I didn't buy a double rifle until I could afford to get one that was made very well, even if that was a very long time ago.

I spend a lot of time looking before I buy anything, because I want something thats pleasing to the eye, capable of shooting well enough to take deer here in the US, and is priced where I can later sell it and get my money out if and when my tastes change. Dies and brass have to be somewhat available as I'm not buying safe queens.

Because of these criteria, most of my double rifles were originally made for black powder, or were very early nitro guns in smaller bores. If you're willing to look at countless auction listings, you should be able to find a high condition rifle by a good maker for under $5000. This may take 6 months, but that is for a gun already here in the USA. At that price I've gotten solid English and Scottish doubles by Dickson, Alexander Henry, Watson and Reilly.

I'd prefer to sit in the woods staring at a beautiful gun vs a cruder but newer rifle with little to no engraving and poor metal to wood fit.

But the great thing about this hobby is there's many answers to how to go about choosing a double, and my way is just that, something I've chosen to make myself happy.