Buying a watch? Here are 5 things you should remember!

Preferences: The way they go

It’s a widely known fact that women – almost all – are more inclined towards watches as being just another good looking dress accessory that also shows time. They tend to care most about the look of a watch, for it to become an effective add-on to their respective appearances, often becoming a style-signature; the Coach Park Jacquard for example, from the Movado group. Other many criteria are often overlooked, which this blog post shall attempt addressing and help women choose for themselves and/or others the most suitable wristwatch of them all! The same can be noticed among a handful of men; this post is also meant for them. Maybe you are on the sides of the $50-ish watches, but those fifty dollars must be well spent and not go after big, flashy pieces with non-functional dials, hands, crowns or pushers and some funny name on the dial. A note here: A 50 dollars worth watch is not necessarily Chinese in its origin. The biggest examples are probably Timex and Casio; however, you’ll flip if you see some of the Chinese tourbillion movements; say, from Peacock or Memorigin, making the watch prices vary from a couple of thousand of dollars to over a quarter of a million.

Decoration vs. Timekeeping

Coveted women, in matters of timepiece-technicalities, are far lesser in number than men; while men are generally outnumbered when it comes to making a choice solely based upon the appearance of a watch. The difference in the psychology of desiring and purchasing a watch is what sets men and women to be different animals; techniques that get men excited almost always don’t work for women and designs that get women full of joy hardly matter to most of the men. But women wearers of luxury watches typically end up spending less than men per watch and also on an average. With men, well; we just don’t have as many options. That means: Women enjoy choosing from a larger range of socially-acceptable, wearable, luxury accessories. Clothing aside, they got handbags, jewelry in many forms and colors, shoes and makeup whereas men are confined within the set boundaries of shoes; a wallet or cardholder, a pen, a tiepin, sometimes a ring or glasses other than the watch. So, that’s why a man would focus more upon his watch compared to a woman.

Important factors influencing a choice

They have been discussed earlier many times by others, so we will not take into consideration marketing and advertising. Apart from that, the watch industry’s perennial question – “ What does a woman want in a luxury timepiece if she is not buying a Cartier; a Chopard or a Chanel?”

• Practicality: Women bear a distaste towards anything clingy (pets not counted) requiring high maintenance; men or watches; cars, appliances…it’s the same for all. That’s why plain quartz watches tickle their fancy the most, with a little floral decoration or similar other design motifs, their joy grows by leaps and bounds. Some take it to the extremes with the Casio Baby G and Enticers; they are mostly professionals or fun seekers with work/fun profile almost similar to men’s. More extreme women actually prefer wearing men’s watches, be it at work or not ( Luna from Expendables III?).
• Romance: Women love when their partner is also wearing the male version of the same watch she is wearing (the Presage Blue Moon Automatics, for example; there’s a men’s and a women’s version) or, when it relates to some pleasant feel, themes or memories.
• Timelessness: Names like Cartier and French Connection give out that timeless appeal in the fashion world; women just want to ensure that they don’t look old fashioned and fall out of their leagues.

Men, on the other hand, will go for:

1. Watch materials: An almost endless list that is; starting with stainless steel (with or without plating or color/lacquer coating) and stretching into titanium, resin, rubber and ceramics…even wood. All these materials are extremely durable and versatile but above all, a man’s watch must put up a strong appearance, ideally speaking.
2. The size: The right size of the watch is not about how many millimeters it is across; it is about how well it sits on your wrist. Ideal is the watch with a diameter that’s anything between 38mm and 44mm; some preferring the extremes (34mm or 50mm are not rare sights). The wrist-to-watch proportion determines if a watch will compliment your style and not look weird on the wrist; however, you got to remember – You need big wrists to pull off a large watch. And remember the strap/bracelet; avoid narrow watch straps for best effects.
3. Watch Band Materials: Leather, stainless steel, titanium, nylon paracord, silicone and polyurethane rubber, ceramic – the list is quite a vast one. However, leather always represents class, formality and elegance but it also requires some amount of maintenance unlike the rest.
4. Watch Shapes: Round is the most common though rectangular, square or polygonal shapes are also in high demand. However, if you want a shape that really stands out, go for the Ventura XXL. Or, if it’s too large for your wrist, opt for the smaller Ventura Open Heart Automatic. You may also buy your woman one and she’ll love to wear something similar to yours.
5. Watch Movements: This doesn’t need explanation; a man loves the engines of his cars, bikes, computers, smart-phones and watches to be exotic, if not complicated with more performance on the clock. Quartz, Mechanical, Mecha-quartz, Spring Drive and Eco-Drive – simple or complicated – you got to choose from; for a fair comparison, go here. For affordable watches with respectable mechanical movements, look here. And this one; if you want to know more about quartz-based movements.
6. Watch Dial: Now, we arrive at the details you’ll come across in a watch at the first sighting. Go through this earlier post about watch dials for a simple explanation. Often there are engravings present (on the dial, case or case back); now that’s entirely about personal choice. Just take care that it is in line with the watch and not something meaningless or out of the context.

End of lesson

Every detail matters in a watch and especially, when the market is full of so many different brands an models, you have a better scope to decide which one you want; for yourself or someone else whose happiness means the world to you. Just remember:

• Black: A color mostly associated with power and formality.
• White: Purity and openness.
• Blue: Denotes intelligence, trust and confidence.
• Gold: Elegance and regalia.
• Strong colors: Eccentricity and against the norms.

These are a lot of variables at play and your own tastes are going to speak the last word here.  

Keep dropping in to  leave your replies below .  State which of the watches mentioned above you’d like to go for the most and why.