Men's Watch Buying Guide

Perfect Timing: Buying A Men's Watch

Successfully buying men's watches is about matching your personality and lifestyle to a piece of technology—and staying within budget. Thankfully, you'll find a world of possibility out there with everything from pricey formal watches to inexpensive sport models available. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist or a hardcore gadgeteer, you're sure to find the right watch at the right price.

A Sum Of The Parts

All watches have several parts in common and knowing the details of men's watch construction will help you decide which features, materials and functions are important to you. Here are some of the basics:

Band. The band is what puts the “wrist” in wristwatch. Your options include metal bands, for a sophisticated professional look; leather bands for classic styling or other materials like nylon or rubber that create a sporty or casual look. Metal bands will usually need to be adjusted by a jeweler or other watch professional, but other bands can be easily adjust to fit properly.

Case. The case holds the main watch mechanism and is typically made of metal. The case is accessed by a removable case back, which allows for repairs or battery replacement. The front of the case has a recessed area called the bezel that houses the crystal. Screw in case backs and crystals provide superior water resistance.

Dial. The dial is the face of the watch. Dials can be functional or decorative. Depending on the features of the watch the dial may show more than one time zone or separate the seconds onto a separate face.

Crystal. The crystal covers the dial of the watch. The dial may be made of inexpensive Plexiglas or mineral discs, but sapphire crystal (while expensive) offers better scratch resistance.

The Power Of Movements

The movement of a men's watch is the internal mechanism that keeps time. Movements come in several different styles, including:

Mechanical. Mechanical movements store power in a tightly wound spring and must be hand-wound on a regular basis to keep accurate time. Mechanical movements are long-lasting and lend a watch a traditional feel.

Automatic. While automatic movements also use a main spring to store energy, they feature a rotor that uses the arm's normal movements to keep the spring wound. Automatic movements feature quality construction with the added convenience of self-winding.

Quartz. Quartz movements work by energizing a quartz crystal with electricity. The power causes the crystal to vibrate at a specific frequency that the watch uses to measure time. Quartz movements are inexpensive and accurate, but require a battery replacement at regular intervals.

Function First

Men's watches tend to be very function-specific. If you are involved in a sport or other physical activity, chances are there's a watch designed for that activity. Some examples include:

Sports. Sport watches feature rugged construction and additional features that appeal to specific activities. For instance, running or racing watches have built in stopwatch and lap timers. Hiking watches may include a compass or even an altimeter.

Diving. Diving watches tend to be heavily water resistant with ratings of up to 200 meters. Dive watches also have specific functions to monitor breathing time for scuba divers.

Fashion. Fashion watches are perfect for business and formal occasions and are typically constructed of higher end materials like gold, silver and other precious metals.

Gadget. The perfect watch for your inner geek, gadget watches come packed with features like built-in calculators, radios and other gee-whiz functions.

Casual. Casual watches tend to be colorful and feature non-metallic bands. These watches are perfect for outdoor or everyday use.

Need to know more?

• Men's Watches
  http://www.prontostyle.com/mens-watches
• Jewelry Education: Watch Guide
  http://www.bluenile.com/watch-guide
• Articles on Style: Men's Watches
  http://www.askmen.com/fashion/keywords/mens-watches.html