Many of us want to belong to that select group of luxury watch wearers who look like they are leagues above everybody else. Then again, even when we are financially ready to make that decision, the buying challenges surrounding top-of-the-line timepieces can still stand in the way of a great choice.
According to Time Machine Geek, buying your first luxury watch requires a bit of an education. Sure, you can step into a Patek Phillipe, Rolex, or Omega boutique and pick up a piece that caught your eye. The problem is, that typically leads to regrets along the lines of, “I wish I knew then what I know now.”
Obviously, you don’t want that to happen to you. To help avoid such scenarios, we’ve made a list of the top entry-level luxury watches. Any of these items can serve as your perfect initiation into the world of timepiece opulence. Also, they are available at the Teddy Baldassarre store.
Top Luxury Watches for Beginners
The following brands and models offer the perfect style and price points to kickstart your luxury watch collection.
1. IWC Da Vinci
What’s great about IWC is its focus on innovation. Often, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a brand that offers items teeming with elegance and rich complexities as this one. In particular, the IWC Da Vinci stands out for having all the ideal qualities of a men’s luxury dress watch.
This piece takes profoundness to the next level with its four-digit year display, day and date indicators, moon phase, and chronograph. All this information is displayed across the model’s four subdials to make the watch more balanced.
Let’s be honest, most men fond of luxury watches love to tinker, so there’s a good chance all these features get them going.
2. Steel Rolexes
That’s very specific now, isn’t it? When you read about luxury watches, you will know you can never go wrong with a steel Rolex. The category includes the Submariner, Explorer, Air King, and GMT-Master.
Production hasn’t been as strong in recent years, leading to higher-priced Rolex watches in the secondary market. For instance, the GMT-Master II with Pepsi Bezel design was released one year for an already-steep price of $9,250. It rose to over double that amount the following year due to high demand.
Of course, there are other entry-level Rolex options that are a little less pocket-burning, one of which is the Rolex Explorer. Sitting at around the mid-four-digit price range, this model is considerably more affordable than its contemporaries. And it doesn’t lack awesome features, either. Its longevity also makes it a great investment.
3. Chopard Imperiale
Now this one is worthy of an Empress. Women who feel like bringing out the monarchs in them can count on this watch to do the job. Branded as the perfect women’s dress watch, the Chopard Imperiale is sleek, stylish, and functional to the highest degree.
The timepiece is categorized as an automatic chronograph with a trio of subdials, shiny Roman numeral markers to mark the hours, and a date display box marking the end of the first quarter. Its queenly aesthetics is made more pronounced by the set of Cabochon gemstones adorning the crown, pushers, and bracelet ends.
4. Limited Editions
This seems like another blanket solution to your luxury watch buying woes. However, if you follow the criteria we’ve set, you’ll be more than okay.
First of all, when some brands say “limited” edition, they don’t actually mean the “limited” part. That’s because thousands upon thousands of these supposedly limited models are available in the market, which ruins their exclusivity factor. That said, most of the known brands are true to their word and really do offer their limited editions at a low count.
You could find the perfect entry-level timepiece in Omega’s Speedy Tuesday or any one of Panerai’s bronze watches. Either of these limited-edition models has proven to be a great performer. What’s more, they come in a very welcoming price point you don’t normally associate with an exclusive category of luxury watches.
5. Vintage Watches
What better way to kickstart your watch collection than with a vintage timepiece? The vintage market for luxury watches has been blazing in the last couple of years. So much so that, when you do things right, it could mean an explosive initiation into the world of watch grandeur.
That said, penetrating this market can involve tons of risks, so you don’t want to do so without being prepared. Do your research and stick with a retailer you can trust. After all, it’s so easy to get a vintage piece wrought with mechanical issues or has its original parts replaced.
So, What’s It Going To Be?
There’s no rushing these things, that’s for sure. Take as much time as you need to know the brands and models that align with your luxury watch goals. The choices might seem limitless. However, with proper education and a good awareness of your needs, preferences, and budget, you should be able to pick the beginner timepiece that’s right for you.
