If You’re Buying a Watch in 2026, Read This First!

If you’re shopping for a luxury watch these days, I’ve got some tips that could save you thousands. I’m not talking about finding big discounts; I’m talking about finding watches you’ll actually keep so you can avoid painful hits on trade-ins. Let’s get into our watch buying tips for 2026.

Think About Your Lifestyle

So, number one, understand your actual wearing habits. Everybody has a different lifestyle. Whether you’re outdoorsy, casual, working in an office, or traveling frequently, if you’re going to wear a watch every day, make sure you get something that can take a beating.

If you’re seeking a rotation piece for special occasions, you can go with something a little more fragile–or perhaps precious metal, which is something most people don’t want to wear every day. Just don’t blow your whole budget on a watch that you don’t feel comfortable wearing regularly.

Before Buying a Luxury Watch in 2026, Try It On

While reading watch reviews is great, nothing matters more than actually trying the watch on. Now, you might say, “Roman, I don’t live near any luxury watch stores.” Well, if you can’t try before you buy, buy from an established seller with a no-questions-asked return policy. 73% of buyers eventually regret their first watch purchase. So, make sure you ask yourself all the right questions–and make sure you truly love it.

Know What’s Important to You

Here’s what often happens: You end up buying a watch that other people love, you realize you don’t really love it, and you move on to something else. And whether you trade up or down, you’re losing money. What I always tell people is this: ask yourself what’s important to you.

There are so many things that go into a watch, and numerous ways to assess their value. After you establish a budget you’re comfortable with, I suggest thinking about how you personally weigh these eight key factors:

1. Heritage
2. Hype/Branding
3. Design
4. Complications
5. Finishing
6. Robustness
7. Comfort
8. Timekeeping

Some people don’t care about the difference between a watch that gains 2 seconds per day and one that gains 15 seconds a day, while others care a lot. Likewise, beautifully finished movements are the #1 fixation of some collectors, while others focus more on everyday toughness and overall design. There’s no wrong way to prioritize these factors, but for any given watch purchase, it’s wise to know what you’re paying a premium for.

Consider Different Options

Personally, I recommend checking out both hyped and unhyped watches. There are some great centuries-old brands like Blancpain and Breguet offering tasteful quiet luxury watches, for instance, but of course they won’t get as many likes as a Rolex Submariner on social media.

While everybody chases the same five watches–and there’s nothing wrong with that, because they became popular for a reason–smart collectors do their research to figure out what really sings to them so they can avoid buyer’s remorse.

Consider Cost of Ownership When Buying a Luxury Watch in 2026

Servicing a watch can range anywhere from $300 to $3,000. And for some highly complicated pieces, it can even cost tens of thousands of dollars. You may also have insurance, in which case you can expect to pay 1-2% of your collection’s value on a yearly basis.

And then, of course, there’s depreciation. Watches are not an investment, as I have reiterated for 20+ years working in the watch business. They’re an expensive toy. While retail prices of watches of course increase on average over time, your watch will (presumably) get more scratches and blemishes over time as you wear it. The maintenance, wear, insurance and trade-in/selling fees will far outweigh price rises 99% of the time.

Think About Authenticity

Every once in a while, we have to give a customer the bad news that the “Rolex” they wanted to trade in is fake. Even seasoned collectors can get burned, but let’s talk about a few basics of how to spot a fake Rolex and fake watches in general. Here’s our six-point checklist:

• Look at serial and reference numbers – This is an easy thing to do, and it’s surprising how many people don’t do it. Confirm the serial and reference are present, correctly engraved, and match the paperwork and the known configuration of the model.
• Dial and hands – Examine things like text alignment, lume plots, hand length, etc. and compare it side-by-side to high resolution shots from the web. Also look thoroughly at the crystal, and make sure to examine movement photos if available.
• Case, crown, and crystal – Look at the finishing of the metal closely.
• Provenance – Any included papers and documentation are worth examining, too. Once you check your card numbers, your sales receipts, your service papers etc. and the numbers all match what’s on the watch, great.
• Weight and materials – Make sure any gold looks like gold, the watch is as heavy as it should be, and that the bracelet feels up to par.
• Buy the dealer – Buy from a well-known luxury watch dealer with a reputation to uphold, and then you’ll have recourse if you’re not happy with the watch. This is really the most important tip of all.

Assess Value

The “hype vs. value” calculation will differ from person to person. You can even make a point system and award watches points based on strengths in the eight categories I mentioned earlier. Then figure out approximate price you should be paying by searching for that watch’s model number specifically.

There are websites out there now like WatchCharts that will even show you median pricing over time for the models that you’re looking at. So take your time, do your research, come up with your own formula and trust your own taste.

Do You Need “Relationships” to Buy a Luxury Watch in 2026?

My final point is about building long-term buying relationships. And I’m not just talking about developing a relationship with an authorized dealer so you can get on the Rolex waitlist. I’m talking about having a good personal relationship with a dealer you trust. Trust is the most important thing. Everything stems for trust. And if you have a relationship with a seller–whether it’s us, an AD, or anyone else in the industry–you will tend to get the best pricing, the most offerings of rare pieces, and perhaps some extra service.

But building a relationship with us doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy a ton of watches. Absolutely not. You have no idea how many times I’ve developed a relationship with people that have never even bought anything from me. But I see them engaging with our YouTube content, reposting my stuff on Instagram, and emailing us questions. Whether they’re looking to buy their first luxury watch in 2026 or 2036, I’m happy to hear from them.

Over the years, the principles in this article have not only saved my clients millions of dollars, but they’ve also saved me millions of dollars because I follow them as well. If you want to reach me, send me a DM on my Instagram, @RomanSharf. I may not answer you instantly, but you will get an answer. Thanks for reading.