Recommend a luxury watch

[rigamortiz]

My grandmother recently passed away and my grandfather has given each of us grandchildren £2,000 from the sale of her car. I'd like to spend it on something I could keep for a long time and have settled on a watch. I've never owned a grown up watch before, the closest I've got is a Fitbit I had for a few years. I could go a little higher than the budget for the right piece but don't know where to start. What would you buy with that budget?

Sorry to hear about your grandma, it sounds like a really nice idea to get something like that.

Longines do some lovely ladies watches from below 1k to quite expensive, they do lots of different styles and some really classic pretty ones that'll look good forever.

Tag Heuer do some ladies watches in that price range, again good quality and really classic looking so they'll last the test of time.

Is there a specific type / colour of metal / style you like?

If you've got a local jeweller would you be able to pop in and try some on? You might absolutely hate some styles on your wrists! Ours are really helpful and let you just try anything on you like (they're an independent jewellers rather than a big chasing but I'd assume the big chains are similar).

https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Omega-Deville-Prestige-Ladies-Watch-O42410276052002/p/17331428?store=042&lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchlocallstco422prid17331428,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchlocallstco422prid17331428%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgMoefeWghhZsT4DrL66lgXGwY8WBwc3BmNzKDSsNjouZGAapkrtVEflEaAm0vEALwwcB

https://www.laingsuk.com/ladies-clair-de-rose-m35500-0001-watch?gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgModLfH3pdNUYBnpRbF0gWeruAfuQ9sQEJPfc8k0Vo2GriPosScxcpOAaAuQ1EALww_wcB

https://www.mappinandwebb.com/Baume-and.-Mercier-Riviera-Automatic-Ladies-Watch..-Date..-Diamond+Set..-33mm-BM0A10676/p/17710508?store=&lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlinestcooprid17710508,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlineestcoo_prid17710508%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgMofcKzWvYrIswwm2D5tcccku-aMxzzuRRgUBMEE-0WVFgoAXgPihg0saAtSPEALwwcB

https://www.mappinandwebb.com/Baume-and.-Mercier-Classima-31mm-Ladies-Watch-M0A10326/p/17710406?store=&lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlinestcooprid17710406,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlineestcooprid17710406%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgMocw12PfbbuipVL7t-1f-aB9xhtVCGhgejFQygxR-FZlz0Ux0LP7cAwaAqHYEALwwwcB

Leather strap

https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/TAG-Heuer-Carrera-Quartz-36mm-Ladies-Watch-WBK1311.FC8261/p/17381775?lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlinestcooprid17381775,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlineestcooprid17381775%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgModlOUTwSIHq45mcSh6tGdLO4eD0egFOjrWlFj0zteTEflB-aFy7l1EaAuUjEALwwwcB

https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/TAG-Heuer-Carrera-36mm-Ladies-Watch-WBK1311BA0652/p/17381728?store=235&lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchlocallstco2355prid17381728,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchlocallstco2355prid17381728%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgMoe4sDKSfIvFNLh6mKUN2Bc0N0NQUBeBw9Ij7x335XysHa-MD9SBkoaAuk2EALwwwcB

Blue face

https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/TAG-Heuer-Carrera-Quartz-36mm-Ladies-Watch-WBK1312.BA0652/p/17381741?lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlinestcooprid17381741,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlineestcoo_prid17381741%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgModTew0tGr9ZOk--lnyWnkHwVpfHxphGUkGblUjDXm-5grcudbvzI4aAqzfEALwwwcB

Gold accents

https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Tudor-1926-M91350+0001/p/17770559?lsft=utmcontent:shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlinestcooprid17770559,utmmmedium:cpc&utmcontent=shoppinggadtyplaaprchonlineestcoo_prid17770559%2Cutmmmedium:cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhCARIsAMpgModF9RbfW0ibEX52AIM63U7pMWuzff7qTmu82UcUQZE-I2etYHhNjWAaAp4QEALwwcB

I love my Longine. It has a mother of pearl face and tiny diamonds to mark the 12 points around the clock. It's subtle and elegant and beautiful.

https://www.beaverbrooks.co.uk/0100637/TAG-Heuer-Carrera-Stainless-Steel-Quartz-Ladies-Watch/p

I’ve got one of these that I love. It’s a clean and simple design so it timeless and goes with anything.

