Buying A New Watch

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of a new watch is the price tag. But don’t worry, because there are plenty of cheaper watches out there that can fit your budget. In this article we will explain how you can find a proper watch for yourself without having to break the bank.

We will start off by explaining what the different parts of a timepiece are, and what features to look for when buying your next one. Next, we will go into a quick overview on the types of watch movements you can find. Finally, we will go over some tips on finding a watch that doesn’t break the bank.

Types of Watches

When thinking of watches, most people think of digital or analog watches. However, there are also quartz watches which are less common than the other two types of timepiece due to their high price tag and lower quality. Between digital and analog watches, it is more economical to choose an analog watch because they cost less in both their purchase price and battery consumption.

Digital Watches: A digital watch has a screen that shows you the current time and date. It also shows the month, day and year. Digital watches are very easy to read in all lighting conditions. Since digital watches only have one small light source (the screen), it can be difficult to see the time at night or in darker environments.

Analog Watches: An analog watch works by showing you the time using hour, minute and second hands. The dial also usually displays the month, date and day of the week. Analog movements are very reliable, but require more maintenance than a digital movement watch. They require lubrication every 10-15 years to prevent any damage to their moving parts and keep them ticking. They also require the occasional tuning to keep them in proper working order. Due to their reliability, accuracy and ease of maintenance, analog watches are more popular than digital watches.

Watch Movements

Mechanical Watches: Mechanical watches are timepieces powered by a mechanical movement (hence the name). They are made up of several gears and springs that must be wound in order to continue working. Because of their many moving parts, mechanical movements are very accurate and reliable over prolonged periods of time. Because they have an unlimited power source (the mainspring), they don’t need batteries like quartz watches do. Another feature that is unique to mechanical movements is their ability to change their power reserve depending on your needs. Most mechanical watches have the capability to store enough energy to run for several days without needing to be rewound. However, some special mechanical movements incorporate themselves with the movement of the earth in order to function properly. Swiss movements contain a constant power source with variable reserve capacity that works on a very similar principle to how electric cars work.

Automatic Watches: Automatic watches are also known as self-winding or self-wind watches. This type of watch has a mainspring that is wound like any other mechanical watch, only it doesn’t need to be wound by hand because it automatically winds itself up when it is exposed to pressure (like being worn or pushed against your wrist).

Conclusion

Whether you are buying a watch for yourself or as a gift for someone, it is important to understand how much time and money you are willing to spend on one. There is no point in spending hundreds of dollars on a watch if your budget only allows for $50. Also, there is no mechanical movement that can match the price and quality of an automatic or Swiss movement. Most mechanical movements cost less than $100 while Swiss movements cost tens of thousands of dollars. As always, we will finish off with our Buyer’s Guide by recommending three watches under $100 (two automatic and one quartz) that won’t break the bank while giving you enough options to make your decision.