MAKING A START

Okay, you’ve decided you want to buy a watch and hope to turn a tidy profit one day, but where do you start?

Rolex and Patek Philippe are the brands that hold their value best, According to Jessie Kang of Sotheby’s and Nicholas Biebuyck of Christie’s. Kang also suggests considering Richard Mille, which also holds its value well. But you need to know more than just which logo to look for if you are to make a wise investment.

Richard Mille, according to Kang, produces “visually unique pieces and has its own characteristics in every piece. It is bold in its creations and creativity,” delivering watches that appeal to collectors looking for innovative movements and case materials, and it only produces a limited number per edition.

“For Rolex,” Kang advises, “the modern Submariner would be an affordable option, while towards the higher end there are also vintage pieces in supreme condition and limited edition. Paul Newman Daytona or any vintage special edition Submariner would be some good examples.”

Biebuyck also suggests “emerging brands where there is still an opportunity to acquire something interesting for under US$10,000.” These include Tag Heuer, Omega, Universal Genève and Longines.

Once you decide on a brand, what will the future hold for your investment? How will you ensure you don’t lose thousands of dollars with an errant scratch? Do you lock away your investment or proudly display it on your wrist?

“We encourage collectors to collect for enjoyment rather than for pure investment purposes,” Kang says. “I would definitely advise all buyers to enjoy the watch before they put it up to auction.”

As for wearing your investment, Kang says, “We would also advise minimizing traces of wearing on the watch, such as scratches and dents. It would also be good to keep the complete set of accessories if possible, including the outer card of the box.”