What's the Right Age to Start Wearing Your First Luxury Watch?

Got a Longines Hydroconquest at 22ish I think, omega seamster at 27, and Rolex oyster perpetual 41 at 30

It’s not alcohol

I am not going to count my steel Omega Seamaster circa60s gifted to me by my parents before I started middle school as luxury, did not purchase my first Rolex Datejust, Cartier Santos until I earned a proper adult’s paycheck in my early 30s did not buy an AP Perpetual until I paid for my wife’s engagement ring and a substantial down payment on our matrimonial residence. Toronto is an affluent community so I do see very young individuals wearing watches that are well beyond the genuine financial reach of persons in their age cohort, I make no judgements since I love watches but somehow a young person wearing a watch that was not earned doesn’t resonate with me positively. Of course I have no way of knowing the precise details just guessing.

more wrist time for a watch is a good thing.. start wearing watches early in life when you have a lot of future wrist time. My record for wrist time, for my first Seiko, is forty nine years.

It's weird when the watch wears them. So basically it's when it's not a "stretch" and the wearer is comfortable wearing it. If one is fussing over scratches, it's probably too early.

Really, it don't matter because the overwhelming majority of humanity can't tell a five figure watch from a three figure watch and I'd even debate whether there is a real difference.

When YOU can afford it. Simple

It's worse. 😀

It's not age-dependant, but your environment. With the jet set, you have to wear one since you learn to walk. In a cheap pub, they're gonna look at you funny even if you're a white-bearded pensioner.

Well I think it really depends on the person and the impression to others.

For flexing any age is wrong.

A fresh trainee at a company with 18 or 20 with a Rolex could bring a bad reputation.

But if people know the young guy since long as a watch (not luxury) enthusiast, nobody would care of the age.

I would always say:

"Better spending for watches than for drugs" 🤣

Taking an inheritance watch or crazy wealth out of it, seems to me anything less than 30 it's just been given to them. At 30 you've worked hard enough (and you love watches enough) to buy your own luxury piece. Ideally, you've earned it, so then you'll appreciate it more.

Less to do with age and more to do with the story behind the watch on your wrist.

Who am I to judge?

There is no right age. I know a 17 years old, who wears his grandfather’s Datajust while working at Chick fil A. His grandfather only had it for a couple of years.

Mmm, luxury is relative to your environment, growing up, I remember people calling Rolex a tool watch, but nowadays it's a luxury accessory, when I was in college it was luxury for me to own a fossil or a swatch, not even talk about that tool watch from Rolex. In short, the best moment to own a luxury watch is the moment you can afford it.

much more fulfilling if you work and pay for it yourself. so whatever that age is in your life. here’s my first: vintage iwc cal. 8541 from the late 60s i got with my own money at age 27.

I bought my first luxury watch at 28 but it is not about age its about how long did you spent as watch enthusiast imo

If you can save the money or born with it, at 18 I say go for it.

Bought my first Rolex at age 21 after college graduation.

I think when one is a young guy, for the sake of one’s public image, it would be best to avoid luxury stuff (or at least the familiar brands) in college age. 18 and 19 are definitely too young

I think a responsible 18 yr old might be appropriate . . . I wouldn't trust all 18 yr olds to care for it or not do something stupid . . . but a HS graduation could be a nice first milestone watch in the sub 2k range like a Nomos Club Campus or a Hamilton or something.

This also depends on what that 18 yr old is doing in life and where they are going . . .will they just get ripped off? Will they use common sense and know when to leave their watch home?

I went to a HS where Rolex, Omega etc. weren't uncommon. Yeah, I went to one of "those" schools (as a scholarship kid). . . and I know some students who got some bangers for their graduation (including one kid who I remember to this day who barely graduated and magically got into Columbia AND got a Rolex . . . talk about failing upward . . . jerk haha). But a lot of those kids were going to schools or were entering worlds where those watches wouldn't be crazy or wouldn't' send the wrong message.

I tried so hard to find a baby photo with a watch just like this to add to the post, but I couldn't find it 🤣

🤣