Watchgeezer's Top 10 Tips For Buying A Watch Online - PART I

1. PURPOSE OF WATCH

Because of the huge choice of watches available online, knowing what you want will help you narrow down your options. Know where you're going to be wearing this watch, for example, is it to wear with a suit, doing a sporting activity or an everyday watch worn with jeans and a t-shirt? A watch can rarely be suited to all situations so decide what purpose it is to serve before you even start looking.

2. STYLE AND FUNCTIONALITY

Now you know where you're going to be wearing this watch, you can decide on the finer points of what it'll look like and what it'll be able to do. A sport’s watch will mean you'll probably want a digital one with a stopwatch but do you need GPS, calories burned, etc? A smart, sleek analogue watch would go well with a suit but do you need the date or even the second hand? The colours of your suits should influence the colour of your watch.

Your tastes regarding style will change as you start researching but knowing straight away that you don't like oversized watches or rectangle faces will help you narrow down the wealth of choice out there.

3. SET A PRICE LIMIT

Set your price limit then carefully think about adding to it. It's always best to go for the best quality watch you can afford instead of trying to save money and downgrading. A watch can potentially last you a lifetime, and choosing a classic design could mean it staying in fashion for a lifetime too. Can you afford to add a little more to your budget by foregoing a few other luxuries one month or could you wait a little longer and save more money to add to your budget? You'll be glad in the long run with your choice if you buy the best one you can afford.

4. SEARCHING FOR A WATCH

Obviously you can start by searching on Google for online watch retailers such as Time2.co.uk, using the advanced search to make sure you're only getting results from the UK. You can also use Google's Shopping search to specify price, delivery options and sort the results to your requirements. Remember though, this does not include every watch available online, it only includes those watches submitted to Google by the retailers themselves, so it's a good start but not all inclusive.

5. WATCH INSPIRATION

You may have no idea what kind of watches are out there, so take a look at these sites for some inspiration. Even if the ones you like are totally out of your price range or not easily available in the UK, at least you'll have some firm ideas of what it is you like to help your search;

1. http://www.time2.co.uk

2. http://thewatchlounge.com

3. http://uk.askmen.com/fashion/watch

4. http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/watches

5. http://www.qpmagazine.com

6. http://www.watchtime.com

7. http://ablogtoread.com

8. http://www.watchgeezer.co.uk

Keep posted for PART II of Watchgeezer's Top 10 Tips for Buying a Watch Online....