Buying and owning a brand new watch is a great way to build a watch collection or find a watch to wear. Nonetheless, there are pros and cons that come with a brand new luxury watch, and I firmly believe that you should. know them
| Pros Of Brand New Watches | Cons of Brand New Watches |
| – No scratches or abrasions -Generally comes with boxes and authentication papers – Usually comes with warranties – No signs of wear – May need less servicing than pre-owned watches | – Higher price tag – Generally loses value – Less available than used watches |
Read on to view the full, detailed explanation about the pros and cons of brand new watches and my opinions about them!
Pros of Brand New Watches
While there are some cons to brand new timepieces, let’s break down all of the good things I found that comes with a brand new watch!
No Scratches, Abrasions, or Signs Of Wear
One of the best parts about owning and buying a brand new watch is that they have no scratches, abrasions, or signs of wear. If you buy or own a watch in brand new condition, then you are sure to have a timepiece in its most optimal condition.
Why is this a good thing you may ask? Watch enthusiasts and the general population find watches with no scratches or marks to be more appealing than a watch with scratches and dents. I personally figured this out when I first wore my Panerai watch.
At the time when I first put the watch on out of the box, I had so many people coming up to me and asking me about my timepiece, which I am grateful for. To this day, plenty of people still compliment me and look down at my wrist since my watches are clean, stylish, and unharmed.
May Need Less Servicing Than Pre-Owned Watches
One of the greatest benefits I found that comes with brand new watches is that they need less servicing than pre-owned watches. Since brand new watches are in their peak condition, they do not need as much care as an older and used watch.
I figured this benefit out with my own, brand new Panerai Luminor Chrono Daylight. After I took it out of the box and put it on my wrist, I was so excited and grateful to wear it and I didn’t have to do any heavy maintenance on the watch after years of wearing it. However, with an older and used watch, it may need more servicing than a new watch since it is pre-owned and worn down.
This example shows that new watches (since they’re in the best condition) often need less servicing and care than a used and worn watch.
Generally Comes With Boxes And Authentication Papers
An additional great thing that comes with buying a brand new watch is that it generally comes in its original box or packaging, which adds value and authenticity to the watch.
When it comes down to buying a pre-owned watch, it is hard to tell if the watch is actually real or not if it doesn’t come with authentication papers, which is a slight issue if you ask me. But with brand new watches, they come with their own authentication papers to certify that the watch is real, and it also comes in the original box which adds style and value.
With my Panerai Luminor Chronograph, it has the original box as well as its authentication papers. With the papers and the original box, I am certain that the watch is real and it gives the watch more value and authenticity.
Comes With Warranties
Another amazing benefit that comes with a brand new luxury watch is they come with warranties that will keep your watch covered if anything is wrong with it. This means that if there are any factory defects in your watch then you can return it to the manufacturer or a watch repair shop and get the defect fixed, free of charge. These warranties usually last for a couple of years.
When it comes down to buying brand new watches, there is a possibility that there could have been a mistake in the manufacturing process and there may be a factory defect, but if you have a warranty that comes with the watch, then you can get the defect fixed for free.
The best part about it is that watch warranties last for 2 to 3 years, which is a large amount of time to identify if there is a defect in your timepiece. WIth used watches, warranties have usually run out and is usually only found on brand new watches, which makes them so great.
Cons of Brand New Watches
While the pros of brand new watches may be fantastic, there are some cons I found that you should know about that you should definitely take into consideration.
Higher Price Tag
One of the most obvious cons that comes with a brand new watch is its higher price tag. Since brand new watches show no signs of wear and have more perks than pre-owned watches, the majority of manufacturers, retailers, and second-hand sellers list brand new watches at a much higher price than used or pre-owned watches.
I have personally figured this out when I first started getting into watches and compared new watches to pre-owned ones. I quickly saw that watches that are absolutely brand new are significantly higher in price than timepieces that are used. For example, I was looking at Omega Speedmaster watches on the market and the watches in brand new condition were about double the price of the same watch model in pre-owned condition.
For those that are trying to buy a watch or build a collection on a budget, this can be an issue when buying a brand new watch because it is much cheaper to buy a pre-owned watch and save money. But for others, the price tag may be worth it to add an extraordinary timepiece to their collection.
Personally, price plays a massive role in my buying process, which is why the high price tag on brand new watches is a con.
Generally Loses Value
Another con that comes with buying a brand new is that they generally lose value as soon as you buy it. The reason being is that as soon as you wear it and own it, the condition of the watch turns from “brand new” to “pre-owned”, which means that the watch will drop in overall value.
The only time a watch raises in value is when the timepieces are limited and extremely sought after by the general public, and manufactured by the most popular watch brands in the world. Other than that, the majority of brand-new watches tend to lose their value after you first buy them.
A perfect comparison is between brand new cars and pre-owned cars. As soon as you drive a brand new car off the lot, it immediately loses value because it becomes a used and pre-owned car. The exact same thing applies to luxury watches. As soon as you strap a brand new watch on your wrist, it turns into a used watch and it decreases in value.
Less Available Than Used Watches
Watches in brand new condition are much harder to get a hold of than timepieces in used condition. Since new watches are in their best physical condition, they are rarer, more expensive, and harder to find.
As a matter of fact, I tested this out recently. I did a quick Google search of the Cartier “Tank” watch (one of the most iconic timepieces ever) and the majority of listings that I found were pre-owned watches. To test this again, I did the exact same thing but this time with Panerai “Luminior” watches and I also found that the majority of listings were also pre-owned watches.
This shows that timepieces in pre-owned condition are much easier to find and are much cheaper than watches in brand new condition.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, I think brand new watches are fantastic timepieces to add to your collection. While they might not be the cheapest or most affordable option (as I found), the pros of brand new watches greatly outweigh the cons in my personal opinion. So if you are looking to buy a brand new watch to add to your collection and wear out regularly, I would say to go for it: just remember that it can be a little pricier compared to pre-owned watches.
Since we are on the topic of pros and cons, I have written a similar article about the pros and cons of pre-owned timepieces. If you want to check out the in-depth post similar to this one, click right here.
If I were to add a brand new watch to my collection, I would want to have an IWC watch. I believe that IWC is such an underrated brand and I think that their watches are exceptionally made. So if I had to choose another watch to add to my collection, I would lean toward IWC.