Who needs a luxury watch when your phone can tell you the time? Right? Wrong.

A luxury watch does not just tell you just the time. It is a work of art, a perfectly crafted piece made of tiny wheels and the finest materials to create a timeless artifact that screams taste, class, personality and yes, the time.

There are as many different types of luxury watches as different brands. From as early as Omega in 1848 and Patek Philippe in 1851 to the most recent Hublot in 1980, these names have raised the standard for timekeeping across the world. So what makes these watches luxury watches and not just great watches?

Precious Materials: Luxury watches are luxurious primarily because of the materials they are made of. The most common metals used are the different golds, platinum and occasionally silver. In addition, they may have precious stones or diamonds inlaid to add an extra wow factor.

Own Movement: A watch tells time using movements. Most watchmakers buy movements from other various suppliers. However the best watches come from makers who also make their own movements which takes the level of decoration and complexity to the next level.

Seal of Geneva: This seal is only applied to those watches whose movements adhere to the stringent Swiss laws, certifying quality and origin. While the lack of a seal doesn’t take away from the quality of a watch, the existence of one does make it more impressive.

Assembly: The longer and more painstaking the assembly of a watch, the higher its value. High end watches should be a testament to the mastery behind them which makes them more detailed and of a higher quality.

Complexity: There is a difference between beautiful and complex watch movements and luxury watches should have the latter. Luxury watches should tell time in a unique way, the movement should be interesting to look at and often include additional bells as whistles such as calendars, chronographs and multiple time zones.

Limited editions: The more limited, the more exclusive which naturally makes it a luxury

Investment: Luxury watches are often investments and have a good resale value if and when needed. Check out our watches at http://www.truefacet.com/watches.html to see what sort of retail value the different pieces have.

To top it off, luxury watches should just be beautiful. All the crafting, design, decoration and finesses doesn’t mean a thing if it doesn’t appeal to the eye. A luxury watch is one that attracts your attention and stays with you even after you’ve looked through another hundred.

Check back with us for more on our Luxury Watches Series to learn about the individual brands and ease you into making your big buying decision.

You spent your entire salary and most of your savings on that one expensive piece of jewelry. But no worries, you think. When the time comes and you’re short on money, you can always sell it. So it’s really an investment. And its that belief that you hold on to that helps you sleep easier. Until you go to a store and the storekeeper tells you and he’ll only give you a tiny fraction of the amount you had hoped for because actually your jewelry is not as authentic as you thought it to be.

That’s what happened to John Mayer, celebrated musician. He recently sued watch dealer Bob Maron for $650,000 claiming that several vintage Rolex watches he purchased were not authentic because some of the parts being used in them were manufactured elsewhere, tainting the value and authenticity of the entire piece. After spending approximately $5 million on his watch collection over the years, you can imagine his concern.

Purchasing vintage watches and jewelry can be tricky. In this situation, it is often important to ask as many questions as possible and get as many opinions too. Go to a reputable or trusted dealer. Talk to them, ask them questions.

Only make the purchase if you think the dealer knows his stuff because a certain level of skill and proficiency is needed when assessing vintage pieces. If the dealer sounds less than knowledgeable, he could have been fooled when acquiring the piece too.

In addition, find out how the dealer sourced the piece and authenticated it. Make sure that he did. Ask for any sort of certification or proof. All pieces sold by TrueFacet come TF Verified. Ask the dealer if the piece comes with any return offers or warranties. Hire an independent appraiser that is an expert in the piece. Make sure that you have another verified opinion since certain parts and pieces may be swapped.

Buying vintage jewelry and watches can be a daunting process. Don’t take it lightly, because it really can happen to anyone. If you have any further questions or need help in locating the right appraiser or expert, contact us at support@truefacet.com