Buying Yourself a Wristwatch – What to Consider (Part 2)

If you, like most people, still choose to wear a watch and are looking to buy one, you have to determine what you want as wristwatches come with a variety of options. Below are key factors to consider:

1. Do You Want a Traditional Watch Brand or a Fashion Brand (Police, Guess, Cerruti 1881)?
   A traditional watch brand is a company whose core business from inception has been watch production. These companies, usually older, often manufacture their watches in-house, resulting in better quality control.

A fashion brand, on the other hand, typically licenses its brand name to third-party manufacturers. For example, Guess started as a fashion brand, while Police began with sunglasses. Over time, these brands issued licenses to third-party companies to manufacture and distribute watches under their names.

Is one better than the other? Not necessarily. However, fashion brands are generally more affordable.

1. Do You Want Something Pragmatic or to Make a Statement?
   This largely depends on your budget. If you want something simple that tells the time and looks decent, there are many affordable options. However, if you want to make a statement, be prepared to spend more. If you're splurging, always purchase from an authorised dealer to guarantee authenticity.

2. What Functions Do You Want in Your Watch?

   • Two Hands: Hour and minute hands only.
   • Three Hands: Hour, minute, and second hands.
   • Multifunction: Smaller dials on the main dial showing day, date, and sometimes month.
   • Chronograph: An analogue watch with a stopwatch function, featuring smaller dials for seconds and sub-seconds.
   • Multi-Time Zone: Displays the time in at least two different time zones simultaneously.

3. Do You Want an Everyday Watch or a Dress Watch?
   Either option will tell the time, but watches with a higher level of bling or embellishments shouldn't be used as everyday watches and especially not for formal occasions.

4. How Much Do You Want to Spend?
   It's always better to have a budget or at least an idea before starting your search. Without a set budget, you could easily end up spending more than planned. Remember, some options will naturally make your watch more expensive, such as:

   • Automatic/Mechanical movements are more expensive than Quartz movements.
   • Swiss Made watches are generally pricier than Japanese Movement watches.
   • Sapphire crystal is more expensive than mineral crystal.

For more, please read our article on “Buying Yourself a Wristwatch – What to Consider (Part 1)”.

Conclusion: Decide on your must-haves, explore your options, and most importantly, set a budget.