For hundreds of years now, luxury watches have been regarded as symbols of wealth, success and meticulous engineering. The fine artisanship of luxury watches has made them more than just timepieces. Popular brands of luxury watches such as Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, TAG Heuer, Patek Philippe and other illustrious names evoke admiration and respect. These premier names in watch making have built their reputation through the detailed artistry, superior quality and timelessness of their timepieces.  That is why for most people, owning a luxury watch is a symbol of having arrived, of success and triumph. Luxury watches confer a status upon their wearers. A Rolex or Cartier watch signifies great class and wealth of the bearer. When buying luxury watches, there are a few pointers that one should know before buying.

First, you have to know what makes a particular watch work. There are two primary classification of watches, automatic and quartz. Automatic watches do not use batteries while quartz watches do use them. Automatic watches are powered by the physical movement of the wearer's wrist. If an automatic watch is not worn for a long period, they will stop ticking. However, a simple movement can resume its operation. Very precise engineering is required to create and maintain an excellent automatic watch. Most of the most expensive classic watches are automatic. On the other hand, quartz watches are powered by batteries and cost less than automatic watches.

The next thing you should consider is whether you want caliber automatic or standard automatic. The movement of a watch is measured in calibers: the higher the caliber is, the higher the quality of the movement. Although automatic watches operate without batteries, they will slightly be off time after a while. Watches with a higher caliber have greater precision. Caliber 36 is a term for the high caliber watch movement. Watches of this type are more expensive than most watches because of their greater precision.

With a wide array of luxury watches to choose from, you might get confused and overwhelmed on what brand, design or style to choose. A simple tip is to choose a watch that matches your personality. If you are adventurous and loves the outdoors, you might want a sportier watch with many sophisticated capabilities. If you are simple and elegant, you might veer towards a stark, classic timepiece. Some luxury watches are made of precious metals and have jewels and other gemstones making them more valuable. Luxury-watch brands tend to specialize in certain areas of timekeeping, for instance, TAG Heuer is renowned for their precise sports watches that are useful in golf and auto-racing.

These are just some of the many things you should consider when planning to buy a luxury watch. Whatever luxury watch you choose, you will be investing in an item whose value will increase as time passes by. Timepieces are excellent gifts to give to a special someone. They can also become heirloom pieces, to be passed from one generation to the next. Luxury watches may be expensive but most people regard them as worth the hefty price tag. Their precise engineering and exceptional design are reasons enough why these luxury watches are precious and priceless. You would definitely love to have a luxury watch on your wrist and/or to buy one for a gift.