Gone are the days when you saw the man on the street corner, that one that used to look a bit shifty, swing his coat open when you got near and offer you a selection of watches for sale that were either knock offs or fake luxury watches.
Of course, there are still these items on the market. You only need to visit a market stall to be faced with an array of so-called 'luxury watches' for 5.99 pounds that are constructed of leather (plastic) straps, gold casing (that turns green after a week) and diamond (cubic zirconium) encrusted faces. These might look all very nice when you buy them but a closer look will quickly demonstrate that this watch is no designer make and it won't last five minutes.
Given that fact, there is no point in buying it, even for those people who couldn't afford the real thing. Having something that looks nice from a distance, even for a short period of time, is pointless if, a week later, it falls apart.
You would be much better off to save up for the real McCoy. A luxury watch is no longer seen as an extravagance but an investment. The idea of inheriting your granddads beloved watch still holds dear with many people. The last thing your grandchildren want to inherit is a pile of bits off a cheap market stall!
Purchasing a luxury watch may be an expensive thing to do initially but think about what you get. You get a watch that has, for the most part, probably been hand built with quality parts that will keep precision timing. It will last your lifetime and still be in a condition to pass on to your children or grandchildren. Inheriting something that has been such an integral part of a loved ones life is much more dear than a relic that has been shut away in the loft for donkey's years.
Old watches with a traceable provenance have now become collectors pieces. Vintage watches are available to buy in the right places, the right places being high class jewellers as opposed to the shifty bloke on the corner. Most of them will be luxury watches that hail from some of the top watch makers in the world. This brings the reassurance that what you own is a carefully constructed timepiece that has been lovingly built and/or lovingly restored to its original condition.
Armand Nicolet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Chopard and Girard Perregaux are just a few of the designers that are currently hot favourite watch makers. Of course, various watch makers have enjoyed popularity over the years and it could be considered now that companies such as DKNY or Diesel also now make designer watches. However, it will be many years before they reach the same sort of status in the minds of true horology experts as original designers.
When purchasing any sort of luxury watch, check out a little of the company's history. Of course, Sweden is the hotbed of master watch makers and the craft not only originated from there, but has continued to be the centre of all things associated with quality timepieces. Despite the invention of robots to replace so many people in construction, watch making continues to be a craft of absolute skill, so for you or a loved one to own a designer watch is truly an accomplishment.
About the Author:
Shaun Parker is a leading horology expert with many years of experience in the watch building industry. Find out more about
luxury watches at
http://www.chronolux.com/catalog/
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119
Date Published :
Dec 12 2008