Considerations of Precious Time - I


You love the design, you love the colour, you love those tiny little gears whirring away to glory. But is that watch perfect for you? Read more about what characteristics to keep in mind while selecting your kind of watch!

By: Rahul Kapoor, Co-Founder, Excedo Luxuria

Posted on: May 10, 2011

You love the design, you love the colour, you love those tiny little gears whirring away to glory. But is that watch perfect for you? Read more about what characteristics to keep in mind while selecting your kind of watch!

The wrist watch has become a status symbol among many. If it is possible to represent your personality by wearing something, many would agree that only a watch could begin to justify and demonstrate the extent of individuality in ones personality. Modestly, having a selection of bespoke and ready-to-wear watches myself, I know how great it feels to walk into a room knowing no one in that room will have the same watch as you, similar to not wearing the same suit or having the same purse at a key event. It is a rewarding feeling when being engulfed by questions about your watch with people lusting over the fine art on your and only your wrist. In other respects, many have also enjoyed wearing ready-to-wear purchases and have passionately exchanged experiences and discussed the nicks and scratches, as if they were testaments of a great war!

Whether your watch is a bespoke piece or a ready to wear creation, understanding the choices available when purchasing your first or next watch are very important.

There are hundreds of aspects and points to bear in mind when buying a watch, starting from something as trivial as the weight of the strap to the colour of the watch piece itself. All considerations make it a very time consuming quest and confuse most, as it did me once. For most of us, not all of these considerations are important and we would prefer to go without having a overwhelming selection. During my years, I have enjoyed working with designers and creating many bespoke pieces, one of which has been watches for our clients as well as my personal collection, much of which consists of unique pieces. Without realising, soon we had created a personal checklist of what to look for. This checklist has ever since become invaluable to many of our clients and friends alike. It is a far from the Bible or a stringent set of rules, but more of a personal checklist of some of the most important points to consider before making a purchase.

The first point of call is the budget. My first watch was a $8.00 Mickey Mouse piece, which now after 13 years I still enjoy as much as I did when I brought it. Do not be embarrassed to set a budget for the watch, as in the case of luxury watches, the sky really is the limit, and having so much choice will only become stressful. With a budget  you can focus on the watches which are within a spectrum, giving you a defined choice.

That spectrum can be further defined by identifying your lifestyle and in what environment will you wear the watch and what activities you would be participating in. Your lifestyle will effect not only the life span of certain watches but will help you identify which features may benefit. For example, you would warrant a second time zone display (known as a GMT) if you travel a lot regularly. Your lifestyle choice also contributes to the overall look of your watch. If you are a person who enjoys sports, it would be recommended to look at the likes of Glashutte Original Sport Evolution, a popular alternative to the Rolex Submariner. Though Glashutte is not as well known, the watch piece has a far great appeal than the Submariner, with a more modern look to the bezel and fascia. The fact that few in select circles know Glashutte, it gives you a wonderful sense of exclusivity as well.

Likewise with the weight of the watch. If you intend to wear your watch on a daily basis, to the office for example, you may not want to have one of the heavier watches on wrist, which tend to be chunkier with bezel sizes ranging from 38mm to 48mm and quite visible due to their shape and sizes. A lighter watch with a modern yet subtle design maybe better suited to you, though it is dependant on your personal preference. The Hysek V.King for women, for example, is an understated yet modern piece, available in three sizes. For this occasion, however, the 29mm is the most preferred from the reputed house. The wearer of such a watch could be perceived to be of a gentle and modest disposition, but at the same time would show anyone around him/her to be a fan of the luxurious and unique items in life. For something even less obvious, you can look at the Perrelet Eve.

The material of the watch is key in the overall weight as well as how people perceive your personality. One of the modern day materials is PVD. Most watches in this material tend be on the more built and chunkier side, therefore naturally they are a little heavier. PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) though light in itself, the materials used in construction like gold are heavy. Brands such as Perrelet, HD3, Hysek all have watches in PVD, benefits include longevity of the finish and the reduction in wear and tear to your bezel and strap.

A more expensive, yet an even tougher alternative is DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating, which is even more resistant to scratches and abrasions. It also makes the case (if coated) more resistant to dents. Choosing a watch with a DLC finish, will definitely grab onlookers attention with the slick matt black finish (if you decide to choose the all black edition over the two tone orange and black offering) and larger than usual appearance, immediately brands you as more of an extrovert. For example the Turbine with DLC treatment  from the House of Perrelet is a guaranteed eye catcher. The watch shows a sophisticated wearer who likes to be identified and sets a example by opting for the newest movements, debuted in BaselWorld 2011, with a higher than average budget, most likely due to his or her (yes this watch is unisex) being successful in their chosen field.

But this is not all. There are a few more aspects which need to be thought of while choosing your watch – like your lifestyle, your wrist size, the mechanism and more – which will discussed in part two of this column in the June issue of LuxuryFacts.

No matter the cost of your watch, if you think it looks right, meets your requirements and feels perfect then that is the watch for you. Being a purveyor and avid fan of bespoke and exclusive pieces, I always recommend that don’t only look at the main brands, but at smaller more boutique firms, especially if you cannot find the right watch with the bigger brands.

Rahul Kapoor, co-founder of Excedo Luxuria, works with exclusive boutique brands including Thomas Prescher Haute Horlogerie. Aided with experience in bespoke creations, Excedo Luxuria has also created the first all-services bespoke and customized accessories boutique for the ‘media-shy’. An avid watch collector, he loves scrutinizing and talking about watches as well.

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