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Caribbean Edition Watch Buyer’s Guide

Can there be anything more classic and timeless than an elegant watch? These pieces represent the perfect marriage of function and beauty as they keep time for you while also exuding a level of style and sophistication matched by few other pieces.

It's easy to assume that shopping for a new watch is something you might only do at your local jewelers. Shopping at home can have its perks, but it's far from the only option available to you. Did you know that sometimes, the very best way to discover your new perfect watch is to treat yourself while you're abroad? In particular, purchasing a watch while traveling in the Caribbean might just be the best decision you never even knew was an option. Not only do you get to take advantage of jewelers, sales and products that may be exclusive to the region, but you also get a unique piece that will forever remind you of your time in the Caribbean.

To help you select your ideal watch on your travels, we’ve compiled this Caribbean watch buyers guide of all the information you'll need to know about shopping for a watch in this beautiful part of the world.

The Benefits of Buying a Watch in the Caribbean

Why visit a Caribbean watch store? As it turns out, there are several reasons for doing so.

1. Duty-Free Pricing

Did you know that when you buy in the Caribbean, prices are very likely to be lower? This is because these prices are duty-free, meaning they aren’t subject to local taxes and other regulations that might drive the price up back home. In other words, if you shop abroad, you might just find a better bargain than you could ever find in your hometown.

2. Souvenir Shopping

No matter where you buy your watch, it will always be a great timepiece and a useful accessory that adds function while also contributing to style. When you buy your watch on your travels, it becomes more than that. It also becomes a souvenir. Every time you look at it, you’ll be reminded of turquoise waters, sandy beaches and sunny skies. And that’s something you can’t get anywhere but right here in the heart of the Caribbean.

3. Unique Options

It’s possible and even likely that you may find watches in the Caribbean that are unavailable back home. Maybe they’re exclusive to the Caribbean, or maybe it’s a particular brand or style that no one in the United States carries. Whatever the reason, this could be your chance to acquire that piece you can be sure none of your friends or co-workers will also have.

Tips for Buying a Watch in the Caribbean

Shopping in any new country or region of the world is always a unique experience. Every country handles shopping and purchasing differently, so to ensure you get the best product possible for your money, it’s important to know what to expect.

As you embark on your shopping in the Caribbean, here are a couple of key points to remember:

1. Do Your Research

Prices are likely going to be quite a bit lower than what you might have noticed on similar items back home. There’s a reason for this, and it’s important to know. Prices in the Caribbean are duty-free. This means they’re exempt from any local taxes you might normally have to pay at home, resulting in a lower final price point. Because of the difference in pricing in the Caribbean vs. the prices you'll find at home, we recommend always doing your research ahead of time. Know the models you're interested in, and get a feel for the common list prices. This way, you won't be confused by the price difference and will be better able to spot an amazing deal when you encounter it.

2. Consider All Your Options

The Caribbean is full of great deals on fine watches and jewelry, and by keeping a sharp eye out for deals, the odds of your coming across a terrific watch for an amazing price are very good. Always take the time to compare prices and comparable options, though. If you don't see a watch you love, don't feel like you have to settle just because it is a good deal. Your perfect watch is out there, and sometimes, it just takes a little patience to find it.

What to Look for in a New Watch

One of the first hurdles to overcome when trying to determine how to choose a watch is simply knowing what to look for. A particular watch may be perfect for one person, but not for another. As with any industry or specialty, the secret is learning to recognize quality when you see it, as well as having a good grasp of your own personal taste. To that end, here are just a few of the things you’ll want to keep an eye out for when shopping for your new watch:

1. Brand

Quality is made up of many factors. Material, features, design and more are all just some of the components that work together to build a high-quality watch. Of all these features, however, one of the most important to keep an eye on is brand.

For an investment that will give you the highest quality over time, look for traditional and well-respected brands. Even if these may not have all the bells and whistles you’ll find on other watches, a respected brand will be an investment that will ultimately grant you more re-sell value should you ever decide to pass the watch on later. It will also make a wonderful inheritance to pass down to future generations.

2. Case Style

From the middle to the bezel and the back parts, watches come in a wide range of styles. To discover which type of watch you appreciate the most, try on a variety of styles and designs. There is no wrong answer here, as any style can represent a quality watch. Rather, it’s about personal preference.

3. Complications

In their purest forms, watches are designed to simply tell the time. However, with the technological advances available to us today, watches can now do so much more. These extra add-ons are known as complications, and they may include features such as date displays, dual time zones and moon phase trackers.

If any of these complications are important to you, then you’ll want to add this to the list of items to look for in any watch.

