finally, have some fun with your new timepiece!

While straps aren’t for every collector or every watch, it’s an intensely personal decision to indulge in. There’s nothing wrong with your stock strap – in fact, when it comes to investments or resale, it needs to retain its stock build. However, if this timepiece is your new daily, feel free to experiment with unique strap options and explore its alter-egos. While we invest in timepieces only once every few years, we can limitlessly indulge in straps for them. With just a handful of straps, you can breathe new life into your cherished timepiece. When shopping for new straps, be mindful of the dimensions of your timepiece.