Buying a watch is an art and a science that requires both intellectual know-how and emotional intelligence — but always more of the latter.

There will always be other, arguably more ‘sensible’ things, to spend your money on. But the joy and practicality you get from owning and wearing a luxury watch are invaluable. Particularly if it’s a genuine piece of history that has been captured and transported through time.

That being said, you can’t let your heart take over your head. When spending a few thousand on a watch, you need to get them to work together. In this way, you can find a watch that you not only love, but that will also last a lifetime without depreciating in value.

With that in mind, here are four things to keep your eyes peeled for when buying a mid-range luxury watch.

The Movement

If you’re going to buy a mid-range luxury watch, then it will most likely have a mechanical movement. This is even truer if you’re in the market for a vintage watch — unless you’re looking for a very special type of quartz movement.

Of course, many automatic movements are more reliable than their mechanical counterparts, but that’s not why you buy them. You buy them for their craftsmanship, history, and emotional value that the ticking of a quartz watch simply cannot offer.

The Brand

When we talk about brand, we don’t just mean the name on the watch is well known and cause you to be the envy of all your friends. We mean the company has a rich history and each of its creations has a story behind it.

For instance, there are many well-known vintage watch brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe which are like the Audi’s and Porsches of the watch world. But then you also you have lesser known brands like Gruen and Doxa which are like the Triumphs and Keonsieggs. Quality is the key, and manufacturers that care about quality will have story and provenance inbuilt into all its models.

The Design

Whereas you have watch types — such as chronograph, dress, or pilot — you also have its design that takes a watch way beyond its mere genre.

The first is original designs. These are the Vacheron Constantins and Richard Milles that often mix classic watch designs with the creator’s own interpretations and ideas. Then you have homage watches that are explicit replicas of original designs. And lastly, you have a mix between the two that takes a classic style and adds a small twist or flair.

When buying a mid-range luxury watch, you’ll find more of the latter, some of the former, and a few homages. In general, you want to see as much originality in the design as possible. After all, what else are you paying a few thousand for if not creativity and exclusivity?

The Edge

You’ve got the movement, brand, and design covered, but does it have that extra special something — the wow factor that gives it the edge over all the other watches out there?

It could be detailing on the chronograph subdials, decoration on the movement rotor, its limited edition release, or its white gold construction. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it does have to be impressive and meaningful to you. It’s these little touches that strike the connection between you and the watch and make the cost of investing in a mid-range luxury model worth every penny.

Parker’s is a century-and-a-half old watch retailer built on loyalty, reliability, and value for money. Check out our reviews on TrustPilot or browse our catalogue to see the latest models we have in stock.