When you look for a new watch, you can quickly get lost in the huge selection. In addition, you also want a good quality watch that is worth the price, whether you opt for a sporty clock or want to purchase a luxury handmade Swiss timepiece such as Rolex Sky Dweller. Below you will find a universal checklist to see if your watch is worth its purchase price. First of all, it is useful to estimate in advance for which occasions you buy the watch.
Is it a casual watch for the week, or are you looking for something to wear with a suit for a formal occasion? As soon as you know what kind of watch you are looking for, you can take a closer look at the most important characteristics of the watch type in question.
Analog or digital
The analog watches are the most traditional versions, with the corresponding hour and minute hands. The numbers can also be displayed with Roman numerals or specific symbols. Analog watches are mainly classified as formal timepieces, and are very suitable to wear to formal occasions, your work or a date.
Digital watches often have an LED screen, where the time is displayed in digital numbers. Although these watches are often classified as casual items, in recent years there have also been added chic, more expensive variants, the so-called ‘Hybrids’. Digital watches usually have a more robust and sporting appearance than the traditional analogue ones.
Quartz Watches
Digital watches usually work on a battery. Quartz watches have a slightly more advanced system that is even more accurate. There the watch often works on the basis of a vibrating, electrified quartz crystal (in combination with a battery). This also explains why these watches are often a lot more expensive than a simple digital clock. Because of the advanced Quartz system, these watches are often the result of specialized handwork, with very specific and precise parts that are incorporated in the timepiece. Watches with a Quartz system do not always need an extra battery, so you don’t have to replace it every so often. However, the watches may become slightly less accurate after a few years.
Watch frame / case
The case / frame of a watch can really come in any shape and size. However, you usually see a round, rectangular, square or polygonal model. The same applies to the finish, which can be shiny or matte. There are also watches on the market whose frame is inlaid with diamonds or precious stones. These are of course not watches that you wear to work, so they are usually not bought for casual occasions.
The more formal analogue watches are usually made of steel, silver, titanium or platinum. Don’t be surprised if these watches cost more than what you earn per month. However, there are also cheaper variants that alternate these precious metals with cheaper alloys. You can estimate the valuable metals contained in a watch based on the number of carats. For example, 18k means that your watch contains 75% of gold. The higher the number of carats, the more precious metals your watch has.
Watch glass
An important part of a watch is of course the glass, which in general must be able to take a beating. Usually watches come with 3 different variants: ‘normal’ glass, strong Plexiglas and sapphire glass. Plexiglas is generally very strong, but is again very sensitive to scratches. Normal glass is less susceptible to scratching, but breaks much faster. Sapphire glass is the ideal variant. You will only find this material in the luxury, more expensive watches.
Watchband
The straps of digital watches come in almost all types of material, but often plastic is chosen to give the watch a more sporty appearance. Analog watches are somewhat more traditional, and usually have a leather strap or a strap in the same metal as that of the clock itself.
We hope this information is useful.
