IWC value

Why would anyone buy a Rolex anyway? New it is overpriced, used it is to expensive, and in both cases it`s ugly....

Is looking at a beautiful watch while checking the time worth paying something for?
Are you already paying the price when you have to look daily at a not so attractive watch that 'keeps its value'?

Brand specific value keeping issues aside, be it true and accurate or not, I believe the easiness to resell or preowned watch buyer markets is design related. Similar design year after year makes it acceptable for some to buy older generations which will appear not so outdated; shorter revised cycle (design) brands with bigger design change create market niches for buyers preferring specific styles, hence smaller markets for each generations but probably more robust when pushing design limits for each revision. But when resell price retaining is paramount why not invest realistically in precious metal / stocks/ properties...? It is very much an affordability issue and what makes you happy in the end.

p.s. by design I meant elements and features inclusive of any engineering aspect visible or otherwise

WOW! This certainly has been a lively topic!

I have been collecting watches for over 30 years and my collection is a little eclectic. I have favourite brands for emotional reasons and multiple models of those brands reflecting their specialities or innovations.

Of the models mentioned in this discussion, I have divested all but 1 Rolex. Try getting service or parts for one that is over 20 years old. Service departments refuse and parts are not kept. Not a good way to respect your heritage.

I just do not understand the allure of Panarai. I have tried, but there is just no appeal for me. (Big apologies to NAD). It's a resurrected brand after all.

What I like about IWC is the heritage, the design, the attention to detail and that the company (at least in the past)has always been just a little different.

Choose an IWC carefully and you have a watch for life and one to pass onto children too!

I probably never would buy a Rolex, but one model is quite nice to my eyes: the smooth bezel steel Datejust II with the blue dial. And the movement quite surely will not disappoint.

Kind regards,
Paul

I like almost all watches, including Rolex. There's a famous book by a photographer, the late Gary Winogrand, called "Women Are Beautiful" --and I feel that way about watches. Each brand has its strengths. I think we often confuse "value" with "price".

That said, while I like almost all watches, I love IWC. At its best, it reflects many values that no other brand possesses. And to give one example, I strongly believe that with the hopefully soon-to-arrive CF3.

Guys.
I am no master nor the authority on watches. Just a hobby.
But when I decided to go for a good watch, it had to be good & accurate. Should love the look & feel as I would be wearing it everyday.
Good watches should be cherished, not traded. In fact I have only one IWC, and although I am looking to add to my collection, my son just told me that if his grades are good, would I gift him my old watch & keep the new one.
Now that's the bonding I was looking for. He did his research & said he would like mine. But his dream watch is the PSS. That he said he will buy it himself when he starts earning.

FYI: I got my new Portofino at a discount in retail, 3 summers ago. My friend, during his trip last year, stated that there was nothing below 3.5K Euros, & I got a new one in retail for quite less than that (of course I took the VAT discount, etc).

But the watch is ready to pass down the generation, and I am scouting for a new one. My fav is the 500107. But would be glad if I can get suggestions. Starting a new chat, hope to get a lot of feedback on it.
Enjoy your watches guys, wear them in good health, and keep smiling everytime you see the IWC.
MK (Kuki).

There are a lot of great watches out there. Looks of a watch are subjective so I never really discuss them because I get just I like. Value however is a number a thst is a Stat. I don't understand how IWC can depreciate so much across any of their models. My theory is they constantly come out with new designs like the all new aquatimer. Thst devalues the older model. Brands like Rolex don't change much hence the second hand market is a better buy.

I think we all agree that buying a watch in general should not be seen as an investment. You can be lucky, but it's highly unlikely that you will be successful and your watch will gain value over time.

However there is a big BUT: Knowing that a watch will lose more or less value over time IS an important fact for me, not having the funds of buying a watch "just for fun". I include in my decision to go for a watch also the question if I would - if needed because of financial urgency - lose more or less money. That I will lose is OK. But if it is only 50% of what I paid right after stepping out the store, that's definitively NOT OK.

I also think my yacht club although very nice is not a desired piece and that is why it lost so much value. With any brand you have to stick to pieces that are close to the heritage in order to retain most of the value. When you buy limited edition or anything other than the classics that's where you lose the value.

That's is exactly why I was asking about the value of iwc. 50% is an insane amount to loose on a watch. Defintely not Ok.

… so you have to choose the right one - and this affects all brands, even rolex.
It´s a game. A watch CAN be an investment for bad times but must not. But a watch also can be collector´s love and nothing else. A thing has only the value that you want to see in it. Everybody has the possibility to wait for a watch to appear on chrono24 to get it - perhaps - cheaper. But if you want the brand new piece than you have to take the risk. Just my humble opinion ..
Best,
-christian

By the way - the thread starts to go in circles (again) …
best,
-christian

I always buy a watch because I like it very much, and certainly not because others might like it, or dislike it, for that matter. It is an emotional transaction, my emotion. I both hope and expect I will never have to sell my watches, which gives me the freedom to go all-out for my taste, and my taste alone. Within my financial means and limits for watches, which lie far apart, I thus go for maximal, personal pleasure.

Kind regards,
Paul

I don't really understand this discussion on values anyway to be honest. I take my time when I buy and I only buy a watch I love that I am going to keep. I have no intention of "flipping" it for another so the resale value is irrelevant to me. It's a strange concept in my humble opinion. With any luck I will still be happily wearing my collection in 30 years from now.....

Cheers,

Jarrod

Exactly.

Agree 100%

Jarrod, that's really all that is worth saying about the issue. Fully agree and glad you named it.

I think the issue of resale value comes into play because some of us can get bored with our watches over time. So we sell them to finance another purchase and some become unhappy with the hit the watch takes upon selling and realizing the low 2nd hand value. It's just natural that we eventually gets bored with things. I am guilty of this myself though I have yet to flip my IWC watches. Now, I have a large collection that I rotates regularly so that I don't get bored easily with any particularly watch/watches with frequent wearing.

It's always an issue for watch collectors, ie buying what you like vs buying what keeps hold of value. I try nowadays to buy watches that fits both criteria.