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Is it a good time to purchase a genuine luxury watch ?

Suss

Horology Curious
30/8/20
9
1
0
United Kingdom
First and foremost, I am not a professional at all, just a wristwatch enthusiast and a consumers.

I have always been so passionate about luxury watches, however like many I just haven't had the funds available to purchase one.

Finally I find possible to truly think on buying a gen timepiece.

In your opinion is the watch industry’s status and the global economy, (just like properties) in a good moment to purchase a gen watch? Are sellers motivated?

Is there any particular type of watches are popular for value depreciation?

I am trying to summarize my predictions about which watches people will be buying in 2020, as well as general trends the watch industry will see for at least the next 12 months.

Looking forward to hearing from your comments.

Thanks in advance

With regards
Suss
 

Nanook65

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3/12/16
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..........
In your opinion is the watch industry’s status and the global economy, (just like properties) in a good moment to purchase a gen watch? Are sellers motivated?

Is there any particular type of watches are popular for value depreciation?
............

Since you are asking for opinions, I'll give mine. Luxury watches are not ever a good investment. Depending on the watch you almost always lose a minimum of 25% the minute you walk out the door of the AD with your brand new watch and in some cases it is a lot worse. Guys will argue that this not the case with Rolex, but the problem with that is this not normal and furthermore since this is your 1st big purchase the Rolex AD isn't going to sell to your anyway.

I love watches just as much as anyone, but I don't have a lot of extra discretionary money laying around that I feel like giving to the local AD so what I do is buy them preowned and that reduces the hit to just about nothing.

I am under no illusion that the watches I buy are going to increase in value value, I just don't want to lose too much.
 
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p0pperini

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I am trying to summarize my predictions about which watches people will be buying in 2020, as well as general trends the watch industry will see for at least the next 12 months.
I’m keen to hear your predictions summarised.
 

tripdog

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Is there any particular type of watches are popular for value depreciation?

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Has depreciation ever been popular ?
 

Suss

Horology Curious
30/8/20
9
1
0
United Kingdom
Well is good to know from people that knows the trade which watch normally depreciates in value more than any other.

I have had good responses and advises on this from other fellow members.

Anyways good stuff mate. Thanks for your input.

With regards
Suss
 

rdladouc

Horology Curious
24/9/19
15
1
3
NY
Just based on what we know about economics, times of economic hardship are typically buyers markets. I think this is more true for luxury items. Like mentioned before, watches pretty much immediately depreciate. Between that depreciation and an increase in the supply of used watches, I am inclined to say its probably a decent time to buy a used gen or rep for the same reasons.
 

Docrolex

Known Member
28/12/19
199
127
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Germany
It is never a good idea to buy something for speculation. Just buy the watch you can afford and like, wear it and enjoy it. Nobody can predict its future value. Remember people collecting old photo cameras? Stamps, books, old toys, steam engines, etc? These things lost value over the last years. I can be wrong, but I see that young people, the next potential buyer generation, absolutely dont care about watches.
 

enduser

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Remember people collecting old photo cameras? Stamps, books, old toys, steam engines, etc? These things lost value over the last years. I can be wrong, but I see that young people, the next potential buyer generation, absolutely dont care about watches.

It depends on what you buy, but if you had put money into say, Leica rangefinders and R series lenses, or Rolex sports watches, or classic Porsches during the banking crisis, you would have seen quite decent returns over the last 10-12 years. The same goes for high end antiques and artwork - quality items have done brilliantly while run-of-the mill stuff has tanked. The average young person doesn't have much spare cash and they are not really driving prices of real luxury items. It's much more likely to be the boomers that push prices - at least until they are forced to pay for the coronavirus crisis.
 

Nanook65

I'm Pretty Popular
3/12/16
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It depends on what you buy..........

Of course this is true about watches as well as stocks or any other investment. I guess you would have to add in there timing of it too, right?

I think that the truth of it is that if you are an expert in a specific field you can be profitable by investing, but nothing is easy. If you want to make money investing in something you should do research and learn the market. If you have never bought or sold luxury watches you shouldn't expect to make a bunch of money right away as that is very unrealistic.

Some do, but most people don't buy a house to make money on, they buy it to live in. Unless you plan to make buying and selling luxury watches a business you should buy a watch to wear just like you buy a house to live in.

Investing in anything for profit is difficult. My advice, from experience, is similar to one of the comments above: Buy what you like and wear it. Don't buy based on what you perceive as a good investment. There are lots of watches out there at all different price points. Just buy what you can afford and enjoy it.
 

IronTexan

Looking Around
19/3/19
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0
Interesting question. I know this year has made it a horrible time to purchase a firearm, although the carry over from that hasn't really effected the higher end stuff. Vehicles have also been greatly effected with used values way up. I hadn't considered how this may be effecting the watch industry, especially the reps coming from china
 

p0pperini

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Interesting question. I know this year has made it a horrible time to purchase a firearm
Due to everyone tooling up in preparation for your next civil war in a month or so?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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Deviance

Horology Curious
13/5/20
16
8
3
Given the times, and the questionable timeline when the economy might do better being constantly pushed from 2021, to 2022 and even 2023 and talking about investment in this extremely uncertain times, I'd stay away from new watches, unless its a Rolex (because it will most likely retain the value quite well, esp. the above mentioned models - if you can even get them!).

Instead, I'd look towards used watches, as based on a quick research they have already lost some value and maybe by finding the right (motivated) seller, you can get an even better deal.

That being said, even in used watches, I would not jump at any model. The most important question is, what watches do you like? ;)

And watches as investments is not that simple... you need to have a lot of knowledge to know what to buy (and when), good access to buyers and sellers, and as with anything in life, some luck.