Watch Buyer's Guide
When choosing a watch the first thing you have to ask yourself is: Am I buying a watch to tell time, or a watch to make a statement? If the answer is the former, then just go to your local store and pick one out from under the case and move on. If you want to make a statement, then this guide will help you. Because you aren’t just buying a time piece you are buying a piece of jewelry.
The first thing to consider is watch type. There are two major kinds: quartz and mechanical.
Quartz watches are the most common type of watch. They offer a high level of accuracy and constancy. At its core a quartz watch has a piece of quartz that is oscillating at 32,000 vibrations per second and it is that vibration that keeps time. A quartz watch only looses about 10 second per month and it needs a new battery every two years. That mean when it is time to change the battery your watch is only 4 minutes off. Quartz watches come in 3 major versions. Analog, which is your standard face watch, it has numbers or tick marks for the intervals. Digital, which have a digital readout for the watch’s face; and they can have extra features like GPS, depth sensors, calculators, etc. And finally, anidigi watches, these watches are a hybrid of both. They have the standard face for elegance and a digital readout for those extras that are required.
Mechanical watches are a tribute to craftsmanship and they generally cost more because they have an internal gear and spring mechanism that keep time. These timepieces are very complex to build, but the downside is that they can lose minutes per month. These fine timepieces have two man variations. Automatic, these watches use your motion to keep the rotor swing in motion. These watches are great for people who where their watch daily because your daily movement will keep the watch rotor moving thus eliminating a cause to wind the watch. The automatic mechanical watch will typically have a clear face so you can see the rotor swinging. Finally, there is the manual wind watch, which needs daily winding.
Next, you should look at the watch materials. Precious metal wristwatches (gold, silver, platinum, etc) can accent a great classic look. Aluminum wristwatches are very durable and they resist stain and corrosion. Also consider stainless steel, carbon fiber or titanium watches; all of these are very durable and can have a sport or business feel to them.
Finally, think about the features you want or need in your timepiece. Calendars, chronographs, tachymeter, world clocks and water resistance are all features you may need or want.
Remember, a watch is an investment, a statement and a piece of jewelry at the same time.
