Need help with luxury watch

[coffeedonutcake]

Pricescope has helped me found the perfect engagement ring. Now I'm back for some more help with watches!

My wedding date is in a couple months, and recently my parents said they want to buy fiancee and me a pair of watches as our wedding gift. Budget is ~10k/watch(a little over is ok). Since I know nothing about watches, I thought I'd turn to my trustworthy Pricescope for help.

We are in our late 20s. Both fiancee and I are in a profession that dresses extremely casual, so these watches would probably only be worn a couple times a year. Fiancee already have a few TAG watches gifted from his parents from years ago, which he almost never wears.

Our watches don't have to be matching. Any suggestion is appreciated!

 

[Snowdrop13]

You need @Dancing Fire who is the watch expert around here, I think.

 

[PintoBean]

Jlc reverso duetto

 

[Dancing Fire]

A S/S Rolex Sub with date? if you can find one at MSRP.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Maybe take a look around a high end watch store and see what speaks to you? There are a lot of gorgeous well made watches that incorporate diamonds and mother of pearl that you can still wear casually.

I love my omega though it doesn’t come close to 10k lol.

 

[Arcadian]

JLC Reverso or a Cartier Tank maybe. Outside the norm, look at Glashutte
Omegas are great watches too just sayin

 

[junebug17]

Cartier Ballon Bleu maybe? It's so pretty and casual looking that you might find yourself wearing it more often that a few times a year. Or maybe Cartier tank or Panthere. I have a Tank Francaise and I wear it almost every day. I guess you can tell I like the look of Cartier watches.

 

[OoohShiny]

I think you need to do some serious browsing and see what appeals to you - a watch is the same as any other jewellery purchase so the aesthetic needs to be something that calls to you. If you buy something because it is a 'good investment' or it's what everyone else buys, you won't love it and won't wear it.

 

[baby monster]

For a guy, a Rolex watch is the most easily recognizable luxury item. If you want to stay on the casual side, I'd go for Datejust 41mm with blue dial. He just might start wearing more than couple times a year.

https://www.jomashop.com/rolex-watch-126300blso.html

For myself, I prefer the look of Cartier watches. Santos and Ballon Bleu are my personal favorite.

 

[Octo2005]

Budget is ~10k/watch(a little over is ok).

We are in our late 20s. Both fiancee and I are in a profession that dresses extremely casual, so these watches would probably only be worn a couple times a year. Fiancee already have a few TAG watches gifted from his parents from years ago, which he almost never wears.

Our watches don't have to be matching. Any suggestion is appreciated!

Congratulations! Just throwing this out as an alternate idea but, would your parents reconsider, maybe gift you a down payment for a house or a fabulous honeymoon or something that appeals to you both? From what you have said, it seems a shame for that money to just "sit in a jewelry box" for most of the time when it could go towards something that could bring you both joy or help boost financial security as you start your new life together.

 

[coffeedonutcake]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I think Fiancee and I need to go to the store and look at more watches in person. We went to look at Rolex and Omega last weekend, but honestly they all look very similar to me. I guess I just have never thought about owning a luxury watch one day. It just doesn't fit our lifestyle.

@Octo2005 I like your suggestion about something that bring us joy. Fiancee and I already own a house together and we've already paid for our upcoming Bora Bora honeymoon(thanks to Costco!). I need to think about something else that the money could possibly go towards.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

20k could go towards a lot of different things!
Renovations, more travel, new wardrobes etc.

What brings you guys joy?

 

[AV_]

I haven't worn a wristwatch for ages, but there must be a few out there that would make take up the habit again! 10K is not much & not little either. A 'watch fund' is fun to have.

 

[foxinsox]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I think Fiancee and I need to go to the store and look at more watches in person. We went to look at Rolex and Omega last weekend, but honestly they all look very similar to me. I guess I just have never thought about owning a luxury watch one day. It just doesn't fit our lifestyle.

@Octo2005 I like your suggestion about something that bring us joy. Fiancee and I already own a house together and we've already paid for our upcoming Bora Bora honeymoon(thanks to Costco!). I need to think about something else that the money could possibly go towards.

