How to buy your first luxury watch (part one)

Which model should I buy? Where should I buy it? Can I even afford a luxury watch? There’s a lot to consider before spending hard cash on what could be a family heirloom for generations to come – or the start of an amazing watch collection. This article is a springboard towards others, already published here, that will arm you with the knowledge you need before taking the plunge and buying your very first luxury watch.

What should I buy?
So you’re interested in watches but don’t know where to start? Join the club! Buying your FIRST timepiece should be an experience you’ll want to remember, but most people will tell you it’s not as simple as it may seem. Whatever your reason for buying, you need to think your purchase through and plan ahead. Check out some of these resources that will help you pick the right watch for you.

The magic of watches

Get a sneak peek inside Louis Nardin’s book, The Magic of Watches, A Smart Introduction to Fine Watchmaking – one of the best guides to watches to date. Covering everything from buying a watch to taking care of it and understanding the mechanisms inside, Nardin takes readers by the hand and guides them through the sometimes intimidating world of Fine Watchmaking.

Smart or not smart, that is the question

Smartwatches are upping the ante, incorporating precious metals or collaborating with Fine Watch brands. As the worlds of mechanical watches and smartwatches merge into hybrids, we can ask what defines a wristwatch today and, more importantly, which one should you choose?
Read the article

Personalizing watches: how to have it your way

Customization is back and bigger than ever in the watchmaking world. As brands struggle to set themselves apart, they’ve turned to customization in a bid to offer a truly individual shopping experience. So what does your watch look like?

Sold, but at what price?

Owning a vintage watch is a dream for many, but the price tag can set you back a couple of hundred thousand. FHH Journal ran its pick of vintage watches that came under the hammer. How much did they realise? Less than you’d think.
Read the article

10 men’s luxury watches for under €6,000

Cartier, Panerai, Hermes… don’t be put off by the name. Some of the most acclaimed Fine Watch brands have been coming out with new timepieces under the €6,000 threshold. Here are our ten favourite men’s luxury watches to get you started.

How do I learn about watches?
Learning about the luxury watch industry can be daunting, so what better way than from the experts here at the Fondation? We’ve put together the best resources for you to learn everything you need to know to grow in the industry. We’ve even included our Watch Essentials app, a quick and fun way to top up your luxury watch knowledge.

The learning curve

Fine Watchmaking isn’t as inscrutable as it may seem, especially when you can build up your knowledge of the industry through the modules and classes taught by HH Academy. From complications to chronographs and tourbillons, Fine Watchmaking is about to reveal all.

FHH launches Watch Essentials, its first training app

The FHH has an app to teach you all you need to know about Fine Watchmaking through a series of activities, quizzes and videos. You’re just a download away from uncovering the secrets of watchmaking…
Read the article

How to start a luxury watch collection?
Starting a watch collection is a great idea, but how do you go about it when you don’t have a couple of hundred thousand to spare? Our comprehensive guide will set you on the road to becoming a full-fledged watch collector.

Ten tips for novice watch collectors

You’re into watches but don’t know where to begin? While buying at auction is a safe bet, buying online has some caveats. Here are our top ten tips to start your watch collection.
Read the article

On the road to becoming a watch collector

Not everyone has the readies to spend on a watch at auction. Fortunately, there are other ways to build up a collection. From watch fairs to online platforms specialising in pre-owned timepieces, collecting watches is no longer reserved for an elite.
Read the article

The collector’s eye: in search of rarity

Auctions are now only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to acquiring a new watch. Much of the action has moved online, where it takes a collector’s eye to sift through the many thousands of products on offer.
Read the article

Five top collectors’ pieces from SIHH

Some watches are destined to become collectors’ items. Don’t be surprised to see these ones by A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Cartier and Montblanc, all launched at SIHH 2016, cross the auctioneer’s block one day.