Tiếng ViệtThe very common conventional wisdom is that if a watch doesn’t come with its box and papers, chances are that it’s likely to be fake, counterfeit or unauthentic. What a misunderstanding! Today I’ll try to tell you why and maybe this can persuade you later.
On the one hand, I myself am a watch lover. I spend my whole day thinking and looking at watches. I live, eat, sleep with them. To me watches are a beautiful treat. They are state-of-the-art mechanical structures which can win your heart sooner or later, and are also a vivid way to catch the flow of time. Again, watches to me are rewarding emotions, not financial investments. That’s why box and papers mean nothing than a container with some pieces of documents in it.
On the other hand , I am also a watch dealer. With my very humble experience of selling and buying watches, it is undeniable that box and papers invisibly give customers a strong security and a solid belief. However, they’re not the things we should consider the most when it comes to buying a watch. So far I’ve seen many cases driving me to believe that box and papers have become a ‘junk’ obsession which should be destroyed straight away. I’m not throwing these points to advise you not to buy watches if those come with box and papers. I’m making my point that you should not let the purchase depend on it. There are more factors that should be put on the table, and box and papers are just one of them. In the end of the day, I like the idea that I am a true watch lover, not some a box-and-paper collector.
I’ve seen quite many people that are 300% confident saying to the world that their watches are authentic, because those ones come complete with box and papers. Then, ending up bursting in tears when being told that those ones are counterfeit. Depending on box and papers is a huge mistake if you’re not well-prepared and equipped with necessary knowledge. Box and papers protect your watch from nothing, because today anybody can fake them as easily as your uncle turns on the TV screen. Could you wear a watch that comes with its original box and papers, but then I tell you that your timepiece has been redialed? If you say yes, I’m sorry, I’m wasting your precious time. Have you ever wondered why some watches’ serial numbers are hidden away? The reason behind is that to prevent serial numbers being copied from unethical businesses. For instance, a serial number on a genuine ROLEX card can be used again and engraved on a fake ROLEX watch and that can fool so many people.
I’ve also seen another number of folks who ask only one question: Does this watch have a box and papers? And when I answer ‘No’, they suddenly disappear in silence, like magicians. How funny! I think they come to the wrong place, because I do watches, not box and papers.
When talking watches, I often ask the clients: At the same price, would you buy a square-shaped OMEGA without anything, or a typical rounded LONGINES that comes as a full set? The answers is no surprise. Most clients go for OMEGA, since the square case is quite distinctive from the rest and bigger brands. See? Nobody gives a care about box and papers, and you shouldn’t too.
It is very weird if the very first words a person uses to talk about his watch are My watch has box and papers. I don’t see there’s a proud right there. In my opinion, watch manufacturers invest and research to make watches that can run stably, accurately and last a lifetime, not making box and papers survive through world wars or something. With that being said, expecting box and papers is very unhealthy and suffering. Will you keep the box and papers after buying a frying pan? Let’s face it, you will throw them away. The last thing that you care is how that frying pan serves you: Does it fry fish faster? Is it easy to be cleaned after use? Can it make me forget buying a new one in the next 5 years?
One easily-seen negative is that box and papers just insanely increase the price of a watch, and that hurts your wallet.
P.S. Here’s my personal opinion. No criticism or judgement to anybody.