How to choose a men's watch

1-Image Does the watch you are about to purchase reflect your personality, your style? Your watch should combine with your true character, not try to show someone you are not. Don't try to elevate yourself by buying a premium, luxury watch, heavy and invasive; thinking it will make you look better, if it does not suit you, the opposite effect will happen. Make sure that if you buy an expensive watch it is for the design and quality. My personality being discreet and classic, I like a slim, elegant design, round dial watch with a leather band. I tried once a heavier Rolex type steel bracelet watch, I felt like everybody was looking at me.

2-Designation

What does Swiss Made means? "Swiss made" constitutes a concept of quality. It includes the technical quality of watches; accuracy, reliability, water-resistance, shock-resistance and its aesthetic quality: elegance, originality, design. It covers both traditional manufacturing and new technologies. Only when it is Swiss, may a watch carry the indications "Swiss made" or "Swiss" on the outside. A watch is considered to be Swiss if: a-Its movement is Swiss b-Its movement is cased up in Switzerland c-The manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland.

What is the difference between a Chronograph and a Chronometer? Chronometer defines an other concept of quality; it is given to automatic and mechanical movement watches (not quartz movement) that have the highest standard of precision. A watch carrying the chronometer certification has passed 15 days rigorous testing (under different conditions) demanded by the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (COSC). It carries a premium price over non-chronometer watches.

A chronograph is simply a watch with stopwatch capabilities. It has two independent time systems: one indicates the time of day, and the other measures brief intervals of time. Counters registering seconds, minutes and even hours can be started and stopped as desired.

Scratch resistance The glass or crystal is made to protect the dial. Acrylic crystal is inexpensive, a plastic that does not prevent scratches. Mineral crystal is a glass, it is eight times harder than acrylic crystal. Sapphire crystal is the best and most expensive crystal and is three times harder than mineral crystal.

Waterproof versus Water resistant? A watch is never water proof, it is water resistant or made to prevent water from entering. A quality watch should indicate how much water it can withstand and still works. A good watch will offer resistance from 50m. Beyond that you are surely a professional diver and will need a specialist watch with depth indicator and other technicalities. If you are not, avoid taking your watch into salty water or chlorine, if you must, make sure you rinse it with warm water afterwards.

3-Mechanical, quartz, Automatic Movements

Automatic mechanical watches are the most desirable in terms or practicality and functionality. A mechanical watch uses the energy from a wound spring and keeps time through the highly regulated release of that energy through a set of gears call the wheel train and escapement. Automatic watches, self-winding watch or perpetual (Rolex) are mechanical watches with a balance wheel and escapement, whose mainspring is wound by the motion of the wearer's arm, instead of having to be wound manually every day. It needs no battery. The name comes from the fact that, instead of the owner having to wind the watch to power, the watch winds itself automatically when worn regularly. Quartz watches work with a series of electronic components, all fitting together in a tiny space. Rather than a wound spring, a quartz watch relies on a battery for its energy. Automatic quartz is a combination of a watch movement that combine a self-winding rotor mechanism as used in automatic mechanical watches to generate electricity with a piezoelectric quartz crystal as its timing element. It provides the advantages of quartz and mechanical watches.

4-Price against value

Can the status and prestige of the watch you are planning to buy justify its price? Up to you to decide if the price reflects the overall quality, technology, mechanism (Automatic, Quartz,), designation (Swiss-Made, Chronometer,) design, history behind the watch or just the hype behind the brand. I would differentiate between pure watch brands and fashion houses diversifying into watches. Both offer excellent products.

5-Care and Guarantee

Choose a watch which is easy to care for. A quality watch does not dispense you from caring for it and cleaning it regularly. Wash your watch in warm soapy water occasionally. Have your watch serviced every three years. Store your watch in a soft cloth. Avoid extreme temperatures.

Guarantee. Choose a watch with at least 2 years of International manufacturer warrantee from the date of purchase. It should cover against failure due to defective materials or workmanship, damages caused by water entry into the case, providing the glass, crown, and case back are intact.

Most importantly, take your time, try, compare and investigate.