Buying A Luxury Watch
A mechanical watch is powered by a mainspring which powers a series of gears and the balance wheel. To tighten the spring, you twist the crown. This cranks up the coils. The spring then slowly unwinds, making the second hand move.
buying a luxury watch
Some of the best affordable watches are quartz watches. They are battery-powered and regulated by quartz, a small crystal that replaces all the springs, gears, and wheels of a mechanical movement, serving as a conductor between the battery and the electric circuit.
Essentially, the battery passes electricity through the quartz, causing the crystal to vibrate. This vibration is then converted into a pulse to move the second hand on the watch. These pulses create that tick-tick-tick movement.
When quartz watches first appeared on the scene back in the 1970s, it triggered the so-called Quartz Crisis. Suddenly ultra-precise watches could be made quickly, effortlessly, and in large quantities. What did this mean for traditional old-school Swiss watch manufacturers? How could they continue to charge such steep prices?
Your standard luxury watches include iconic timepieces by legacy watch brands such as a Rolex Submariner, an Omega Speedmaster, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, or a Cartier Tank. These watches typically feature more complications, such as split-second chronographs.
With their slim cases, the best dress watches are a superb lesson in simplicity, featuring minimal complications, a low-key dial (rarely wider than 42mm), and minimalist hour markers. The luxury aspect lies in the fine materials and sleek leather straps.
If you consider a watch more a means to an end, then you need a super functional timepiece like a smartwatch. While automatic and mechanical watches may be minor works of art, when it comes to something practical with genuine potential to make your life easier, only a smartwatch will do.
Essentially like a smartphone but wearable, a smartwatch is the most high-tech of digital tools, allowing you to access apps, receive notifications, use GPS tracking, and monitor your health all from your wrist. While they might not have the glamour or allure of a Swiss luxury timepiece, they will make your day-to-day more productive and even more enjoyable.
After Cartier created a watch for pilot Alberto Santo Dumon to wear in his plane back in 1911, the door was open for other top watch brands to create high-performing timepieces that would accompany wearers on high-altitude missions.
A pilot watch can be distinguished by a few features, most notably a large dial with luminous hands and a black-and-white colour scheme for optimum legibility. They also feature a long leather strap that can fit over a flight jacket as well as a chunky onion-shaped crown that can be gripped even with thick aviator gloves. Complications typically include time zones and chronographs.
Based on the original WW1 trench watch, field watches are all about rugged robustness. After all, they needed to withstand brutal conditions and survive battle alongside their wearers.
With an undeniable air of aristocratic grandeur, the majority of pocket watches come with a chain to attach to your waistcoat pocket, making them a great addition to any black-tie outfit. You can choose between an open-faced (or lidless) pocket watch or a hunter case to allow you to flip it open theatrically in front of passersby.
Pocket watches are often quite expensive and some are vintage collectables. However, you can also pick up more budget-friendly options too. Check out our rundown of the best pocket watches for inspiration.
The right case size depends on the style of watch. A dress watch is typically smaller and slimmer than a dive watch or tactical watch, for example. A field watch should also be fairly small.
The wider the watch diameter, the thicker the case. The case thickness is usually to do with the complexity of the movement. The more complications, the bigger the watch. If you need your watch to fit under your shirt cuff, opt for around 10 mm in thickness.
The strap of a watch is the finishing touch. While all the mechanical ingenuity goes into the movement and the dial, the strap is the perfect complement, enhancing and elevating the watch stylistically or providing added comfort or durability.
You can also change straps with most watches, alternating depending on the occasion or swapping it up when you get bored. Got an Apple watch? Check out our guide to the best Apple Watch straps and bands for your timepiece.
This is the most popular type of watch strap, especially for more formal occasions. There are different types of leather available, including crocodiles for something eye-catching and glamorous.
A bund strap is when the watch sits on top of a wide leather pad. While these kinds of straps were unfortunately worn by the German air force during the 1930s, they were also very popular during the 1970s, when they were favoured by the likes of Steve McQueen, Robert Redford, and Paul Newman. So despite their controversial past, bund straps definitely offer inimitable retro-cool.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake luxury watches out there. To avoid being scammed, ask the dealer lots of questions. They should also be able to supply both the original box and papers. Buy from a reliable marketplace such as eBay, where vintage Rolexes and other watches come with a lifetime authenticity guarantee. For a curated selection of new timepieces, MR PORTER is one of our favourite shopping destinations for men.
Are you planning to buy a luxury watch? Here are some things you have to take care of while purchasing a luxury watch that highlights your personality. Choosing the right watch may feel a little daunting, but some good caliber sense will get you the perfect one.
The watch you wear reflects a lot about you; it shows you have produced some quality work to reach this level. There is no longer any essence in picking your phone to tell what time it is, and therefore, you need a masterpiece on your wrist for that.
Leather watch straps are the most loved variety in straps. They have their grace but have a tendency to wear off with time. In summers, you sweat, and that may damage your leather strap, so if you are looking forward to wearing it in the heat, you have to switch it up with a nylon strap.
The oldest and the most retro option is to go for mechanical watches that have springs and cogs to power the watch movement. The hands have to be wound every day. Some men think this classic opinion is just some nuisance; others enjoy minority with the ritual.
Similarly, automatic luxury watches are a perfect option. You are not required to wind them by yourself after putting them on the wrist. Instead, they wind themselves using a motion sensor.
What kind of watch features do you want? You may need a sound alarm system if you consider putting your phone away for a sweet sleep. A stopwatch is also a convenient option to use during your gym time. It is way better than using your smartphone for it. Quality luxury watches may give you a stopwatch going up to the length of 24 hours.
To test water resistance, there are some laboratory-based experiments done. These tests are comparable to be checked with static water pressure and one hour of setting it in 10cm water. Real-life examples show a watch will never come across static water pressure. It will always be moving like diving or a shower.
The seal of Geneva is the certification that ensures that the watch is built with complete class. Only a fraction of 24,000 watches from Switzerland out of 30 million manage to get the prestigious badge of Geneva.
The Swiss law has set rules that the seal is applied to the movements of those particular watches that follow the strictest basis of Swiss law. There should be a tiny description of the origin of the watch inside the creation of the dial.
The strong built is reflected by the weight of the watch you have invested in. So, make sure that you go for an excellent design. However, a watch that is too heavy for your wrist will also not suit your everyday use.
Watches that are heavy go nicely with professional and formal events and gatherings. There are certain brands that make watches solely for this sort. However, if you are not a fan of heavy watches, some brands make perfect and sleek designs.
After learning the roles of luxury watches above, you must have got an idea of what it takes to create a luxury watch that stands out on every occasion. Some watches require status and personality to go with them. So, keep your watches safe and invest in them respectively.
The timepiece you buy may change your personality and how people look at you. It might be worth more than you ever expected. It is always a sweet feeling to get praises for your watch on unexpected and expected occasions.
Buying a luxury watch is an exciting endeavor. Not only are luxury watches a quintessential status symbol, but they are also fascinating little machines. They can function in extreme environments, looking amazing while they do it.
No routine battery changes is a plus of these watches. However, these mechanical watches need a tune-up every few years to keep the parts moving properly. Many vintage watches use this type of movement.
The difference between automatic and quartz watches lies in the mechanism powering the time. Automatic watches have all the inner workings of the original, mechanical watches, yet they wind themselves. Quartz watches use batteries and quartz crystal to keep themselves ticking.
Hi, I'm Brock, the guy behind this site. I love wearing watches, especially ones that look great on small wrists (mine are about 6.3" around). The Slender Wrist is dedicated to helping you learn about and buy watches that you will love wearing. 041b061a72