Stone Studio

1. Only buy watches you want to wear. That way you’ll never feel like you’re stuck with an ‘investment piece.’
2. Buy from a reputable retailer. This will ensure you’ll enjoy decent after-service care. Also, it’s the only guarantee that you’re not buying a fake. Some rip-offs are so convincing that only a watchmaker can spot the difference.
3. Be nice. If you form a rapport with a retailer, the store will look after you over the years, even helping you to upgrade or trade-in watches while reducing the sting of depreciation.

4. If you’re relatively unadventurous, look to the established brands. Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin among others. They haven’t survived for one or more centuries through luck. They also enjoy better resale value if you need to part with them.
5. Be conservative. Nothing dates more quickly than a radically styled watch.
6. Don’t buy quartz watches except for knock-around purposes. Regardless of the price — from GBP 2 to GBP 2 million — the movements are disposable and, after a while, irreparable.
7. If funds are limited, choose a watch with a strap over one with a bracelet. Bracelets add considerably to the cost. A good watch on a strap is better than a so-so watch on a bracelet at the same price.
8. When buying new, keep all the paperwork and boxes.
9. When buying a vintage watch, ensure that there is a guarantee of at least six months if the watch is being sold as serviced. The phrase ‘as seen’ should act as a red flag warning not to buy unless you have a watchmaker at your elbow to advise you.
10. When buying at auction, attend the viewing beforehand to see and handle the target of your bidding. Some auction houses will provide a condition report a few weeks ahead of the auction.
Source: Ken Kessler@WSJ

3. 要友善。如果你与零售商保持良好的关系，商店将会经年累月地关照你，甚至会帮你升级或折价更换手表，减轻手表折旧给你带来的痛苦。

4. 如果你相对而言不爱冒险，应关注知名品牌，例如百达翡丽(Patek Philippe)、积家(Jaeger-LeCoultre)、爱彼(Audemars Piguet)和江诗丹顿(Vacheron Constantin)等等。它们能流芳百年以上并非只凭运气。如果要将它们出手，它们转售时的价值也更高

6. 不要购买石英表，除非是为了随便戴着玩玩。无论价格高低──从2英镑到200万英镑──石英表的发展方向就是可丢弃的，过一段时间就不可修复了。

7. 如果资金有限，优先选择配有真皮表带而不是金属表带的手表。金属表带会增加相当大的成本。同等价位的情况下，一块配有真皮表带的好手表胜过一块配有金属表带的质量一般的手表。