A wristwatch is a beautiful accessory, a good gift, and a useful tool – in sports, at the gym, or on a hike. But the huge selection can be confusing: how to approach the question, how to choose the best wristwatch, what types of watches are there?

 

Decide: what does the best watch mean to you? The best in its class? By country of origin? By reliability? The most affordable? Based on the answers, the selection criteria will differ.

 

You may want to buy your first Swiss watch - a symbol of precision, and then the choice will be between certain brands. You may want to choose a watch as a gift, but are limited by a certain budget - then the first criterion will be the price, and then all other parameters.

In fact, choosing the best watch is a fun and not so difficult task. First, let's decide on the mechanism, i.e. the power source: this will help set the price range, the selection of watch companies and the possibility of additional complications.

 

Mechanism

The price difference between quartz and mechanical watches is significant.

 

What is the difference?

In a mechanical watch, the engine is a compressed spring located in a drum with a serrated edge. The spring is tightened when the watch is wound, and then gradually unwinds, straightens out, setting the entire mechanism in motion. The anchor escapement and regulator are needed so that this “straightening” occurs evenly. This uniformity is not ideal, so the movement of a mechanical watch will not be as accurate as that of a quartz watch.

In addition, the operation of the mechanism is affected by other factors: wear of parts, adjustment, temperature.

 

The balance support (regulator) is constantly under load. It restrains the speed of rotation of the spring, and the balance itself is fixed to it. This is where the watch stones (jewels) come into play, the number of which is always indicated on the product card. Ruby withstands contact pressure better and is a support for the engine rotor.

 

Here it should be noted that it is customary to indicate the number of "functional" stones in a watch, that is, those that directly have a beneficial effect on the operation of the mechanism. And there are also decorative ones: they can be seen, for example, if the watch cover is transparent, and some parts of the mechanism were decided to be hidden for aesthetics.

It is clear that such watches require special skills during setup and assembly, and also, of course, during repair.

 

These watches are a historical legacy, a symbol of an era and a whole profession. They, being sometimes demanding (manual winding) and capricious (temperature and other unfavorable factors), are felt as a truly "living embodiment" of a special, romanticized time, and are also very beautiful and cause admiration for the complexity of their work. The rotation of the rotor of the automatic winding is fascinating, and the movement of the second hand on the dial is unusually smooth, especially in mechanical watches.

Quartz watches are relatively new. The stepper motor is started by a battery inside the case.  

 

Due to the peculiarities of the mechanism, they essentially do not need stones, and usually put no more than one, maximum two. Or they do without them altogether.

 

Such watches are very practical: they do not require constant winding of the mechanism, they are reliable, they are light in weight. In addition, they are more compact.

 

Quartz watches are more accurate – the error is about 15 seconds per month. And, finally, such wristwatches are affordable.

The only drawback is the need to change the battery approximately every two to three years.

 

Finally, the most budget option is an electronic mechanism. These watches are usually (but not always!) made of cheaper materials, but have an original, bright design.

 

Material

Having decided on the watch mechanism, you can begin to study the materials. Usually, it is stainless steel - a hypoallergenic, durable and presentable material. Watches made of such material can be found in any price category.

 

Gold and gilded watches are also valued. Their shade depends on the impurities (since the material itself is plastic). The most expensive will be watches made of gold with platinum or palladium.

Ceramics and titanium are durable, while bronze is a material prized by those who love antique watches.

 

Functional

Wristwatches show far more than just the time, and not just in one time zone. In the product card or on the tag in the store, among the characteristics, you can find various complications that affect the complexity of the mechanism as a whole.

 

Stopwatch, chronograph, timepiece, tide calendar, day of the week, annual or perpetual calendar – whatever your heart desires. Also with good watches you can buy, sell or part-exchange a luxury watch in premium watches shop if you want.

 

Some watches are created specifically for divers (they have high water resistance), others allow you to record your records using a split-chronograph, and others are designed for travelers and show the time in different cities.

Here, for specific advice, you can turn to consultants, for example: they will definitely tell you which watches are best suited for certain purposes.

 

Manufacturer

Everything is simple here - you want something familiar, reliable, someone who has been a leader in the market for a long time, or you are interested in looking at niche markets, or maybe choose something exotic.

The watch market is divided mainly between two industry giants – Switzerland and Japan. Each of them has its own iconic brands, preferences, audience, etc.

You can also choose good wristwatches from French, American and German brands.