4. Movement

The movement of a watch is a term for the mechanism that allows the hands to travel around the face of the watch. When we look solely at movement in this way, we can divide every different type of watch into one of two camps. Neither is right or wrong, and there are many popular and high-quality watches in either camp.

Manual or automatic watches achieve their movement solely through the use of tiny gears, levers and mechanical parts all working together in tandem. Because these represent the culmination of hundreds of years of improved techniques, these are often highly prized by collectors. A manual movement requires you to wind it every day, while an automatic movement, such as the one featured in the Tag Heuer Carrera, will do this on its own.

Quartz watches, on the other hand, depend on a battery to create their movement and tend to be both more accurate and less expensive. The Tissot T-Race is one perfect example of a watch featuring a quartz movement.

Once you decide which type of movement you’re more interested in, this allows you to narrow down your choices.

How to Take Care of Your New Watch

Once you’ve bought your beautiful new watch, the next most important item on your list should be to learn how to care for it. With the right love and care, the right watch can easily last for generations and become a treasure that you pass on to your children and so on through the generations. But all this starts with knowing how to clean and care for your new piece:

1. Treat It Gently

This will likely come as instinct, but it’s worth mentioning anyway. Your watch is a mechanical wonder — a piece of art and an investment that can last for decades if given the chance. As such, it’s best to avoid subjecting it to rough treatment. Avoid blunt impacts, submerging it in water and leaving it where pets or a child's prying hands can easily access it. While many watches will be equipped with anti-shock features and protective coatings, it’s still best to treat it with care whenever possible.

2. Take Care of the Movement

If your watch features a manual movement, take great care to wind it every day, preferably at the same time. To do this, you’ll want to wind it clockwise. And if you have a quartz watch, make sure to replace the battery regularly. Optimally, you should replace this battery even before it runs out, as dead batteries can leak and corrode the mechanisms if left in the watch.

3. Replace Broken Parts

Regularly replacing parts as they crack or break isn’t just about looks — it’s also about the overall health of your piece. If the crystal gains even a hairline crack, for instance, this may be enough to allow moisture in that may damage the delicate inner workings of the watch.

4. Give It a Nightly Wipe-Down

Even an average day involves lots of wear for your watch. It might be exposed to sweat, lotion, sunscreen, water droplets and more. To combat this, give it a basic wipe-down at the end of the day. When you take it off, use a soft cloth to wipe both the face and the band to remove any excess moisture or particles that may have settled on it.

5. Have It Professionally Repaired When Needed

Whenever repairs of any type come around — whether it’s the bathroom sink or your dress watch — there’s always a temptation to think that you can just take care of it yourself. While there are plenty of cases where a DIY job might be a fine course of action, your watch is not one of them. This is an intricate and elegant piece of art, and it requires years of study and practice to understand the inner mechanism, let alone to attempt to repair them.

If your watch is malfunctioning or needs any type of repair, no matter how small, this is a job for the professionals. They’re trained for this work and are the most qualified to do it. By attempting to do this work yourself, you may risk causing further damage, potentially even irreparable damage.

It may also be worthwhile to take your watch to the professionals for a tune-up every so often even if you aren’t experiencing problems. Just as you visit doctors to make sure you're still healthy, so, too, is it a good idea to get your watch checked out regularly. You can make sure everything is still in good working order and that no problems are lurking beneath the surface.

Where to Buy Watches in the Caribbean

So you’ve made up your mind. On your upcoming trip to the Caribbean, you want to visit a jeweler and pick out that perfect watch. The next thing you need to decide is where precisely you’ll stop.

For fine watches in the Caribbean, there can only be one name that should be the first on your mind, and that’s Little Switzerland. Little Switzerland is proud to be one of the finest retailers of luxury jewelry and watches in the Caribbean. We've sold hundreds of fine pieces to travelers and tourists just like you, and we'd be delighted to work with you as well in finding the watch of your dreams.

For your convenience, Little Switzerland has dozens of locations scattered throughout the Caribbean, in places such as Aruba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Barbados, Puerto Rico and many more. For a full list of locations and to find the one nearest to your travel destination, please use our locator to learn more.

Start Your Watch-Buying Experience at Little Switzerland

If you’re headed to the Caribbean and are in the market for a fine watch, let Little Switzerland be the first destination on your list.

Because we know that everyone’s budget is different, we make it easy for you to find new ways to shop with us. We offer a variety of financing options, including up to 24-month interest-free for certain purchases. You can even sell us your current watch and earn credit toward a new one. These are just a few of the ways we’re committed to making our fine watches accessible to you.

To get started with your Little Switzerland purchase today, why not browse our online catalog of watches? Who knows? You might just find that perfect watch you’ve been looking for.

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