Yet with all the choices out there, where do you start and how do you refine your search? Learn how to shop for your first luxury watch.
Define What You Need and Want
Are you looking for a simple yet elegant dress watch or the heft and flashy appearance of a racing watch? To direct your search, first think about the following factors:
- Type of Watch: Know the differences between dress and sport watches, as well as the nuances between racing, diving and military watches. Think about where you’ll typically wear the timepiece. In general, your first luxury watch falls within the dress category, since they are work appropriate and pair well with suits or smart-casual styles. If you plan to spend more time outdoors, a sport or military watch may be a stronger fit.
- Features: Think about the features you want. In the sportier direction, a chronograph or tachymeter offers a degree of water resistance. Meanwhile, dress watches may have the option of interchangeable bands. Beyond these factors, consider glass and finer elements, like gemstones incorporated into the design.
- Budget: Expensive doesn’t always mean better, but higher prices tend to correlate with more mindful, handcrafted construction. Think about features, movement and lifespan before researching prices to develop a realistic budget range. Also consider entry-level luxury watches, which have similar features as high-end offerings.
- Measurements: Know which watch types complement your wrist. Bigger watches – 40mm and above – can look out of place on a narrower arm. For a baseline, measure the top portion of your wrist. If the distance between the lugs on the watch approaches or exceeds this amount, the timepiece will look too bulky or slide around during wear. A thicker case can also appear too tall or chunky for smaller wrists. As such, it’s important to try on your first luxury watch before you buy.
Refine Your Search
As you establish parameters to guide your search, further refine your options by:
- Style: Know what will and won’t match most of your wardrobe, especially if you intend to make the watch an everyday piece.
- Construction: Look for quality construction; key attributes include sapphire crystal glass, as opposed to mineral crystal or acrylic. Make sure the band is made of solid links and see if it’s possible to avoid plastic components that can crack or chip.
- Movement: Battery-powered quartz movement won’t deliver a long lifespan. Seek out automatic or mechanical movement, both of which use a combination of intricate components, springs and gravity to move and provide the time. Between these two, mechanical watches need to be wound regularly and require a watch winder. While based on a similar mechanism, automatic takes advantage of the wrist’s motion to keep the watch powered.
- Water Resistance: Think about the watch’s long-term performance. No watch is 100 percent waterproof, but a model with 100m water resistance can better withstand the elements, including gym workouts.
Bring your search to Hannoush Jewelers of Connecticut, offering luxury watches from brands like Breitling, Citizen, Longines and Oris today.
