Buying The Perfect Watch As A Gift Or For Yourself

Watches as gifts are often associated with a coming of age, which is why they make great gifts for graduations, weddings, and milestone birthdays. However, a persons choice of watch can say a lot about them, their personality and their style, so you don’t want to get it wrong. You also need to make sure it’s not a fake watch, or cheap replica.

So, how do you get the perfect gift, without getting it really wrong?

Why Purchase A Watch?

These days, especially with the ever smarter digital watches, there isn’t much you can’t do on a watch. From counting steps, tracking calories burnt, logging workouts, setting an alarm clock, and even sending/receiving messages and emails. However, not everyone wants a smart watch to be helpful for everyday life. Some people purely want a watch to tell the time without the faff, or as a statement piece for others to admire.

Working out what kind of watch wearer you are, and why you want to buy a watch will help you determine the style of watch you go for – either for you, or for your recipient. Personally, i live in a smart watch, purely because i track my steps most days and working in fitness, a Cartier watch might look a little odd on the gym floor!

Who Is The Watch For?

Remember that if you’re buying this watch as a gift for someone else, choose a watch that reflects their style and personality. Look at their lifestyle, what you would imagine them wearing on a regular basis?

For example, an active lifestyle warrants perhaps something like a Fitbit, or Apple watch, with perhaps a waterproof and/or dust proof casing. Something that will withstand the elements and the outdoor adventures. However, make sure you go to a reputable seller to ensure it isn’t a fake watch. Travellers may appreciate a watch that shows them multiple time zones or automatically updates the date and time. The fashion-conscious may choose a fancy watch with an exotic case or strap.

While others may favour a watch with precious materials like gold and diamonds incasing the watch-face. Something like a Rolex or Cartier for example. Make sure you look at their general style and what you usually see on their wrist. Do they wear a lot of bling, or are they more reserved with their jewellery choices?

How To Choose The Right Size Watch

One of the most important things you need to make sure of is getting the right size for the watch itself and the watch strap. You don’t want something that will sag off the wrist (unless you’re going for the oversized look).

This means big bands and faces for big wrists and watches with smaller faces for smaller wrists. If you don’t want to ruin the surprise by asking them, try to get your hands on one of their watches and get a quick measurement, or find someone who can get that intel for you.

The Quality

Luxury watches tend to be more durable than that of the cheaper watches. They may have a solid stainless steel or a high-quality leather band, but both are better than cheap plastic or fake leather watchbands. These watches tend to have a solid feel, though you want to ensure that they’re comfortable for the wearer.

If you don’t think you’d be any good at judging the quality of a watch, one solution is to shop with an authorised retailer, whether in person or online. This ensures you’ll be purchasing the real deal, but they’ll also be able to help you choose the right watch for your intended recipient.

A side benefit of buying from a reputable source is that you can easily return the watch if you do happen to choose incorrectly (fingers crossed this doesn’t happen). Fortunately, you’ll be more likely to walk away with a quality watch that reflects their personal tastes, no matter what their tastes are.

How To Spot A Fake Watch?

These days fake watches are all over the place and it’s likely you’ve already seen a few over the years – perhaps without ever realising. There are even people who would prefer to buy a fake, knowingly due to the huge price difference. But how can you tell what is fake and what is real, the fakes can look so realistic nowadays. Here are some quick tips to help you avoid those cheap fake watches – and a green arm to go with it!

• Buy from a reputable seller
• Check the price – if it’s too good to be true, then it’s probably a fake
• If buying through an online auction, or reseller, buy it in person (photos can easily be faked)
• If buying in person, feel the weight of the watch – fakes will be light and flimsy
• Check the spelling of the brand name on the watch
• Look at the packaging – a real watch will come in proper branded packaging

FAQ’s

How Do You Authenticate A Watch?

You could take it to an appraiser who is a certified person that authenticates the value of an item/property.

Do Replica Watches Have Serial Numbers?

All luxury watches will have a unique serial number, however, most replicas will share a serial number with many other replicas.

Are Replica Watches Good Quality?

No, generally speaking, replica watches are made from much lower grade materials which is why they are so much cheaper.

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