Expert advice on buying and investing in a timepiece this Christmas

·15th December 2022
·Web Editor

Investing in a timepiece for yourself or a loved one this Christmas? Tim Harrison, co-founder of Watch Pilot, shares his top tips on how to buy the perfect watch this season

Lead image:  Baume & Mercier White Hampton Watch, £2,760, Watch Pilot

I would firstly take into consideration your loved one’s personality. The chosen watch should be an accurate reflection of the individual and speak for their personal style. Everyone has varied interests and hobbies, and when considering a watch purchase this should be taken into account – whether you want a more sports, functional type such as a classic chronograph or an elegant mechanical watch. These are super reliable and often very attractive to look at, however they do come with a much higher price tag than other movements – so worth considering your budget before you start to shop.

 Watches mean so much more than just telling the time. They represent every second of our lives. The perfect gift to mark that special occasion, the right timepiece should be purchased to wear as an everyday reminder of that token of love.

Some of the most recent style trends include vintage watches with nostalgic elements such as thin cases, minimalistic dials and those with beautiful heritage. Smart watches are continuing to be a big trend amongst our clientele, with people leading busy lives and increasingly more invested in their personal health and wellbeing.

Vantage V Orange Sport Smartwatch, £439, Watch Pilot

Smart watches are a great solution to help stay in tune with your body whilst you work towards your personal fitness goals. The Polar Vantage V Orange Sport Smartwatch is a premium multisport watch designed for pro athletes, waterproof and looks the business. With different heart rate tracking solutions, to provide you with an optimal heart rate monitoring method, all your training data is conveniently available on one platform.

The Baume & Mercier White Hampton Watch (top image) is a great everyday choice. Featuring quartz movement with a rectangular face, it is graceful and simplistic in design and comes set with diamonds. There is also a wide variety of very affordable timepieces on the market – with brands such as Sekonda, Accurist, GUESS and Casio G-Shock starting from £50 – £100, these make for great gifts.

If you are looking for a watch that will hold its value (or potentially increase in value) then the simple answer is most often Rolex or Patek Philippe. There is however a broader answer which focuses on three key principles of watch investment: brand recognition, demand and rarity.

 Taking these three pillars into account, certain watches from brands such as Tudor, Audemars Piguet Omega and Panerai come to mind as offering great future investment potential.

Watches are also a great gift for children. I still recall my first watch – it was a Christmas present from my grandfather. I felt very special and grown up. We often have parents pop into our Richmond store to purchase a watch for their little ones, as it’s a great gift for a birthday or special gift for under the tree and the assortment of kids’ watches on offer these days is wonderful. If unsure of the choice, I would advise popping into your local watch store for some professional, friendly guidance.

Here is our top ten list of timepieces to gift this Christmas: