On watch forums and social media, discussions about buying watches often involve a complex set of calculation formulas. People study the difference between the official price and the secondary market price, analyze the overall preservation rate of brands, and predict the market trends in the coming years. According to data from Morgan Stanley and WatchCharts, as of the second quarter of 2026, only Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet had positive overall preservation rates, while most brands had a depreciation of 30% or more in the second-hand market.
Excessive exposure to data can make people hesitant. When eyeing a formal watch, a warning like “Calatrava depreciates by 34%” or “Cartier Tank has a preservation rate of -28%” immediately pops into one’s mind; when trying on a rare sports model, one can’t help but think, “How much will this watch be worth in the future?”
If buying every watch requires going through a financial model first, then watches would become a financial task rather than an object that brings joy. This “constant calculation of gains and losses” internal friction precisely deprives the original joy of playing with watches.
The essence of a watch is to please oneself
We often say, “A thousand gold coins cannot buy what the heart desires.” This saying holds especially true when it comes to buying watches.
Watches are extremely personal items. They fit snugly against your skin, record your time, and accompany you through the highs and lows of life. When you look at your watch, what you see is not the fluctuation of an investment portfolio, but a period of your own time.
Many top collectors, when looking back on their collections, often cherish the least of their possessions the most – not the rare items that set records at auctions, but the first watch they bought with their own savings, or the piece they happened to come across during a trip and fell in love with at first sight. These watches may not have a strong secondary market, and even in the eyes of others, they may not be “worth preserving.” However, the stories and emotions they carry are beyond any price increase to measure.
As some experienced watch dealers have observed: Those who buy watches out of genuine love rarely sell them in the short term. Investment buyers keep an eye on the market every day, while true lovers will not part with their purchases easily once they have bought them.
“Like” can help you avoid the traps of consumerism
Some might object: If one buys a watch merely based on “liking” it, wouldn’t they be easily influenced by the brand’s marketing narrative and engage in impulsive consumption?
On the contrary. True “liking” is the most effective weapon against the trap of consumerism. If you buy a watch because it is “currently very popular” or “a celebrity’s favorite”, what you are purchasing is social currency. This popularity comes quickly but fades away just as fast. If you decide to buy it because “I heard the second-hand market price for this watch will go up”, then you are buying a financial product. Once the market price drops, your fondness for it will also vanish.
Only when the design of a watch truly resonates with your aesthetic sense, its size and weight fit perfectly on your wrist, and its historical story touches your heart, will you still find it attractive even after the trend fades. This pure liking cannot be taken away by others and cannot be carried away by market conditions.
Spending money on “emotional value” is not disgraceful
In the current watch market, many less popular models or independent watch brands often have to offer significant discounts on the second-hand market. However, this does not mean they are not good watches. Many wristwatches have invested a lot of effort in design, craftsmanship, and movement polishing. They may not become “hard currency” in the secondary market due to insufficient brand marketing or insufficient market imitation. But this is precisely the paradise for pure watch enthusiasts to “pick up bargains”. You can buy works with extremely high craftsmanship and unique aesthetics at prices much lower than popular models.
Even taking a step back, even if a watch is on a crazy discount in the second-hand market, as long as you feel happy every time you look at it while wearing it for several years, and feel a bit proud every time your friends compliment you on “This watch is really beautiful”, you have already recouped your investment. The money you spent has bought real emotional value, and emotional value is originally the most important part of consumption.
The ultimate goal of wearing a watch: Make the watch an extension of yourself
Those who truly enjoy the pleasures of wristwatches are often not the ones who own the most watches, but the ones who wear them the most naturally.
Their wrists may not have the most top-notch limited editions or the trendy must-have models that command high prices. But there must be a watch that perfectly matches their temperament, clothing style and lifestyle. That watch might have scratches or may not be highly valuable, but it definitely has a story that belongs only to its owner.
Buying a watch is about purchasing a tool to accompany you through your time. Since it is for companionship, the most important thing is “do you like it?” rather than “is the market receptive to it?”.
Final Thoughts
In today’s watch world, the notion of “buying a watch simply because you like it” seems to have become a somewhat idealistic declaration.
But don’t forget, the reason why watches are so captivating is that they combine mechanical precision, historical heritage, and human aesthetics. When a watch is manufactured, the watchmaker hopes that it will be worn, appreciated, and cherished, rather than being stored in an insurance box waiting for its value to increase.
So, if you come across a watch that makes you unable to look away from it in the store, makes you keep looking at your wrist after putting it on, and makes you look forward to wearing it every day – then buy it.
Just because you like it is enough of a reason.
