Every beginning is difficult, or so the saying goes. But does the same apply to entering the world of luxury watches? We at Chrono24 are confident that we can make your first steps into the watch world easier with one of the unique features of our marketplace. We’d like to introduce you to our free online Watch Collection, and show you how it can help you get started in the world of luxury watches. Furthermore, we’ll also show you some great entry-level models to kick off your search.
Before You Buy
Let’s start by taking a look at three watches that would be suitable for newbies. All of these models fall in the $1,000 to $4,000 range.
We’ll begin our search by looking for a perfect entry-level timepiece that costs less than $1,000. At this price point, there’s no way to overlook the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80. The PRX first debuted in the 1970s and has since become arguably the most popular Tissot model. In 2021, the watchmaker relaunched a modernized version of the PRX to great acclaim.
The Tissot PRX has a sporty yet elegant design. All the watches in the line have a distinctive stainless steel case that combines polished and satin-brushed surfaces. The PRX Powermatic 80 comes in a range of sizes, including 35 and 40 mm variants. It is powered by either a quartz or automatic caliber. The integrated bracelet and dial that is reminiscent of that on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak are responsible for much of the watch’s success.
Try searching for the Tissot PRX Powermatic on Chrono24 using the search bar and find a few listings that appeal to you. You can save the listings to your personal Notepad to view later, or you can add the model to your Chrono24 Watch Collection directly from the listing page.
After you’ve added the watch to the Watch Collection, it will appear under the tab “Followed Watches.” You can access more listings for the model via the Watch Collection and add any personal notes you might have. For example, you could note how much you’d be willing to pay for the watch, questions to ask potential sellers, or a reminder about which dial or year of production is your favorite.
It can be fascinating to track how certain models are performing on the market. Using the Watch Collection, you can follow any financial booms or busts, both graphically over different time periods, e.g., 1 year, 6 months, etc., and as a single key percentage figure over a given period. This happens automatically when you follow a watch model.
It’s also helpful that the Watch Collection gives you all the important data, facts, and figures about the watches you’re interested in. This comes in handy when making purchase decisions, but also when conversing with fellow watch enthusiasts.
After You Buy
You’ll quickly learn that one sale leads to another when it comes to luxury watches. So, let’s assume you decide on a Tissot PRX Powermatic as the first watch in your collection. It won’t be long before you’re searching for the right piece to complement your Tissot. Take the NOMOS Club Campus, for example. Priced between $1,000 and 2,000, it’s another great entry-level pick.
The Nomos Club Campus is a collection from German watch manufacturer NOMOS Glashütte. The Club Campus line is full of robust yet stylish watches. It generally appeals to a younger crowd and those with an active lifestyle. This is clearly reflected in the sporty, minimalist design of the watch; NOMOS is known for their Bauhaus-style timepieces. The Club Campus is housed in a stainless steel case measuring either 36 or 38 mm. If you’d like something a bit bigger, check out the Club Sport, which is available in sizes up to 42 mm. The highlight of every NOMOS watch is its in-house movement; they’re unbeatable at this price point. You can view the caliber at work through the display case back. The colorful dials are also a key characteristic of the line. From light blue/turquoise to mint green and coral, NOMOS offers beautiful options that you can’t help but smile about. Thanks to its water resistance up to 100 m (328 ft), its sapphire crystal, and diverse band options, this watch is the perfect daily wearer.
Since we’ve already covered how to add a watch to your Watch Collection and how to use it before you buy, let’s take a look at how it can be useful after you’ve purchased your dream watch.
If you buy, say, a NOMOS Club Campus on Chrono24, you’ll automatically be able to find it under “My Watches” in your Watch Collection. The purchase price you bought the model at is entered for you, as are the watch’s specs. Your individual purchase price is taken as the baseline value or starting point against which the performance of your watch is compared. This provides feedback about whether the investment was a wise one or not. Side note: Buying a luxury watch is worthwhile for numerous reasons, many of which have little to do with monetary gains or losses.
The ability to add notes as mentioned above is not only a convenient way to keep track of things, but also a great way to personalize your online watch collection. You can note the date the watch was purchased or the occasion it celebrated. Don’t forget the Club Campus if you’re looking for the perfect graduation gift for a loved one.
While the overview figure will display your watch’s performance in relation to the price you bought it for, the graph shows more general performance based on market prices on Chrono24. If you hold your cursor over the graph, you can view the historic value of the watch by year, month, week, or even day. This information is useful for seeing when it may have been a good time to sell individual models, and also to get an idea of the wider watch market as a whole. You will start to notice certain trends and market reactions to specific industry events like model discontinuations or larger economic events.
Okay, let’s move on to the last feature and watch recommendation for today. Let’s assume that after you bought your NOMOS Club Campus, you bought another popular watch, but later decided to sell it in the hope of taking the next step and buying something a little pricier. We’re thinking something along the lines of the Omega Speedmaster Reduced, specifically the ref. 3510.50, a classic entry-level pick under $4,000.
At 39 mm, the Omega Speedmaster Reduced is not only smaller than the standard Omega Speedmaster, but also features an automatic movement in contrast to the famous 42-mm, manual-winding Moonwatch. To be honest, both of these characteristics make the Reduced a better everyday watch. The Omega Speedmaster Reduced also has an impressive market performance to look back on. It was produced between 1980 and 2000 and is therefore a popular option among collectors. That aside, it really does offer nearly everything that makes the Moonwatch so appealing: adventurous spirit, a chronograph function with a tachymeter scale, and an iconic retro design.
However, if you find that you’re missing the modern technology and originality of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, then (in our hypothetical situation) you could decide to sell the Reduced on Chrono24. This process is made extraordinarily easy by clicking on the “Sell this watch” function in the Watch Collection. The data for your listing will be autopopulated from the information stored in the Watch collection. All you have to do is add images and set your price.
Which brings us back to the primary function of Watch Collection: tracking the performance of your watches. You’ll have a better idea of the value of your watches, so you can set a good price and sell your watch easily. Now nothing stands in the way of your new addition, and the Watch Collection cycle can begin again.
