Most people have purchased a pre-owned vehicle in their life despite the potential risks involved, but many people still hesitate to buy a used watch. Why is it that a collectible item like a luxury wrist watch scares people away but expensive cars that have likely been in a crash or two are sold every day? Both purchases do require time and extensive research to find the perfect fit for an individual, but a car and a watch aren’t that far apart.
Similarities of a Pre-owned Vehicle and Watch
- Quality: Car and watch manufacturers all have quality reputations based on years of experience. When you go shopping for a used car, you generally look for a car known for its quality because it will be used and you want to make sure it won’t fall apart on you. Same thing with a watch; you wouldn’t buy a used watch from a low-quality manufacturer because it is likely to break in a short period of time. Price isn’t always in direct relation to the quality of a new, unused watch, but if you are trying to cut corners and pay less, you are more likely to end up with a lesser-quality product.
- History: It is good practice to ask the car owner for the full history of the vehicle to find out if it had ever been in a crash or had major repairs before. While there is no official “Department of Wrist Watches” reporting on the history of a watch, the seller should be able to tell you everything about the fine watch such as where it came from, how many owners have had it, how old it is, and if there have been repairs made. These must all be taken into consideration when purchasing a high-end pre-owned watch.
- Style: Both a car and a watch will be seen by the public when you are using it. You want to make a statement with the accessory and also have it match your personal style. It is really important to find the car that you feel you look good in, just as it is important to find the watch that looks good on you. You would not want to be ashamed every time you stepped into your car, just as you would not want to be ashamed to put on your watch you paid good money for. No matter how perfect the quality is, you should still make sure the pre-owned watch is the perfect style for you before even considering a purchase.
- Technical Specifications: Nobody in their right mind would buy a pre-owned car without first understanding what exactly was under the hood. Is it a four or six cylinder? What type of transmission does it have? Does the air conditioning system work? These are all good questions you would ask. Same goes for watches; you will want to know what components the watch has, who manufactured them, if they have been replaced, and what their expected life will be.
- Documentation: Ownership documentation, historical documents, proof of servicing and other items should all be included in the exchange of both pre-owned cars and fine watches. If the seller is not willing to provide the appropriate documents, you wouldn’t buy the car or watch.
- Warranty or Guarantee: Just because you are buying pre-owned doesn’t mean you should risk walking away from the purchase without any sort of warranty or guarantee. A lot of times, you won’t receive any type of warranty from a private seller but if you use a reputable dealer like Levi Family Jewelers then you can be assured that the purchase comes with protection.
- Service: When you use a dealer for both cars and watches, they can help you find the perfect one for you and explain everything in detail. When making a large purchase that you will probably have for a long time to come, you should expect only the highest quality service to help you through the process. If you aren’t receiving good service from the seller, walk away from the transaction because poor service will probably mean a poor product in the end anyway.
