We all have a penchant for something, whether it’s fast cars, dogs, motorcycles or clothes. Some people love designer watches, but starting up a collection can prove expensive - unless you know where to look. One woman who knows a thing or two about curating the ultimate designer watch collection on a budget is Sharron Donaldson.
Sharron, 58, who works in admin and lives in Newcastle, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "I have had a passion for designer watches for decades and now I have 22 in my collection.. Very few of them were purchased new - in fact, only three of the Guccis were purchased new. Even then, two of them came from duty-free and the other one was from a jewellery store that was having a closing-down sale.
"The others were bought second-hand from eBay, Facebook Marketplace, pawnbrokers and pre-owned from a jeweller. I know if the watches had been purchased brand new at full price, then the total value of my collection would be well in excess of £6,000. However, I would estimate that I have saved well over half of that amount.
"I can pinpoint exactly when my love of designer watches began. It was the early eighties and a friend of mine received a Gucci watch from her then-fiancée, it was a slim gold-tone watch with a black rectangular dial, a bangle bracelet, and the iconic horse bit clasp with the G logo engraved on the crown. Oh, how I coveted that watch, I thought it was the most beautiful watch I had ever seen! It was not until many, many years later that I was to own that model and I still love it today!
"I do not think I have ever paid full price for a watch - even brand-new ones have either been reduced or on sale. Most of my watches have been purchased second-hand and quite often received as much-welcomed and appreciated gifts at Christmas or on my birthday.
"Many a purchase has been made on eBay and if I think the price is too much, I will make an offer or scroll on by. The company my husband works for has a private company selling site and this proved fruitful for me, with the purchase of a Gucci at a good price. I have probably been collecting watches now for over 25 years and this was sparked off by my husband who purchased a Gucci at duty-free for me. This model has a black leather strap and a circular black face with black Roman numerals on an outer gold rim.
"Brand new Gucci wristwatches are not cheap, but I just think it's silly to pay such high prices and would rather wait to pick up a bargain pre-loved timepiece. After all, once it's on my wrist who knows how much it cost.
"My favourite designer as you've no doubt guessed is Gucci! They have been producing watches for 50 years now and although they are classed as a fashion watch, they are made in Switzerland, home to some of the most iconic watchmakers. I now have such a big collection that both my sister and best friend are at loggerheads as to who will receive it in my will. I own 22 watches in total - 14 different Gucci models, one Longines, one Tissot, one Christian Dior, one Tag Heuer, one Vivienne Westwood and three nondescript models.
"Some of my best bargains from this collection include the Gucci Twirl, which is quite quirky in that the face spins right round. I got the white stainless steel model, and while it was retailing online at £423.45 I purchased it for under £200, saving £223. I got the Gucci Silver Horse for under £200 as well, and this was for sale new at £426.56, so I saved £226. I have looked online for my Gucci Marina silver stainless steel wristwatch, and it is advertised at £382.50. I got it for £150, saving over £230.
"I got the Gucci Ladies 1400 model in stainless steel for under £200 when it was retailing for £427, saving £227, but my best bargain was the vintage Gucci stainless steel Mod3900 which was going online for £221.86 but I got it for under £100."
Here are Sharron's tips for finding the best watch bargains:
Join Facebook groups where people are selling their pre-loved pieces. Don’t be afraid to message the buyer and negotiate a price if you think it’s too high.
Browse eBay listings. If you don’t want to pay the price being suggested, make an offer - you may be surprised at what the seller would be willing to consider.
Sign up for Vinted and Depop. Sometimes people will sell old watches for whatever cash they can get, not realising they’re worth a lot of money!
Check out HomeSense and TK Maxx. They work with designer brands to pass on savings to consumers, so dig around for some hidden treasure! Plus, try travelling further afield as other stores will have completely different items in stock.
Go to warehouse outlet stores. These places will want to shift stock and you will often find up to 70 per cent off retail prices.’
Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: "Sharron’s dedication to finding bargain watches is impressive. She makes a good point - why pay twice the price when you can discover some amazing discounts with a little research and rooting around for deals?"
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