Archive for the 'The Wrist Watch' Category
Choosing a Swiss Watch for Men
Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 by admin
Choosing a Swiss Watch for Men
The distinguishing mark of Swiss watches has been their quality, value, durability, and wide prestige among people around the world. People of fashion know a Swiss watch adds to the charm of their style. More over, owning a Swiss watch is a status symbol since these watches have traditionally been used by people coming from the hip and affluent segments of society.
Prices
There is a great variety of prices among Swiss watches and your choice will ultimately depend on your budget. For a youthful look you can get a Swatch at around $80. A Bvlgari can be bought for fewer than $4,000 while a Chopard diamond watch can cost over a million dollars. In general, Swiss watches cost higher than Japanese watches keeping all other factors constant.
Famous Brands
Among a number of famous Swiss watch brands are names like Rado, Tissot, Omega, Rolex, Swatch, Corum, Tudor, Piaget, Tag Heuer, and many others.
Men’s Watches
Men’s watches came in wide use mostly during the twentieth century. Originally, used for viewing time by gentlemen, these came to be matter of fashion in use and Swiss watches took precedence from the early days of popularity of watches among men.
Choosing a Men’s Watch
The choice of buying a men’s Swiss watch is determined by where the watch is going to be worn and what image the user has in mind to project in his company. For example, there are high-profile Swiss watches like Rolex and Cartier that bring the wearer to be noticed among company. Brands like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet are thought to reflect refinement of taste. To reflect your active lifestyle or overwhelming sense of power, consider Swiss brands like Omega, Tag Heuer, or Breitling.
Age of the User
The age of the man is a main factor in choosing the right Swiss watch. As a general way of fashion, Swiss watches are mostly men’s watches, not those for boys. For a youthful and boyish style, pick a Swatch that matches his look. You should be in your mid thirties at least and have a personality approaching that of a man in his late forties to go for a Rolex GMT. After crossing your mid-thirties, your choice can shift to Swiss brands like IWCs and Baume and Mercier etc.
Sports Watches
Men’s sports watches in Swiss brands are characterized by faces having multifunction sundials and functions e.g. compass, stopwatch etc. They are trendy and represent a sense of vigor.
The distinguishing mark of Swiss watches has been their quality, value, durability, and wide prestige among people around the world. People of fashion know a Swiss watch adds to the charm of their style. More over, owning a Swiss watch is a status symbol since these watches have traditionally been used by people coming from the hip and affluent segments of society.
Prices
There is a great variety of prices among Swiss watches and your choice will ultimately depend on your budget. For a youthful look you can get a Swatch at around $80. A Bvlgari can be bought for fewer than $4,000 while a Chopard diamond watch can cost over a million dollars. In general, Swiss watches cost higher than Japanese watches keeping all other factors constant.
Famous Brands
Among a number of famous Swiss watch brands are names like Rado, Tissot, Omega, Rolex, Swatch, Corum, Tudor, Piaget, Tag Heuer, and many others.
Men’s Watches
Men’s watches came in wide use mostly during the twentieth century. Originally, used for viewing time by gentlemen, these came to be matter of fashion in use and Swiss watches took precedence from the early days of popularity of watches among men.
Choosing a Men’s Watch
The choice of buying a men’s Swiss watch is determined by where the watch is going to be worn and what image the user has in mind to project in his company. For example, there are high-profile Swiss watches like Rolex and Cartier that bring the wearer to be noticed among company. Brands like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet are thought to reflect refinement of taste. To reflect your active lifestyle or overwhelming sense of power, consider Swiss brands like Omega, Tag Heuer, or Breitling.
Age of the User
The age of the man is a main factor in choosing the right Swiss watch. As a general way of fashion, Swiss watches are mostly men’s watches, not those for boys. For a youthful and boyish style, pick a Swatch that matches his look. You should be in your mid thirties at least and have a personality approaching that of a man in his late forties to go for a Rolex GMT. After crossing your mid-thirties, your choice can shift to Swiss brands like IWCs and Baume and Mercier etc.
Sports Watches
Men’s sports watches in Swiss brands are characterized by faces having multifunction sundials and functions e.g. compass, stopwatch etc. They are trendy and represent a sense of vigor.
How to Choose a Watch Winder
Thursday, July 12th, 2007 by adminLike other products, watch winders are available in a great variety with respect to their functions and price range. For some people, a cheap winder bought on discount seems the best choice. For others, choosing a particular brand within the same kind of watch winder is the issue. Aesthetics or appearance of the winder and its features are also important things to consider before buying. Let’s look at the two main types of watch winders.
