Luxury watches, all you should know

Luxury watches are not only a special accessory with which men and women express their taste and a certain standard of living. They are an equally popular investment. The tradition of watchmakers goes back far. Today there is a plethora of different time indicators. But what makes a luxury watch?

What are luxury watches? There is no precise definition of what makes a watch a luxury watch. Among connoisseurs, it is often assumed that a watch with a new price of about 2,000 or 3,000 euros is considered a luxury item. Luxury watches can be very different in their type and Material. It does not matter whether the watch is made of steel or Gold or set with diamonds or not. There are also different variants of the movement, whereby the differences between luxury and “normal” watch are more pronounced. In general, criteria such as a certain rarity, the high quality, the precision and the brand with which a special luxury image is associated increase the value of a watch. Luxury is a very personal Definition, which is determined differently by everyone and depending on the individual financial situation, the environment, and the own value.

The movement-heart of every luxury watch

The movement (also called caliber) is the heart of every watch because it is responsible for the precision and stands for the passion for Detail. What distinguishes a good watch from a bad Watch is its technical sophistication (also called complication). In general, German and Swiss movements are the best in the world. In the rough one distinguishes Clockworks in industrial and Manufactory Productions. The outstanding industrial plants include, for example, the ETA and Selita models. The works developed by the manufacturers themselves stand opposite them. Among them are Rolex and A. Lange & Söhne. Some manufacturers also use a mixture of both. They use industrial plants and process them in such a way that they fit exactly to the customer’s wishes. Whether an industrial or a manufactured product is better or worse cannot be said in general terms. In general, the products of renowned brand manufacturers have impressive precision and excellent workmanship. Among the best brands are::

• Patek Philippe
• Rolex
• TAG Heuer
• A. Lange & Söhne
• Piaget
• Breitling

Other watch brands are summarized in the watch compass of Capital.

The watch winding – a pure matter of taste?

There are different types of luxury watches that are characterized by an elevator. A distinction is generally made in watches with manual winding, automatic and quartz watches. A model like the exclusive TAG Heuer Aquaracer, for example, is available in each of these three variants. The reason for this is simple: manufacturers want to offer their customers a product that suits them best. Each version has its advantages and disadvantages. Some of them are very subjective and depend entirely on the taste of the wearer.

Manual winding this watch type is the traditional variant of the automatic watch. The very filigree technique is highly appreciated especially among collectors. Advantages and disadvantages: the manual winding is considered a classic among watches. The fact that you have to wind the watch yourself regularly is a disadvantage for some. Others see it as a special ceremonial that increases the value of the watch. Objectively speaking, hand-wound watches are slimmer and therefore more elegant due to the missing rotor. However, the regular use of the crown seal (by drawing it up) can be detrimental to water resistance over time.

Automatic – this type of watch is mechanically self-winding. Advantages and disadvantages: the automatic watch is the logical successor of the manual trigger and functionally considered most practical. It also has advantages in terms of durability – especially when loading the crown seal. However, due to their complicated inner life, automatic watches are often larger and heavier than quartz watches.

Quartz watches work electronically, which means they are equipped with a battery or a solar cell. Advantages and disadvantages: the power controller is driven by a quartz crystal, which achieves very high accuracy. Inside the watch is a less complex technique, which is why the watch is more robust against vibrations. Among collectors, however, the modern Quartz Watch is often considered less valuable because of its less elaborate mechanics.