Hours are different. The task of some is to tell you what time it is, nothing more. Others are designed primarily to inform others that you are an understanding person, for whom the traditions of watchmaking, the laws of physics and chemistry are not an empty ring. This second group of watches is usually endowed with special properties that are not related to the country of production, the precious metals used and the number of stones - and it is not at all necessary that the brand or watchmaker gives these properties to the watch.
It is you who endow your watch with special characteristics. Read on, and if you agree with us or you know everything written, then when buying the perfect watch, you will definitely make the right choice.
Determine your budget
These days, watches with good design and decent quality are available at a price of 6000 rubles. Of course, if you want to indulge in luxury watches, first decide how much you are willing and able to spend, and then stick to that amount – it will also help you narrow down your search a lot, as there is a huge selection in any price range.
Spend time researching the offer
Despite the fact that the world of watchmaking has produced an extensive vocabulary of special terms and definitions, understanding watches is now easier than ever - Internet resources are happy to explain how watches work, what is the value of a particular item. Do not confuse value with price, high cost does not guarantee high quality, but more on that another time.
Quartz or mechanical?
The movement (also called the caliber) is the motor of the watch. Its energy is distributed so that the hands and other indicators move according to the programmed functions. Quartz movements are a relatively recent invention, the first watches "on quartz" appeared in 1969, we have already discussed the history of their appearance on these pages. Recall that a watch is powered by a battery that sends an electrical signal through a tiny quartz crystal embedded in an electrical circuit.
Someone will say that quartz watches are devoid of romance and betray the traditions of watchmaking, but this is not so. Although it is clear where such thoughts come from - the availability of quartz watchmaking technologies has somewhat lowered the bar for perceiving non-mechanical calibers as a miracle of human ingenuity. And their cheapness opened the way for brands with low quality products, but we are not talking about such brands here: respected watch brands with a rich history and a high price tag do not hesitate to use quartz (Cartier, TAG Heuer and many others).
And often it is an inexpensive and high-quality quartz movement that allows you to purchase the desired designer watch at a price that you can afford (for example, Ikepod).
Zealous champions of tradition will, of course, have to choose among mechanical watches with manual or automatic winding. Automatic watches are more popular today as they require less effort from the wearer. They, as a rule, are better protected from the penetration of dust and moisture into the case (“automatic machines” we also analyzed in detail in this blog).
Many, however, love hand-wound movements for the beauty of their workmanship, such calibers are usually visible through the transparent cover on the back of the watch. Remember, mechanical watches tend to be more expensive than quartz watches and usually take more time to manufacture, assemble and adjust, which means money.
Define your style
This is more difficult than setting a budget: you must honestly admit to yourself who you are and what is valuable to you. What should be more in your watch - practicality or "hype", self-promotion? If you want to "hype" - the possibilities are endless in terms of color, case and dial design, size and set of functions, materials. In the fashion of "collaboration" with artists, everything is there, in abundance.
If you are on the side of practicality, your lifestyle should be a key factor in your choice. Do you need a watch for every day, and in order to take a vacation at sea, and, if anything, dive into the abyss of the ocean? There are some. The choice is yours.
Choose the right size
Watches are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes, if we are talking about men's and round ones, then usually it is from 30-odd millimeters to more than 50 millimeters in diameter. Sample is an important step. It is better if this can be done "live", but many models can be tried on virtually by downloading the desired application.
It makes no sense to hang on your wrist something that you will be extremely uncomfortable with (special attention, a bracelet or a strap!) And that will not be in harmony with your own size. Feel free to ask the seller - you are more valuable as a customer if you are satisfied with the purchase for a long time, and a good seller has a good eye. Trust.
Complex or easier?
Clock functions, except for the actual indication of what time it is, are classified as complications, and they are different. Do you like moon phase indicators? Is it important for you to know what day of the week and date it is? Are you going to the races, need a chronograph, check how fast the horse is lapping?
All this (and much more) can fit in one copy of the wrist watch, and with 99% probability you will never use these functions. But it will warm your heart to know that your watch can do it all. In any case, see point one, about the budget. As a rule, the more complex the watch, the more expensive it is.
Summarizing the above, we will reduce the number of fundamentally important tips to the following: YOU should like the watch and you should be able to buy it without emptying your personal or family budget. Proven by many years of experience.