Manual
Manual winders work by using screwed crowns. These are the more traditional type of winders with a main disadvantage: you have to remember winding on time and there is some degree of wearing down of the crowns each time you wind the watch.
Automatic
An automatic winder runs by means of an internal IC electronic circuit. It comes pre-programmed from the manufacturer such that it automatically turns on and off after a specified period of time. No human intervention is required to turn the winder on. Due to this facility, automatic watch winders have recently enjoyed immense popularity.
Types of Swiss Watch Winders
When you are out for your first watch winder purchase, consider buying a Swiss watch winder. Like Swiss watches, Swiss companies like Penelop make high quality watch winders. Sadly, some manufacturers of watch winders declare themselves as Swiss when in reality they use only Swiss mechanisms (their winders are not originated in Swiss locations). If the country of origin matters to you be sure that you buy a real Swiss winder. Also, consider buying a winder box or case to protect your winder.
There are three main types of watch winders for you to buy as described below.
Functional
These can wind one or more watches and should be placed on a flat surface so as to hold the watch’s exterior.
Elegant
These normally come enclosed in a box and have an attractive appearance. They are mainly composed from polished wood or leather and are nice to place on your room’s mantelpiece or in display cabinets.
Extravagant
Extravagant watch winders combine the functionality and elegance of the functional and elegant watch winders. They can cost quite a bit, so carefully weigh the cost of the winder to the actual time piece or pieces you collect.
Popular Brands
Some of the more popular brands include the names Everwell, Wolf Design, Penelop, Scatola del Tempo, Steinhausen, and Eilux.
The Best Men’s Watches are priced under $100
Friday, July 6th, 2007 by adminInitially the watch was the man’s prerogative; not because women were not allowed to wear watches, but because it was not convenient for them. The early watches were worn on chain, inside the pocket. Women did not have a pocket to keep them while they were moving, creating a lot inconvenience for them. It was until almost 100 years later that the wrist watch made it possible for the woman to wear once on a regular basis.
Men’s Watches need not be Expensive to be good
Actually, if you are a smart shopper, you will get some excellent bargains when you buy men’s watches. Most of the retail stores hold clearance sales at the end of the season so they can accommodate new and more up to date products. At these times, if you are lucky, you will get the watches that normally cost $200-300 at about one-third of its price. Hence, you can buy an excellent watch for your husband/ sweetheart/ or any other man in your life, for around $50 – which is a mind-boggling price, possible only because the sale.
There are other ways to shop for men’s watches so you can get the best for the least. Check out websites that offer watches for 40 to 60 percent below the market price. There is tremendous scope for such research and there are tons of websites out there who offer men’s watches for less that $100. The watches that retail for under $100 are easily the best brands in the world. You can get Seiko, Citizen, and so many other leading brands adapted to the needs and budget of the normal person.
It is easy to shop on the web because you have search engines that act like your helper. You set certain search criteria and you get quick lists of all the places where you can get the item you are searching for. Some sites also give you the option to comparison shop so that you can identify and buy the item that you need or want the most.
In this way you could get an original Citizen men’s watch for about $80 rather than spend $300 on it. It will be the same watch, the same impact with the same beauty, all you have to do is be a little patient and shop around, preferably ahead of time!
What You should Know before You Purchase a Vintage Watch
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007 by adminCollecting watches have become a growing hobby with many around the world today; their beauty and timeless elegance attract both the young and elderly alike. The quality of some brand name vintage watches makes them indestructible and thus the collection can be passed on from generation to generation.
However there are many deceptive people out there that know authentic vintage watches are very hard to come by and at times manage to duplicate or fraud some into buying one. Here are a few points, which hopefully will help you always purchase an authentic vintage watch.
Get to Know What Makes a Vintage Watch
Every single watch brand has its own specifics through which it is more or less unique such as a marking in the inside mechanism or a piece of jewelry on a particular part of it or the type of movement and so on. Getting to know what makes a particular vintage watch special will help you be able to tell the difference between the fake and the authentic version. There are many instances when vintages watches have been swapped around for example, a different movement in a vintage case and if you are not familiar with the same you will not know what to look and/or ask for.
Replacing is a big industry and some don’t stop at the pieces you cannot see, they will even go up to replacing pieces such as the worn hands of a vintage watch with something old but not its authentic piece. Again the only way to tell the difference is to be very familiar with what the original should look like.