Honestly look vintage or Nomos or some of the less obvious luxury brands if the most common ones aren’t appealing. I don’t love the standard luxury watches - they do all look very similar! Which is frustrating if you’re buying something expensive, you do want it to be a bit different. I also really like the midcentury look so have a thing for watches from then.
Also maybe instead of watches you won’t wear, they could buy you some art from a favourite artist or something like that?

 

[AV_]

Ditto @foxinsox !

My beloved watch look used to be 1930s men watches not current styles - a tame choice these days, Calatrava-y.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

JLC and Cartier are my personal favorites, although I just have one Cartier watch!

https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/us/en/home-page.html

https://www.cartier.com/en-us/collections/watches.html

And certainly Rolex is a popular choice!

If you two really won't wear them, though, I'd definitely ask to change the gift! Maybe put part in a ROTH IRA and part in a first anniversary trip fund! Lots of possibilities! I'd love to use mine for jewelry, but my husband would definitely not!

 

[whitewave]

Cartier

 

[tkyasx78]

If he doesn’t have a Rolex, it is a solid buy that will Not go out of fashion.

 

[sarahb]

If your parents are amenable, you have quite a unique opportunity. Since you suggested a luxury watch doesn't seem to fit in your lifestyle, maybe think about a different option.

At your age--late 20's--I'd use the cash & put it in my investment account. I'm in the same boat as DS's husband.

Just think what 20K would be in 10-20-30 years. I'm thinking about particular tech company I bought the week of their IPO in the mid 80's. It's turned out to be the foundation of our portfolio. You never know.....

 

[prs]

For our 25th wedding anniversary DW got a diamond upgrade and I got a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust with a diamond dial, and a mixed stainless/gold band. I have worn it every day for 13 years and the only people who have ever commented on it are sales people in jewelry stores! So your fiance will be just fine with a Rolex, and any self consciousness about it will definitely wear off in a couple of weeks.

A couple of years ago we were in an estate jewelry store and noticed a matching ladies Rolex. DW has worn it every day since then and loves it. As far as I know, nobody has ever commented on it either!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If your parents are amenable, you have quite a unique opportunity. Since you suggested a luxury watch doesn't seem to fit in your lifestyle, maybe think about a different option.

At your age--late 20's--I'd use the cash & put it in my investment account. I'm in the same boat as DS's husband.

Just think what 20K would be in 10-20-30 years. I'm thinking about particular tech company I bought the week of their IPO in the mid 80's. It's turned out to be the foundation of our portfolio. You never know.....

This is so true for us, too! Saving early and wisely is about the smartest thing young couples can do! I did not get much jewelry in the years we were raising our kids. But the extra money put aside years ago is money that allows us to do extra fun things now!

 

[prs]

I just wanted to add that accepting parents' gifts without fuss, and with much gratitude will make those same parents feel very good about the experience.

I know for sure that when I feel very good about an experience; i tend to want to repeat it!

 

[LLJsmom]

I’m on a similar journey and I’ve narrowed my choices to two. At your age, it’s a big budget for a watch. So I would invest in a solid piece that retains value and will stand a lifetime of wear (you’re young). I would get a Rolex.

 

[qubitasaurus]

I also think it might be better to ask to invest it, or spend it on something you'd really like later (more trips from them to see you, especially once you have little one. Or some photos at that stage. I know these ideas are not really wedding present material but there must be something that would bring you great memories with them.). I say this because I know I wouldn't just suddenly change -- no matter how nice the watch, I wouldn't go from never wearing one to wearing one constantly just because someone bought it for me. It'd become an expensive ornament in our house -- which would only stay in one piece for a finite window of time before the baby got to it!

 

[distracts]

Maybe I just don't get it but luxury watches come in many different styles and you could surely find one you would be comfortable wearing everyday - maybe something not from a brand easily-recognizable to the layman if you're worried about people knowing you have an expensive watch on. Most luxury watches are pretty much indistinguishable from regular watches from an arm's length away - they don't necessarily scream "I'm wearing several thousand dollars on my wrist."