Category: Watch Buying Tips

5 Step Guide to Buying Pre owned Tudor Watches

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Tudor are one of the most exciting watch brands in the world and are consistently producing highly desirable pieces at a price point that’s more affordable than many other luxury watch brands. Considered by many to be the budget Rolex, they are very similar to Rolex models but have their own style. Therefore, they have a lower price point – even lower, when buying pre owned Tudor watches!

 

Tudor is the sister company to Rolex, launched in 1946 by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf under the companion brand Montres Tudor SA. They continue to be part of the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation
Below are 5 key things to consider when buying pre owned Tudor watches.

 

1. Investment, Pleasure or Both?

Tudor watches offer an extremely good opportunity to own a quality, stylish watch at a more affordable price point to alternatives from other luxury watchmakers.
If you’re buying purely for investment, modern pre-owned Tudor watches do not reap the same rewards as Rolex. However, there are still some key things to consider if you want to increase your potential of return.

 

My four top tips …

• Focus on whether a model is desirable now and whether it is likely to be so for the foreseeable future.
• Always go for a watch with the widest appeal and the most limited supply.
• If it’s purely for investment purposes, buy the very best example you can find. After all you don’t have to worry about damaging it if it’s only going to sit in your safe.
• Make sure you buy a Full Set – box, papers, service records and accessories.
If buying for pleasure and or both pleasure and investment – keep reading.

 

2. Style

When it comes to style icons, Tudor has some of the best sporting heroes championing their brand. Including – football legend David Beckham, Champion surfer Nic Von Rupp and the entire New Zealand All Blacks squad.

 

Sports, Classic, Dive and Ladies – Tudor have a huge catalogue to choose from. In 2007, Tudor launched a whole new range of watches which were designed to be like their Rolex brothers but with more “Sartorial Sense.” They’re more colourful, more daring and for a younger customer and their success over the last 15 years has been monumental.

 

The three most popular modern Tudor models are the Black Bay, Pelagos and Heritage Chronograph.

 

Black Bay – based on the classic dive watches of the 1960’s, the Heritage Black Bay is an excellent dive watch with classic Tudor styling. Available in both 39mm and 43mm cases sizes and made from stainless steel, bronze, steel and gold or silver, there are lots of options to choose from including a chronograph.

 

Pelagos – The lightweight brother to the Black Bay in the dive watch stable, the Tudor Pelagos is made from titanium and comes with either a black or blue dial and with either a standard right hand or unusual left-hand crown. They’re also available in both 39mm and 43mm case sizes.

 

Heritage Chronograph – If you prefer your sport on dry land then the Tudor Heritage Chronograph might be for you. Based on the Tudor Monte Carlo of the 1970’s, these colourful 42mm Chronographs ooze 70’s style.

 

3. Size

Does matter when it comes to watches?

 

It all comes down to confidence and perspective. Just because you’re small in stature, doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t carry off a larger timepiece. In fact, it’s very much the fashion for women to wear oversized men’s watches.

 

For a man, it’s all about confidence. If you feel comfortable going big and will wear a 42mm + proudly, then a Tudor Glamour Double Date will look good. If you’re going to be self-conscious, then pick something classic like a 36mm Tudor Black Bay S&G.

 

If you’re looking for something smaller, older/vintage could be better for you.

 

4. Vintage or Modern

The choice between a vintage or modern watch is partly one of personal taste and partly one of robustness. We mentioned above about the fact that vintage watches tend to be smaller, so if you prefer a slightly smaller look, then something like a Tudor 74000 might be for you.

 

On the other hand, if you want to wear your Tudor every day, then you should probably go for a newer one as the movements from the 1960’s are more fragile and expensive to repair than later versions.

 

Bracelets have also changed over the years and newer ones are more hard wearing and comfortable so may be more suited to regular as opposed to occasional wear.

 

Servicing costs for a vintage watch can be higher and parts hard to come by – two important considerations when choosing between modern and vintage pre owned Tudor watches.

 

5. Fashion or Function

What do you want your pre owned Tudor watch for? Assuming of course you’re not heading to the Mariana Trench. Is it simply to tell the time or do you need it to dive in?

 

If you do want a sports watch for diving, the Tudor Pelagos range is the best place to start.

 

If you’re simply looking for a fantastic watch made to the highest of standards, then you can have some fun choosing.

5 Step Guide to Buying Pre owned Rolex Watches

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Buying a Rolex is a one of the best decisions you could make in the watch world because most certified pre owned Rolex watches increase in value over time.

 

This means that when you buy a fully tested, warrantied Rolex certified pre owned watch from Oakleigh Watches, you will be buying an appreciating asset. All you need to do is take care of it and enjoy it for a few years and it will literally repay you.

 

Below are 5 key things to consider when buying a pre owned Rolex.

