A watch is more than just a piece of jewelry you wear to help you tell time. It is a part of your wardrobe—an elegant piece that completes your look as you head on to meet the demands of your life.
That is why wearing a watch is a conscious decision. You wear it because you need it and value time, whether yours or others.
So, having a watch that will last you for a lifetime is something you should seek. It should be a timepiece that would serve as a good investment, something you would wear to any occasion or pass on to the next generation as an heirloom.
Suppose you’re on the hunt for the right watch for you—one that will stick with you to the end. Thus, here’s an ultimate guide to help with your buying decision:
1. Quartz Or Mechanical
An easy way to tell if the movement of your watch is mechanical or quartz is by looking at the second hand. If it moves with a tick-tick motion, it’s a quartz watch. Meanwhile, mechanical watches have a smooth, sweeping movement.
This movement is also known as ‘caliber.’ It is the powerful tiny engine that operates the watch and its different functions inside. Hence, the watch can show you an accurate time.
Longines watches and similar others offer quartz and automatic watches in their collections.
A quartz movement type of watch is battery operated and is low maintenance. It only needs a quick battery change once in a while, and it’s good to use again. However, many watch enthusiasts feel that the no-frills quality of this watch leaves so much to desire.
Meanwhile, a mechanical movement is preferred the most by luxury watch collectors because of its high quality and craftsmanship.
Unlike quartz, which uses a battery, the mechanical type uses energy from a wound spring to power a watch. It has an intricate series of gears and springs that store energy that is regulated to be released to power the watch.
Under the mechanical type, there’s also manual or automatic to be considered.
Manual movement is the oldest type that requires the hand-wounding of the watch. Here, the wearer must wind the crown multiple times to store energy for it to work. Some do the winding every 24 hours, whereas others do it after five days or more. It depends on the capacity of the watch to store energy; some have an eight-day power reserve, while some wearers have a habit of winding their timepieces as soon as they wear them.
Another mechanical movement type is automatic (also called ‘self-winding’). This is popular because you won’t have to worry about winding your watch and finding yourself late for an appointment. The watch gets its energy from the natural motion of the wearer’s arm. It will maintain its power as long as the owner wears the watch continually.
2. Watch Type
Having a specific watch to use for any event in your life is what every busy achiever must have in mind. That ensures you dress the part each time and are ready for what’s to come.
Here are some of the types of watches you can consider:
- A diver’s watch is designed for underwater diving and has a water resistance of around 200–300 meters.
- An aviation watch (also called a pilot’s watch) typically has a black dial and large, easy-to-read markers.
- Meanwhile, a driving watch is for drivers to help them see the time without the need to twist their wrist or look away from the road. It is an essential tool for anyone who’s always behind the wheel. Some watches also have chronograph movements to track the lap time of race car drivers.
- A dress watch has no complications and serves only one purpose: to tell time. You can use this at formal events or even on a casual Saturday night bowling with friends. It is the most elegant of all timepieces and is a classic that will surely last for generations to come.
3. Watch Strap
Each type of watch corresponds to a specific strap. If you have decided on a dress watch, your next decision would be on straps. You may opt for leather, rubber, metal, silicone, nylon, and canvas.
Changing the strap can level up the look of a watch and your entire wardrobe. Today, many watch enthusiasts take off the original straps of their watches to save them from damage and replace them with custom straps you can now buy from specialty shops.
Conclusion
A watch can become a statement piece that could give you a second look from others. It may also be a piece of a conversation starter on days you would like to impress people.
Wearing a watch is also associated with being conscientious. The perception that you create among your peers is just as crucial as carrying yourself in an event or occasion. Hence, having a classic timepiece will ensure that you have something to complete your look anywhere you plan to go.