Our Expert Guide to Buying a Luxury Timepiece for Men and Women

Selecting a luxury watch transcends the mere acquisition of a timekeeping instrument. It represents securing a daily companion, a style statement, an emotion worn on the wrist. Yet, faced with the diversity of watchmaking Houses, calibers, and designs, how can one ensure making the right choice?

At Maison Tellus, we have been guiding horology enthusiasts in this personal quest since 1926. Founded upon a heritage dating back to 1790, our House combines Swiss savoir-faire with contemporary vision. Here are our expert insights to guide you toward the timepiece that truly reflects who you are.

Defining Your Watch's Purpose: Daily Wear, Special Occasions, or Collection Piece?

Before anything else, ask yourself the essential question: under what circumstances will you wear this timepiece?

A watch intended for daily professional wear won't share the same characteristics as a piece reserved for special occasions or a collector's timepiece destined to enrich a watch box.

For versatile use, favor an elegant yet robust timepiece with sufficient water resistance and timeless design. Maison Tellus's Discoverer or Arès collections perfectly illustrate this balance: characterful watches, Swiss assembly, refined finishing.

If you're seeking an evening watch, focus on refined sobriety: slim case, clean dial, exceptional leather strap. Our Diamanta collection for women, or the Explorer in its most classic iteration, embodies this discreet elegance.

For collectors seeking exclusivity, customization becomes a major criterion, particularly through Tellus's Parenthèses® concept, as well as limited editions like the Gravity.

Understanding Movements: Automatic, Quartz, or Manual?

A watch's heart is its movement. Understanding this mechanism enables informed choice.

The automatic movement captivates purists: powered by the natural movements of the wrist, it requires neither battery nor daily winding. It's the preferred choice of fine watchmaking enthusiasts, sensitive to artisanal craftsmanship and Swiss precision.

The quartz movement offers absolute reliability and minimal maintenance. Often wrongly associated with inferior quality, quartz indeed finds its place in luxury watchmaking when integrated into a timepiece with exceptional finishing.

Finally, the manual-winding mechanical movement transforms each winding into a ritual: a daily gesture that creates an intimate connection between the wearer and their timepiece. It represents the purest legacy of traditional horology.

At Tellus, we favor quality Swiss movements, selected for their reliability and longevity. The essential isn't following fashion, but choosing according to your usage and sensibility.

Aesthetic Criteria: Case Size, Materials, Colors

A luxury watch is also chosen—and above all—with the eyes and heart.

Case Diameter

The balance between case diameter and your wrist is crucial. An overly imposing watch appears ostentatious; too discreet, it loses presence. For men, a case from 38 to 46mm suits most morphologies. For women, diameters from 36 to 42mm provide elegance and comfort.

Noble Materials

316L stainless steel is a timeless classic: resistant, elegant, versatile. Some will prefer titanium for its lightness, or ceramic for its smoothness to the touch. Sapphire crystal, present on all our Tellus watches, guarantees exceptional scratch resistance.

Colors and Finishing

The dial is the watch's visual soul. A midnight blue dial evokes depth; a silver dial embodies sobriety; a skeleton dial reveals the mechanics with audacity.

At Maison Tellus, our Arès range offers up to 8 different dials and the Discoverer up to 12, allowing everyone to find the expression that corresponds to them. And thanks to the Parenthèses® system, you can even modify certain elements of your watch according to your desires.

Customization: Creating a Unique Timepiece

We don't seek to please everyone. Just those who know how to recognize what matters.

At Tellus, customization isn't an option: it's the core of our philosophy. Our patented Parenthèses® concept allows interchanging your watch's components—Parenthèses, sapphire crystals, even dial and hands—to create a piece that belongs solely to you.

With our online tool "Create your watch", compose your timepiece according to your tastes: choose materials, colors, details. Then come try it in our Parisian showroom to validate your creation.

Uniqueness is guaranteed: no identical watch will be produced in series, even limited. Your Tellus thus becomes a statement. Not a demonstration.

The Importance of the Showroom Experience

Buying a luxury watch is first and foremost a sensory experience.

No photograph, no description will ever replace the moment when you wear the watch on your wrist, when you feel its weight, when you admire its finishing under different angles of light.

80% of customers value the in-store experience when making a luxury purchase. And for good reason: it's by trying several models that evidence reveals itself.

In our showroom in Paris's 7th arrondissement, we take time. Time to understand your expectations, to help you discover our heritage since 1926, to accompany you in choosing every detail. Under the impetus of Claire and Nuno de Ayala, who relaunched the House in 2022, we cultivate this proximity, this attention, this shared passion.

Booking an appointment means offering yourself a privileged moment: no commercial pressure, just an exchange between enthusiasts.

Budget and Investment: How Much to Invest?

Let's speak frankly: a luxury watch represents an investment.

For a first acquisition, a budget of €2,000 to €5,000 provides access to quality Swiss watches, with refined finishing and reliable movement. It's within this range that several of our Tellus models are positioned, combining Swiss Made excellence with included customization.

Enlightened collectors invest between €5,000 and €15,000 or more, seeking exclusive pieces, horological complications, or confidential Houses.

A few principles to respect:

→ Never borrow to buy a watch
→ Take advantage of opportune moments (bonus, professional success)
→ Anticipate maintenance costs (servicing every 3 to 5 years)
→ Remember that a well-chosen watch can appreciate in value over time

At Tellus, our positioning is clear: offer Swiss manufacturing quality at a coherent price, without the prohibitive premiums of industry giants. You pay for the craftsmanship, materials, customization—not the brand recognition.

Our Final Recommendations Before Buying

Before finalizing your purchase, keep these recommendations in mind:

Take your time: buying a luxury watch isn't a race
Listen to your emotions: the coup de cœur is essential
Try several models: even if you have a precise idea
Verify authenticity: certificates, warranty, traceability
Favor expert guidance: get advice from passionate professionals
Think long-term: choose a timeless watch

A luxury watch is much more than an object. It's a story that begins—yours. And if you still have doubts, contact us.

Choosing a Tellus watch means asserting refined taste: that of detail, durability, and design that transcends time without bending to trends. Each model is designed to last, speak of you—and outlive you.

Be proud, you have a Tellus.