There will come a time in your life when you have to make the big decision of choosing your very first watch purchase. It may seem a bit overrated, but when your hard-earned money is on the line, then you have to think about it. It is not easy, but you can ask for help.
You would not want to regret later on with your purchase. Being a smart buyer requires a bit of a Buying Your First Luxury Watch 101. Sometimes, we skip this part of buying watches. We can go directly inside the brand’s physical store and point what your eyes want.
Not all watches are created to be the same. And not all luxury watches depreciate equally. Maybe you have a list in your head, wristwatches that are specific enough to be searched like an Omega Speedmaster Skywalker, or a Rolex Day Date. Whatever your list may contain, read this first and finalize your purchase.
1. Movement
What you notice on a watch is what kind of movement they have, this is one of a watch’s important distinctions. We have automatic, manual, and quartz for any traditional timepieces.
2. Automatic Movement
An automatic movement is kinetic energy from the wearer’s wrist. It is then transferred automatically to the watch, which drives the mechanism inside the wristwatch. Automatic Timepieces have tinny apparatuses inside them’ that mechanically turn the watch’s hands. Automatic watches are usually more expensive than the other 2.
3. Mechanical Movement
The mechanical movement will cause the second had to move in a smooth sweeping motion. The watch will need manual winding to operate. Almost like an automatic movement, but mechanical movements are done manually, wind them by hand or machine.
4. Quartz Movement
And finally, the quartz movement causes the second hand to move in individual ticking and powered by a battery. Quartz movement use crystals, electrical impulses, and batteries. This movement is the least expensive of the 3.
5. Dial
The dial is practically the face of the watch. It is the part that takes most of your attention when you need to know what the time already is. The dial displays the time, and date.
6. Bezel
The bezel is what surrounds the dial of the watch. It is the ring that holds down the covering and protection of the dial. This is a standard for most common watches.
7. Crystal
This is what your bezel is holding, and this is what protects your dial from dirt, scratch, water, and dust. The crystal comes in two forms, the mineral crystal, and sapphire. The mineral crystal is sturdy but not as luxurious as it may seem. The sapphire is a strong watch crystal that also adds class to the timepiece.
8. Chronograph
A chronograph watches an essential tiny stopwatch installed into your watch. It is what most watches add as a feature to their timepieces. Customers are quite fond of Chronographs because of their utility and the craftsmanship that goes into creating them.
9. Style
This term is what you think it is, as plain as that. But a complicated term when designing a timepiece. Style categorizes the type of watch it is going to be under. We have categories like military, pilot, dive, dress, and racing.
10. GMT
The Greenwich Mean Time watch allows you to set two time zones. This kind of wristwatch feature will come quite handy and useful for travelers or business professionals who check two time zones for their daily job.
11. Luminescence
Lumos, as a word associated with light, is the root word for Luminescence. This makes sense because this term refers to the parts of the watch that lights up. This function and feature can help the wearer see and read the time under low lights. Dive watches have this feature to them.
12. Power Reserve
Automatic movement watches gain their power by kinetic energy coming from their wearer. Have you noticed your watch ticking after removing it? This will go on for quite some time even when you do not use them because it has a power reserve. The power reserve can keep the watch going for days without being worn.
13. Skeleton
Skeletons are windows to the watch’s inner mechanism. It shows you the compact and design of the wristwatch. This may be out of the wristwatch’s standard of keeping the inner wristwatch hidden, and also a non-traditional design.
14. Winder
Manual watches have to be winded for them to work. You can do it with your hands, but others prefer machines winding their watches instead. These are called winders. Automatic timepiece users also use winders to fill up their power reserves and not rely too much on the motion alone.
From a Former Beginner
Congratulations on making it this far! Do not worry, no tests have to be taken this time. It is always a good idea to learn, and once you know something you can learn more or learn another.
For buying your first watch, you can now understand the terms within the watch’s specifications. You can compare these specifications to better understand your decision and choices. You may feel a bit more confident from knowing these terms.
It is better to take your time assessing the watch that you think is for you. Then regretting it later on when you cannot take your money back. We do not want you to keep playing these words in your mind, “If only I have known then what I know now”.
Go look into the stores of your favorite watch shop. You can also open their websites. Most of the watches are open to serve you online. One of the best websites to check out www.watchshopping.com.
At the end of a long day of research, you should always know what your heart is telling you to do. But keep your mind with you because it knows you too. Imagine you are buying an heirloom, something that you can pass onto the next generation. A wristwatch that can be treasured by your loved ones.