Where to Look for Authentic Vintage Watches
To gather knowledge about a particular vintage watch you should look on the internet where everything will be listed in detail; you may even be able to get in touch with the company if it still exists and ask them for other signs that will give away an inauthentic vintage watch.
Vintage watches are very expensive and once you have purchased it, it may be difficult to return it on the charge that a piece was replaced as the seller can blame you for the same. Therefore, prevention is always better than cure and you should take all possible measures that you possibly can especially if you are a collector and are looking forward to expand your collection.
A Luxury Watch Needs Taking Care Of
Sunday, May 27th, 2007 by adminLuxury watches include the finest wristwatches such as the brands Rolex, Omega, and Breitling. These watches are available at a price ranging from over $4,000 to well over $20,000. These watches not only precede others in their function but also in their look and feel as they are the finest art pieces in the watch making industry.
They are characterized by longevity and beauty that usually lasts a lifetime and are to become the future’s collectibles. Luxury watch business was affected by the September 11 tragedy, but a revival in the demand was seen soon after. In Asian countries, especially in Singapore, the popularity of luxury watches is skyrocketing.
Personalization
A notable quality of these watches is their personalization as personalized luxury watches make ideal gifts. Engravings, personalized leather straps, and customized faces are some of the ways to add to the value of the watch as a gift.
Caring for Luxury Watches
While luxury watches these days come equipped with better strength and resistance, most of them still need care for longevity and proper functioning. Following are some pints to consider in properly maintaining your luxury watch.
Safety from Water
An ideal luxury watch is resistant to water so that you can enjoy swimming while wearing it. Water carrying dissolved salt, seawater for example, causes more damage to the watch’s exterior because salt can corrode the watch’s material. It is recommended to take off your watch before swimming in salt water.
Temperature
Do not expose your watch to excess heat or cold for long. Excess heat can shorten the life of your luxury watch’s battery. Similarly, extreme cold can affect the watch’s accuracy of time keeping.
Safety against Shock
Impact can damage the watch in a second. If you are an athlete, sportsman, or runner, do not wear your luxury watch while performing or practicing. Also, buy a shockproof watch that can withstand such impacts as are experienced in play.
Safety against Chemicals
Chemicals, solvents, and gases etc. can damage the watch’s surface and look by discoloration. Remove your watch when dealing with chemicals.
Electricity
While household electric appliances do not cause damage to most watches, strong electric fields can affect the watch’s function. If you work in a place with strong electric/magnetic fields, buy a watch that is resistant to a high electric/magnetic field’s effect.
Cleaning
Get your watch cleaned regularly by a specialist. He or she will also do necessary minor repair work and change batteries if needed.
A Military Watch Is A Tough Timepiece That Withstands Most Activities
Saturday, May 19th, 2007 by adminNumerous reasons are given when people are asked why they want to own a military watch and some veterans claim it is because of the quality and durability of the timepieces. Others may need the same durability of a watch for outdoor sports or their occupation.
Persons in the armed forces needed a timepiece they could rely on for many reasons, including coordination of events, yet their military watch had to be able to withstand the rigors of strenuous outdoor activities. If used during actual battle they needed to be camouflaged so as not to give them away and yet be visible after dark.
Being water resistant is also important to a military watch and even the least expensive ones, replicas of the type of military watch used in Vietnam, is claimed to be water resistant to 99-feet. In the 1960’s, these watches were issued only in olive green but by the end of the 1960’s and into the 1970’s, they were also available in flat black, complete with flat black web wristband.
A military watch worn by special forces personnel requires special features, among them additional water resistance and most special forces diving watches resist water intrusion up to 990 feet. Its special black matte non-reflective finish is resistant to fading and discoloration, however under extreme use it can be damaged by rough contact with other metals and rocks.
Stay Hidden with Special Illumination
At night, when time is of the essence, a military watch can be helpful with tritium-coated hands that do not send out a lighted signal. For example a H3 Traser military watch, Model P6502. Its black stainless steel case and carbon fiber rotating bezel have tritium-coated hour and minute hands, hour markings and marking on the bezel for easy reading in complete darkness.
The glass is made of hardened mineral glass and it has a nice appearance during the day but virtually blends in with the night after dark. At under $300, this type watch is popular with hunters and others who feel the need to own a quality military watch.
For wilderness hikers or campers, there is a military watch with a building barometer to detect upcoming changes in the weather, as well as an altimeter and digital compass with bearing indicator to help with your navigation through unfamiliar territory. Made of aluminum and carbon fiber it is lightweight but still extremely durable and the hard mineral glass is break resistant to withstand shock.
