Forget gold, invest in watches
Buying for the purpose of investment takes a lot of consideration and expertise in your chosen area. Items with a technological expiration date do not often make good investments; televisions, phones and cars – unless it’s a rare vintage vehicle that will be kept in a garage and never used.
This is why the extortionate Apple Watch is considered a bad investment; it makes little sense to drop a lot of money on a gadget that will be outdated and lose value in as little as a year. Although, this hasn’t stopped it becoming the biggest selling watch of our time. But what about mechanical watches? There are plenty of classic timepieces that are not at risk of becoming obsolete. The same can be said about other hard assets, think wine, art and property.
The rise of web and social media has put vintage collecting on the map coupled with celebrity endorsements and pop culture – i.e. the choice of watch from James Bond; watches are everywhere we turn. Certain watches have gained a reputation of retaining their value, most notably Rolex and now vintage Tudor. Rolex has mastered its marketing image, cementing its affiliation to success and timelessness. Rolex manage to dominate the new and old market, however, not all Rolexes mature equally.
Historically, the Rolex watches that have done best over time have been of the sport variety: the GMT, the Submariner and the Daytona. One of the reasons Rolex has kept its success is by keeping its product line small and allowing each range to become a household name.
While the world of horology and investments are unapologetic about money and prestige, it can be mutually agreed that one of the most important parts of owning a watch is the enjoyment you get from wearing it.
But if you are tempted, browse our Rolex collection here.