 

1. Investment, Pleasure or Both?

If you’re buying purely for investment, then you don’t need to worry about the style of watch. Rather, you need to focus on whether a model is desirable now and whether it is likely to be so for the foreseeable future. So, my top three tips …

 

• Always go for a watch with the widest appeal and the most limited supply.
• If it’s purely for investment purposes, buy the very best example you can find. After all you don’t have to worry about damaging it if it’s only going to sit in your safe.
• Make sure you buy a Full Set – box, papers, service records and accessories.
If buying for pleasure and or both pleasure and investment – keep reading.

 

2. Style

There are literally hundreds of Rolex watches to choose from. The most popular and the ones that appear most in our collections tend to be sports references of which there are several. However, the dressier Day Date and Datejust models are also very popular, and they regularly feature in our collection too.

 

Rolex Submariner and GMT Master

As far as the sports references are concerned, the two most popular ones are:

 

• The Rolex Submariner – This comes in Submariner and Submariner Date versions. They were both largely unchanged from 1969 until 2010/2012 when the current ceramic bezel styling was introduced. This was the first and only major change ever to affect the model. The Stainless-Steel Submariner watches have quite understated styling.

 

• The Rolex GMT Master – depending upon age, this is available in both GMT Master and GMT Master II versions. The GMT Master was the original, and when they were available simultaneously, was the cheaper of the two versions. These days prices are much more affected by condition, originality, and completeness than they are by which movement is in the watch. Again, depending on age, the steel versions are available with black, black and red (Coke), blue and red (Pepsi), blue and black (Batman), and green and black (Sprite) versions. Because of the coloured bezel, they tend to stand out more than some of the other Rolex sports watches.

 

Rolex Day Date and Datejust
• The Rolex Day Date or ‘Rolex President’ has been a mainstay of the brand since the 1950’s and has traditionally been presented to every US President around the time of their inauguration. Incidentally, ‘President’ is also the name of the bracelet which is only ever used on this model. The Rolex Day Date is only available in precious metals; yellow gold, white gold, or platinum, and consequently has always been one of the more highly priced Rolex models. Traditionally a 36mm watch – although strangely it wears much bigger – the Rolex Day Date is now also available in 41 mm.

 

• The Rolex Datejust has been an important part of Rolex history since the 1960’s. This is the classic dress Rolex seen on so many wrists and is available in stainless steel or stainless steel and gold versions. The key differentiating feature on the different Rolex Datejust models is the bezel. Over the years they have been available in machined steel, smooth steel, and fluted white gold. It’s important to know which you are looking at because the difference affects the price quite significantly. The other main difference between the versions is the bracelet which is available in either an Oyster or Jubilee. The Oyster bringing a more purposeful look while the Jubilee is more decorative and dressier. Also, traditionally a 36mm watch the Rolex Datejust is now also available in 41 mm.

 

3. Size

Does matter when it comes to watches?

 

It all comes down to confidence and perspective.

 

Just because you’re small in stature, doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t carry off a larger timepiece. In fact, it’s very much the fashion for women to wear oversized men’s watches.

 

For a man, it’s all about confidence. If you feel comfortable going big and will wear a 43mm + proudly, then it will look good. If you’re going to be self-conscious, then pick something classic like a Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

 

Most Rolex sports models ever made are 40 mm but recently a few have crept up to 41 mm and 42 mm versions.

 

As we mentioned before, the Rolex Day Date and Rolex Datejust are traditionally 36 mm, but the modern ones are 41 mm – if you’re looking for something smaller, older could be better for you.

 

4. Vintage or Modern

The choice between a vintage or modern watch is partly one of personal taste and partly one of robustness. We mentioned above about the fact that vintage watches tend to be smaller with the Rolex Day Date and Datejust models growing 5 mm over the years. So, if you like a slightly smaller vintage look, then something older might be for you.

 

On the other hand, if you want to wear your Rolex every day, then you should probably go for a newer one as the movements from the 1960’s is more fragile and expensive to repair than later versions.

 

Bracelets have also changed over the years and newer ones are more hard wearing and comfortable so may be more suited to regular as opposed to occasional wear. Original bracelets for vintage Rolex can also be very valuable, often running into thousands of pounds, so that combined with their relatively fragile nature doesn’t make for a daily wearer.

 

Servicing costs for a vintage watch can be higher and parts hard to come by – two important considerations when choosing between modern and vintage pre owned Rolex watches.

 

5. Fashion or Function

What do you want your pre owned Rolex for? Assuming of course you’re not heading to the Mariana Trench, is it simply to tell the time or do you need it to dive in?

 

If you do want a sports watch for diving say, the Rolex Submariner models are the best place to start.

 

If you’re simply looking for a fantastic watch made to the highest of standards, then you can have some fun choosing.

