From a post by Joseph (Diabolique) over at DWC.
1) Never settle. Compromise.
If a Rolex is really what you want,
don’t throw away money on a Seiko just to buy. Save that money toward
the Rolex. If need be, buy a used model and have it refurbished.
2)
Whenever possible, pay cash.
Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul. Avoid credit cards like the plague; interest rates
eat up discounts. Buy what you can afford.
3) Buy for YOU, not someone else.
If you look long and hard enough you will find someone in TZ, or somewhere else
who will criticize your choice no matter what it is. Buy for you, not to
impress someone else.
4) Consider the movement.
Consider the movement in the watch. Shoot for in-house or fine base calibers like the
Zenith El Primero, Piguet, Lemania, Venus…but don’t buy a style you
don’t like simply because the movement is a great one. You can’t wear a watch
inside out.
5) Consider the manufacturer.
There are great ones to choose from but never buy just because of the name!
Patek is considered one of the finest, if not the best manufacturer out there.
But if you don’t like the designs, don’t buy one!
6) You won’t become the watch.
The watch won’t change you. It is a watch. Einstein had a Patek, Hemingway
wore Rolex and Omega. If you buy a Patek it won’t make you a genius, and neither
an Omega or Rolex will improve your writing.
7) Size matters.
Large watches are a fad and a
style. Some really look good. Consider your wrist size because a
really oversized watch on a small wrist looks sloppy. If you do buy a
large watch, make sure your shirt cuffs will fit over it. You don’t
want to have to redo your wardrobe to fit your watch!
Get Insurance.
You will sleep better.
9) There is always going to be a better deal.
Shortly after you make a purchase, you will spot that exact same model selling
for less. It is one of life’s little jokes. Don’t let it bother you.
10) Keep in mind that salespeople are usually only objective about watches that they sell.
11) The journey can be more fun than the destination.
Shortly after a purchase you may experience a let down. Let it pass, it’s normal.
12) If it is broke, fix it.
To err is human. It is better to fix a mistake than try to live with it. If you
really aren’t happy with a purchase, get rid of it!
13) Consider color.
All stainless steel, all white gold, all platinum with a bracelet goes with
everything. With a black strap, almost everything. 18k&black strap is
dressy. 18k&brown strap is elegant but more casual, and looks
good with browns, tans, blues, yellow, green, and sometimes even gray.
White dials are dressier and easier to read, black dials are more cool and sporty.
14) Accuracy is relative.
Your self-winding watch isn’t as accurate as your quartz. However it can be 99%
accurate. Off by just a few seconds out of over 80,000 each day is pretty amazing.
15)Take care of your good watches.
Get them serviced, keep them clean. They’ll last longer than you will.
16) This is want, not need.
No one ever needs a luxury watch, this is about want. If you ask yourself, “do
I need this?” the honest answer is always, “no.”
17) Never buy a watch as an investment.
Some watches will retain value, most don’t. The watch that actually appreciates
in value is unique and chances are it will be your grandchildren who benefit,
not you.
18)No one watch will statisfy you completely. There is no single
definitive model.
19) The more you know, the less you need.
A collection of 4 exceptional watches is better than a collection of 10 mediocre ones.
20) Only engrave if it is a special gift.
21)Buy what you will wear, not for an occasion.
Don’t run out and buy a dressy watch for just one special night. You probably have one you
can wear that will be just fine, or don’t wear one at all.
22) Wear it.
If it has been two months since you wore it, you don’t really like it. Get something you want to wear.
23) Limited is usually a marketing term.
Limited to 5,000 pieces is not limited. Limited to 2,000 isn’t either. Really limited is 30. Or 10. Or one.
24)You don’t have to justify to anyone except yourself.
Someone will someday say, “you paid that much for a watch!!!” You are not obligated
to explain, and they won’t understand anyway.
25) Don’t look at the Patek on the other guy’s wrist and be envious. Look at the
watch on your wrist and be happy. Don’t judge anyone by the watch they wear, including
yourself.
Subject: 25 Rules of Watch Buying 
Tue May 18, 2010 11:33 am
.....well, most of what is written anyway.
There does seem to be
I have a job where I dont wear any of my good or even marginal watches. I just wont take the chance of getting it detroyed or scratched. So it will be a while until I wear a watch on my time off. So there will be times when a watch will not be worn for months at a time. This may be more true for my dressier watches as well. I wear a uniform 12 hours a day so I dress very casually on my days off. Unless the wife and I go out for a special occasion they may not get worn for a considerable time. 
