The Ultimate Beginners Watch Guide
Watches have been around for quite some time and are easy to style statement-piece that every man and woman love. Apart from being extremely stylish to wear, watches are very functional as well, and they let you keep track of your day and time. However, if you do not own a watch and want to buy one, then you should know everything about them. We have mentioned-below everything you need to learn about watches in order to buy your first one, so keep on reading.
Features To Look Out For When Buying A Watch
If you are ready to buy a watch, then you need to focus on the following features to make sure you get the right kind of watch.
- Watch Movements
A watch movement refers to the mechanism that makes it tick. This is also called the caliber and is the watch's tiny engine. With the help of this engine, the hands go around, and there are three types of movements.: quartz, mechanical and automatic.
Mechanical watches get powered through the mainspring, which in turn powers the gears and the balance wheel. To tighten the wheel, you simply have to twist the crown, and this cranks up the coils. Once you let go, the spring starts to unwind, causing the second hand on the watch to move. The longer the mainspring in the watch, the longer it will work before you wind it again.
The automatic movement is what most watch's today make use of and are also called self-winding watches. They make use of kinetic energy from your wrist to make the watch move; there is a small weight called the rotor present inside the watch, and as your wrist moves, the mainspring gets winded up. With this mechanism, you do not have to wind your watch manually, and you can even place it in a watch winder so that it can get winded even when it is not on your wrist.
Quartz is the last type of watch movement, and these are battery-powered watches regulated with quartz, which is a small crystal. This crystal acts as a conductor between the electric circuit and battery, and it passes the electricity through the quartz that makes it vibrate. The vibration is then turned into a pulse that makes the second hand on the watch movement.
- Watch Materials
When it comes to material, there are many different types present in the market. Watch cases can be made from stainless steel, ceramic, gold, titanium, and more. This is where personal choice comes into play, and you can choose the type of casing ideal for you. Stainless steel is very popular because it is durable, corrosion-resistant, and lightweight. All these qualities make it very comfortable to wear. Moreover, you can find it in both silver and gold-tone, and it isn't very expensive either. So if you want to go for a safe option, stainless steel it is. You can also go for a gold option but these watches are difficult to pull-off so if you want a gold watch, make sure you wear it with confidence.
When buying a watch, you need to keep in mind the style you want. The style allows you to easily figure out when to wear the watch; for example, a dress watch is for a more formal occasion, whereas dive watches are for divers. The style gives the watch a purpose, but that does not mean that you cannot wear a dive watch to a formal occasion. It simply means that the dive watch has functions that a diver may make use of, such as water-resistant ability, a luminous dial for underwater reading, etc. On the other hand, dress watches have a sophisticated touch that makes them suitable for formal wear. You can also get smartwatches, tactical watches, digital watches, racing watches, aviator watches, and field watches, depending on your need, profession, and style.
- Price Range
When buying a watch, you need to keep your price range in mind. Watches can be very expensive depending on their movement, cases, and brand. It is a smart idea to stay within your budget when you are buying a watch for the first time. However, if you have money to spend and you want to buy a good timeless watch, then you can go for high-end brands. You can also bling your watch with diamonds and give it a hip-hop touch.
- Straps
Straps are the finishing touch provided to your watch, and it is the perfect closure your watch needs. Some watches have a single strap present, whereas some allow you to alter it depending on the occasion. The most common type of strap is the stainless steel strap which is similar to a metal bracelet and is made from steel, titanium, or gold. This strap is very elegant and durable due to its corrosion-resistant nature. Another common type of strap is the leather strap which gives a casual yet elegant look. Leather straps look good on all watches and make them perfect for formal and informal wear.
One strap that is inexpensive and very long-lasting is the NATO strap. This strap was made by the British Military of Defence, and it attaches to your watch's lug bars separately. It ensures additional security if the bar breaks and snugly sits on your wrist, providing a great look. Some other strap options include rubber strap and bund strap, and depending on your preference, you can pick the one you like most.
Conclusion
Buying a watch for the first time can be a tricky decision since there are so many options for you to choose from. However, it is a smart idea to start from the style of the watch; this allows you to narrow things down. So, for example, if you want a watch for the gym so that you can track your steps, heartbeat, etc., a smartwatch is what you need. Once this is decided, you can move forward with the straps, casing, and other features depending on your personal preference. So enjoy shopping for your watch and make the right decision today!
