The gift of timepieces is a venerable tradition. Designer watches are given for all sorts of reasons - birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and more. At one time, mens gold watches were traditionally given to employees once they had been at a company for forty years, or upon retirement. Women in Spain often give diamond watches to men upon acceptance of a marriage proposal and engagement ring. As you can see, timepieces are indeed a 'timeless' and all-purpose gift.

What Are Luxury Watches?

are often defined as those that are made from precious metals and have precious stones embedded either on the case, the band, or both. Some watchmakers, such as Movado, offer diamond watches in which the gems are actually embedded in the face. Designer watches by companies such as Rolex and Harry Winston also fall into this category.

One thing that does not necessarily define luxury watches is price. Although a top-of-the-line Rolex will set you back as much as $17,000, the fact is that there are many fine brands of designer watches available for a fraction of that price.

Shopping for Timepieces Online

There are many advantages in shopping for on the World Wide Web, the most obvious one being price. There are also a few issues to be aware of, lest you become the victim of a scam.

Online stores typically do not have the kind of expenses that brick-and-mortar stores wind up with. They usually have a smaller tax burden (or none at all), no rent to pay and no sales commission. This means savings that can be passed on to the customer.

On the other hand, if you are on an Internet site that is offering diamond watches by Rolex for $500 (these typically start out at around $10 K), chances are that something is not 'kosher.'

Protecting Yourself

While it is fine to purchase diamond watches on the Internet, it's important to do your due diligence.

• Make certain the site is an authorized dealer. Watchmakers will not honor warranties from an unauthorized vendor. You can get this information by contacting the watchmaker.

• Check out the company with the Better Business Bureau. If others have had problems with the website in the past, this organization will have a record.

• Investigate the company's history. If it is a relatively new company, that may be fine - or it may be a 'fly-by-night' operation.

• Avoid online auctions. Although sites such as E-Bay have policies to protect bidders and buyers, they are not foolproof.

There are great deals on and luxury watches to be had online. Just be careful, follow the guidelines outlined above, and you should have little problem finding some decent pricing on diamond watches and other quality timepieces.