Let's dispel a myth. It is not a given that a watch will increase in value over time. The vast majority of models, even expensive ones, will see their value drop over the years. Some important pieces, well preserved and maintained, become collectors' items and can, after decades, achieve attractive prices.
Recently we have seen a lot of speculation going on, which has gone so far as to drive up the prices of too many new models above list price. To the point of creating the misconception that buying a watch that does not appreciate in value over time is a waste of money.Now that the speculative bubble is coming to a halt, with price falls of more than 20% in less than a year, it becomes clear that buying watches as an investment is not a good idea.
It is Morgan Stanley who says so, commenting on its recent report on the watch market in 2022. This is demonstrated by the sudden fall in prices since last April. Which, moreover, the general public did not realise immediately, continuing to give credence to the prices published on the major online buying and selling platforms. It is a pity that those prices are often much higher than the actual sale prices, for purely advertising purposes.
The conclusion is one that true enthusiasts know well. You buy a watch because it meets your taste and you want to wear it. Not completing a purchase because one is unsure of its future value deprives us of a pleasure. But if we give ourselves a beautiful watch, whatever the price, for the right reasons, we will not be affected by fluctuations in its value, nor by its not appreciating in value in the short or medium term.
The great thing is also to discover, 20 or 30 years from now, that one has been able, with one's own sensitivity, to choose a special watch that has become a collector's item.
Dody Giussani
