A watch is an important part of a man’s outlook and personality. It can say a lot about a man’s lifestyle and income.
You might want to buy a watch to wear to meetings and impress clients or to wow your in-laws at the next family gathering.
While luxury watches are expensive for a good reason, that does not mean everyone can afford them.
If you are one of those people, read on, to know how you can buy a second-hand watch.
Reasons For Buying Second-Hand Watch
Original Yet Inexpensive
You might think that buying a second-hand luxury watch is still expensive compared to the sea of fake luxury watches available in the market.
Replicas are getting very good these days, so why not just buy a fake watch? There are many reasons why you should not buy a fake watch, like the fact that they only imitate the look of the luxury watch, not the quality and lifespan.
So the best way to get a fancy watch while sticking to your budget is by buying a second-hand one.
It has a much lower price than the original and will also save you the embarrassment as watch enthusiasts can tell a fake Rolex from miles away.
Vintage Yet Affordable
Not all luxury watches are created equal, a vintage watch garners more adoration. Maybe you want to buy a vintage watch but it has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
You could wait for the manufacturer to re-continue the design you have your heart set on, but there is no guarantee that will happen.
Even if it does happen, classic designs are very expensive and tend to sell-out rapidly.
So head over to a second-hand market and have the watch of your dreams, at a very affordable price.
Things To Consider When Purchasing a Second-hand Watch
When you start your quest to find the second-hand watch that is right for you, you will be faced with endless choices.
It is easy to get overwhelmed and not know how to make the final decision.
Keep the following factors in mind when considering a watch, they will give you an accurate picture of whether or not it is worth buying.
Damage And Dents
This is the most obvious and easy-to-spot factor. When considering a watch, check if it has any scratches, some will, but you need to determine the number of scratches you can tolerate.
If it is just a small bump at the back, don’t reject the watch. Some second-hand watches may have a perfect body but may be damaged on the inside or missing some parts.
But don’t worry because you can find most watch components for sale and get the watch fixed professionally.
Servicing History
If you find the most visually perfect watch that has a minimal amount of dents and is also fully functional, don’t rush to make the purchase just yet.
The important question of servicing history still needs to be answered.
Watches that have not been serviced for a long time tend to not perform well and can even stop working.
Ask the seller for servicing invoices and notice how frequently the watch was serviced.
If a watch has not been serviced for more than 2 years, you will have to pay for the servicing too.
So add that expenditure to the final cost and then determine if the deal is still worth taking.
Warranty
Since luxury watches are such a valuable item, most come with some sort of manufacturer’s warranty.
Just because you are not buying directly from the manufacturer, does not mean that you don’t get to avail of the said warranty.
Go for watches that have not been owned for a long time and are still covered by the factory warranty.
If not, then buy your second-hand watch from a professional dealer, that way you will still get a 6 to 12 month-long warranty period.
Accessories And Packaging
You should only be concerned about accessories if a watch has a perfect exterior, great functionality, and favorable service history.
Don’t let go of a great watch just because it doesn’t come with its box. But if all else is perfect, then ask if the watch has all the accessories like the box and the manual.
This is helpful if you ever decide to sell the watch because buyers give higher value to watches that come with all the packaging.
Conclusion
Buying luxury watches second-hand is a great idea but needs to be executed with great care.
You should have a good eye and be able to tell if someone is trying to sell you a fake while claiming that it is an original hand-me-down.
You should also know where to look for great watches, websites like Craigslist are a good resource.
You can also ask around the area you live and find in-person luxury watch auctions, in which case you may have to pay some fee to the auction owners.
Just keep in mind all the factors mentioned and you will have a beautiful luxury watch on your wrist in no time.