How long do you research/seriously consider a watch before actually pulling the trigger?
Subject line says it all. I've gone from waffling and researching and trying on (if possible) to downloading photos with different straps/lighting on my phone to watching every video I can find. If the need is still there after a few months to a year? Chances are it's more than just a passing flirtation with a pretty hunk of metal. I TRY to allow this lag time of at least 4 to 6 months if not a year for pricier pieces (and more daring in design). What about you? How long do you wait? What's your process of consideration? What do you do to psych yourself out of a watch that you KNOW you don't need to have?
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SNWatchNerd
Novelist, Professor, Watch Geek
Minnesota, USA
Member since
Last active: 1 min ago
6.30” / 16.00 cm
I am pretty similar to you for bigger purchases. Wait it out for months, watch as many reviews as I can.
For cheaper stuff like Casios, I still do some research but usually pull the trigger after a few days.
With unknown brands / micro brands I do a lot of research. My issue is if I blow my yearly budget on something and I find out that there is another watch I would have missed out on I would be really disappointed.
With unknown brands / micro brands I do a lot of research. My issue is if I blow my yearly budget on something and I find out that there is another watch I would have missed out on I would be really disappointed.
Of course, it gets tricky b/c some of these micros only do limited runs with short pre-order windows 😕 And it's hard to say if it's worth it early on (you only have influencers to go by who have promo pieces and they may or may not be biased).
Ranges from 5 seconds to 2 years. So no rules here lol
There are times when I see a watch and I know that I have to buy it and some other times when it takes me weeks or months to make up my mind.
A couple of weeks to maybe 3 month or so. Been considering a new Planet Ocean for close to 3 months. A bit longer for a Hamilton Khaki Field or Murph.
I put probably over a year of research into the speedy that I bought earlier this year. Figuring out how to date it, making sure the bracelet was correct, etc etc. Friday I saw a watch I kinda like for sale on a forum and pulled the trigger immediately, turns out its 2mm bigger that I thought it was. So, it depends.
Nothing I've purchased so far is expensive enough to warrant excessive consideration.
I don’t do my research. If a watch I notice I like keeps following me around everywhere I go (like seeing your car driving everywhere on the road now that you drive that model) then I might look into it’s details and try and poke as many holes in it as I can as to deter my interest any further. Watches are the devil.
Depends?! Sometimes a full year to pull the trigger like my Omega SMP or at times it’s instant like my Oris NY Harbor… depends on the watch for me off course and cost, but if a bargain just so happens them no brainer for me! It mine !! Lol
About as long as it takes for me to save up for it, no more no less
I am pretty similar to you for bigger purchases. Wait it out for months, watch as many reviews as I can.
For cheaper stuff like Casios, I still do some research but usually pull the trigger after a few days.
@SNWatchNerd Ash's method is exactly the same as mine. 👍
It can take from three days (G-Shock, I saw it in the wild the saturday, I bought mine the tuesday) to several months (I was on my PMD since september/october and bought it in late january). I noticed that it's hard for me to have a longer period of wait/saving than 6-7 months, after that time I jump on an affordable candy. That's probably why I never could buy a watch that is up the 1000€ mark. Maybe aging will give me the wisdom to make more focused purchased
Most of the watches I add to the collection are based on milestones and brand achievements. I take care not to duplicate movements, but style wise I duplicate like sub and rangers. I buy also based on value and discount. I think that has a greater effect than time.
I shall use today as an example. I received an email today giving me a whopping 40 Euros discount on AliExpress. Within 10 minutes, I had found a watch I liked the look of and bought it. 70 euros paid 1nstead of 110. Impulsive? Yep.
Most of the watches I add to the collection are based on milestones and brand achievements. I take care not to duplicate movements, but style wise I duplicate like sub and rangers. I buy also based on value and discount. I think that has a greater effect than time.
I agree on milestone watches, but I’m weak and tend to divide the milestones up by steps (initial sale, final version, foreign deals, launch etc). One day I’ll tell myself I deserve a watch for opening Microsoft Word.
I had idea that I want “open heart” watch and looked across all brands I can think of. Eventually I found newest Raymond Weil Freelancer Open Heart with olive dial and strap and it was love at first sight. I wanted to pull trigger, but size of 42mm stopped me. Then I looked for smth smaller and found TAG. Was looking at its picture for around 2 weeks, asking questions and then pulled trigger :)
If I can’t see it and try it in person then I have to YouTube as many videos as I can to see the fit on a wrist and what it really looks like. Sometimes the pictures are just off.
I use the sleep on it method, if by the 2nd week I wake up and I still want it, then it's a buy.
The eternal watch enthusiast's struggle is debating buying a watch now or saving up even more to buy a nicer watch you're not entirely sure you'd be comfortable spending your money on...
For me, it’s anything from 37-49 seconds 😎