The price of watches has been rising in recent years, with many Swiss brands cashing in on the trend.
Men from across the globe view timepieces as a status symbol and a practical accessory for busy workdays.
But, of course, the market is a challenging one. Many men don’t know if they’re getting their money’s worth. A watch might have a high price tag, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a good deal or will serve their needs for a long time.
According to The Watch Resource, a website that provides information on watches. There are ways to tell a quality watch from one that simply has a high price tag. However, it requires specialist knowledge.
Recently, the publication looked at the best everyday watches under $1,000 to answer this question. Some watches sell for tens of thousands of dollars (and sometimes more), but spending that much isn’t always necessary.
“Men don’t have to empty their bank accounts in search of the perfect watch,” The Watch Resource explains. “These days, manufacturing technologies are improving, bringing down the price while enhancing the accuracy. The reason for legacy watches costing so much was because craftsmen had to painstakingly put them together over many hours or days, initially pushing up the price. Then luxury market dynamics kicked in.”
Fortunately, there are ways to tell the difference between low and high quality watches, regardless of price, something The Watch Resource wants to share with its audience. Specific telltale signs are often all buyers need.
“One area to look at is the dial and hands. These should feature crisp printing and applied indices, with no painting,” it explains. “If the hands are luminescent, that’s even better because it indicates the presence of high-quality materials, while the hands should line up with the markers perfectly, instead of appearing to approximate them, which is the case on so many inexpensive watches. The world’s top manufacturers always ensure that accuracy is within a few microns so there isn’t any annoying overlap, which sometimes occurs on cheaper models.”
Some men, therefore, may want to bring monocles or magnifying glasses with them to inspect watch faces in more detail. Properly probing them is essential, it now seems, to determine the real thing from an inexpensive knock-off.
Movement is also now being used as a tool to determine the quality of a watch. Manual and automatic watches that “move well” are a sign of high-quality underlying mechanisms built by the original Japanese, Swiss, or German manufacturers.
The movement itself should be powered by a recognized brand, like Miyota, Sellita, or ETA. These hallmarks indicate that the watch has unique mechanisms that aren’t found in cheaper models.
Alternatively, look for quartz-based watches. These aren’t quite as luxurious or prestigious, but they still work well for all timepieces, except perhaps those requiring the highest accuracy over thousands of years.
Paired with this is crystal quality. Ideally, this should be high. The best watches come with sapphire crystals, which are scratch-resistant and high-strength. These are often found on the most expensive models but can also appear further down the product stack in some cases since the price of sapphires alone is not prohibitive.
Cheaper watches often have mineral or acrylic, according to industry insiders. These are acceptable in vintage watches, but they don’t offer the same level of quality on contemporary products.
“We also suggest that men check the case back and markings,” says The Watch Resource. “These areas can also provide information indicating timepiece quality. Transparent or exhibition backs show off the watch’s inner workings, a nice touch for those looking for something that looks like a Victorian’s image of the future. This is one of the easiest ways to determine watch quality since it is difficult to make clockwork look intricate and functional while being fake at the same time. Engravings that are sharp and clean are also welcome. They should be easy to read using a magnifying glass, regardless of the small size of the text. The smaller and clearer it is, the more it betrays the quality of the equipment the manufacturer used to create it.”
Whether the watch has a bracelet or a strap is also a consideration. Solid links tend to be most common on high-end watches, with metal forming the links, without hollow or folded pieces. Sometimes, the timepiece itself is high quality, but the wrist section is not, shortening the watch’s life.
Leather is also an option and can represent quality. However, it should come from known tanneries with proven practices and a track record of quality.
“Men can sometimes get excited by the deep brown of leather watch straps, but they aren’t always kosher,” says The Watch Resource. “Sometimes, some lesser-known makers will work with cheap tanneries to boost their margins, which, obviously, isn’t great for consumers.”
Finally, case quality is a consideration that many men are making when choosing watches. Selecting the right materials, like solid stainless steel or titanium, is one method watch manufacturers use to increase the quality of their products. For example, titanium is one of the hardest-known metals for its weight, and unlike most, it doesn’t corrode, even when exposed to water and salt over long time periods.
Plated and alloy cases are not as well regarded in the industry. “These options are okay on cheap watches because they bring the price down, but they should never be a feature of more expensive timepieces, unless the alloy is truly exotic and something exceptionally special.”
The finishing on the case should also be even and smooth. Sharp edges and uneven brushes suggest poor-quality manufacturing processes, which could undermine other parts of the product, including the all-important crystals and minerals inside.
“Our advice is to learn as much about watches as possible before making a purchase,” The Watch Resource cautions. “The last thing affluent men want is their initial excitement about a watch purchase to curdle into disappointment and unfulfillment. Watches that cost too much but don’t deliver are something everyone wants to avoid.”