Definitely go and try some on though as I thought I wanted a smaller face but much preferred the larger ones when on.

Another thing to consider is the cost of running some of the brands. If you buy a battery one, the cost of replacing a battery can be fairly costly and can void the warranty if not done by an authorised dealer. If you have a self winding watch, they will need servicing from time to time and these can be costly too.

Before you buy a lovely expensive watch find out how much it costs to have it serviced. I have a Rolex that was given to me for my 30th I absolutely love it, took it for a service after far too many years and it cost me £400. It's now in my jewellery box replaced by an Apple Watch.

Tag, Longines, Tissot are probably your best bets for a luxury (swissmade) watch that'll last on that budget (although you may need to top up a little depending on the style/colour)

One word of advice OP

Go for an automatic movement, luxury watches are expensive to replace the battery, often you have to send them off or invalidate the warranty if you go to Timpson.

The same applies to leather straps so co for metal.

When my Nana passed away she left all her grand children £100, I had a ring made that I wear everyday, it has her birthstone in it. I wear it every day.

These watches don't need a battery change for 8 years (they use solar).

https://www.cartier.com/en-gb/tank-must-watch_cod20346390236495233.html#dept=EU_Tank

All the reviews say it's a classic design.

What kinds of styles do you like? You could have a small Cartier Tank for around that budget or a little more.

Chiming in with more praise for the Longines. I have an older automatic one and honestly can't fault it. It's a mens one though,albeit with a smaller 26mm dial. I just had a few links removed fro the bracelet. I have such large hands that women's watches look like toy watches on me. Keep in mind that if you're going to spend that much on a wristwatch then you'll want to be wearing it until you die, so take your time.

The most similar one to what I have is this. The two tone bracelet means it works with gold and silver jewellery.
https://www.longines.com/en-gb/p/watch-flagship-l4-984-3-79-7

The flagship also comes as a womens watch but I'm not so keen on the Roman numerals dial, it looks a little fussy to my eye.

I also have a beautiful Longines watch - think it's called 'Symphonette' . Has small diamonds around an oval mother of pearl face. Elegant !

If you go for a small/ladies watch, automatic movements are going to be either prohibitively expensive or quite clunky looking

I have a couple of automatics and they are of the sports/divers kind of style because anything more lady like won't be had for 2k

I just bought one of the newish Rado Centrix watches. Black ceramic. I love it.

I'll send this thread to my partner - she's one of the very few women working at her level in the international luxury watch world & will be able to help 🙂

Cartier tank or Tag Heuer

A second hand Rolex Oyster Perpetual. Above your budget still but worth the extra investment

Love a Tag

@WildFlowerBees 😂 tell me all about servicing a watch
I bought my DH a Breitling for his 50th a few years ago cost around 5k
2 years later the bezel wasn’t working it was out of the warranty and it needed to be serviced
Cost £700 for the service and £350 to replace the bezel . it was sent of to Switzerland and when they sent it back they did send it back with a nice box of Swiss chocolates 😂

I have a lovely tag aquaracer the watch face is pale pink with inset diamonds on the surround
it’s small and I don’t think they do this particular model any more but I cost about 3k years ago and again 400 to service it and the assholes didn’t send me any Swiss chocolates so I won’t recommend Tag

I have a Tag Heuer aquaracer watch in white and I love it, it's quite chunky/sporty so not to everyone's taste but suits my style.

Tag Heuer do lots of other styles, I bought mine from Beaverbrooks and was able to get it in the sale, I'd been eyeing it up for a while.

I like the suggestion of a birthstone jewellery item though.