 

5 Step Guide to Buying Pre owned Panerai Watches

Posted on by Card Holder Name

Panerai watches tend to hold their value well, which means when you buy a perfect, fully tested, and warrantied pre-owned Panerai from Oakleigh Watches, you will be buying an appreciating asset. All you need to do is take care of it and enjoy it for a few years and it will literally repay you.

 

A good quality Full Set pre-owned Panerai watch can cost anything from £2,500 to tens of thousands.

 

Dating back to 1860, this luxury Italian brand has an interesting history. Between 1940 and 1985, Panerai watches often featured Rolex movements and were exclusively available under contract to the Italian Navy for use by its Submariners.

 

When that contract finished, Panerai disappeared until 1993 when they launched three watches based on the original military designs: the 44 mm Luminor and Luminor Marina watches and the 42 mm Mare Nostrum chronograph. These watches are extremely rare and highly collectible, mainly because the launch wasn’t particularly successful because of lack of funding.

 

In 1997, the Panerai company was sold to the Vendome Group (now the Richemont group) and the modern era of Panerai watches began. Mainly based around the original designs, now there are hundreds of different Panerai models available to suit differing tastes.

 

Below are 5 key things to consider when buying a pre-owned Panerai.

 

1. Investment, Pleasure or Both?

If you’re buying purely for investment, then you don’t need to worry about the style of watch. Rather, you need to focus on whether a model is desirable now and whether it is likely to be so for the foreseeable future. So, my three top tips …

 

• Always go for a watch with the widest appeal and the most limited supply.
• If it’s purely for investment purposes, buy the very best example you can find. After all you don’t have to worry about damaging it if it’s only going to sit in your safe.
• Make sure you buy a Full Set – box, papers, service records and accessories.
If buying for pleasure and or both pleasure and investment – keep reading.

 

2. Style

Panerai have two main style collections to choose from. The most popular and the ones that appear most in our collections tend to be Panerai Luminor. The second is the Radiomir.

 

The Panerai Radiomir is based around the original military design with a cushion case, wire lugs and exposed crown. With sizes ranging from 40mm to a substantial 47mm and a choice of automatic or manual wind movement. Traditionalists might prefer the larger case with a manual wind movement and only two hands. More modern styles are smaller and can have complications such as date, GMT or power reserve. Always on a leather strap, the Radiomir normally has a black dial.

 

The Panerai Luminor is also available from 40 to 47mm and with an automatic or manual movement. As with the Radiomir, the traditional models are larger and manual winding. More recently, the Luminor has been available with different style options, including bracelets, crocodile straps and coloured dials. A key feature of the Luminor is the patented crown guard design, some people consider this an essential part of Panerai design, whereas others think it’s too bulky and prefer the slimmer Radiomir.

 

Panerai are statement watches, to be worn proudly and boldly.

 

3. Size

Does matter when it comes to watches?

 

It all comes down to confidence and perspective.

 

As we’ve already mentioned, Panerai are not low key, however just because you’re small in stature, doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t carry off a larger timepiece. In fact, it’s very much the fashion for women to wear oversized men’s watches.

 

For a man, it’s all about confidence. If you feel comfortable going big then Panerai is the brand for you as they have some of the biggest cases in the luxury watch market. If you’re feeling bold – you might try your luck with a 47mm Panerai Submersible. The smallest range they have is their Luminor Due measuring 36mm. However, the Luminor’s iconic crown protector tends to make this model a statement time piece and not for the self-conscious.

 

4. Vintage or Modern

The choice between a vintage or modern watch is partly one of personal taste, partly one of robustness and when it comes to Panerai – one of budget!

 

Of the three periods of Panerai production, pre-Vendome era (1993-1997) cost around 3x the price of a similar modern model. Genuine vintage military Panerai’s run into tens of thousands of pounds and therefore are collection pieces rather than a daily wearer.

 

Pre- Vendome are still considered vintage and are more wearable. They represent good value for money and are guaranteed investment pieces for the future.

 

If you want to wear your Panerai every day, then you should probably go for a newer one as the movements from vintage models are more fragile and expensive to repair than later versions.

 

Servicing costs for a vintage watch can be higher and parts hard to come by – two important considerations when choosing between modern and vintage pre-owned Panerai watches.

 

5. Fashion or Function

What do you want your pre-owned Panerai for?

 

Assuming of course you’re not heading to the Mariana Trench, is it simply to tell the time or do you need it to dive in?

 

All Panerai’s have a sub maritime heritage and modern ones make great dive watches. Vintage watches however should stay on dry land.

 

If you’re not diving, the Panerai brand is a fashion statement and has quite a ‘manly’ celebrity following. Including Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone. That’s not to say, it’s an exclusive all male club – Heidi Klum and Salma Hayek have been spotted sporting these larger time pieces. A great example of how to go large confidently.

 

If you’re simply looking for a fantastic watch made to the highest of standards, then you can have some fun choosing.