Things You Need To Know About Watches

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Few things say more about a man than his watch. Its character, look and style can give others a peek into a man's background (and priorities) without having to ask a single question. That is why purchasing a watch is such a personal — and important — decision.

Of course, there are men out there who only need a watch to tell time, and for those guys a watch whose price ends with .99 would suffice. But for the rest of us, a watch has a more prominent meaning (and for the select few who dabble in the Rolex territory, it can even be an investment opportunity).

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We all understand the basic concept of a watch (it tells time, most work with quartz movement and are battery operated, etc.). A deeper understanding, though, can help you recognize the subtle differences between different timepieces. Comprehending these intricacies will not only help you make the best possible purchase according to your needs, but may even save you money.

So here are eight questions you need answered when it comes to watches. This crash course won't necessarily make you an expert on the subject, but it will help you become a very well informed consumer.

1- Is a Rolex worth the high price?

There are two possible answers to this question, and I still haven't figured out which one is right. Why do some people automatically say "no"? Because the Rolex corporation artificially inflates the price of its watches by limiting the yearly supply of some of its collections (the Daytona is notorious for being near impossible to find), leading to scarcity in the market. It is a strategy similar to the one employed by De Beers, the world's largest diamond retailer, which limits the supply of diamonds on the market to keep prices high (even if De Beers has plenty stored in its safes).

Rolex also meticulously (and some say dictatorially) controls its authorized dealer system to make sure that all watches are sold at its suggested retail price. Any dealer that sells a Rolex at a discount is subject to having his dealer status revoked. So since it is nearly impossible to get a new real Rolex at a discount, you will always pay a premium for the name (thanks to smart marketing by Rolex execs) and not necessarily for the craftsmanship (though it is still very high). That is why many watch experts say that, for the cost of a Rolex, you can get a higher caliber mechanical watch from a different company.

On the other hand, some firmly believe that a Rolex is worth the price because it is still a premium watch made with the highest level of craftsmanship. The artificially inflated prices also help Rolexes maintain their extremely high resale value. And, of course, you can't underestimate the cachet value of a Rolex. The status and prestige it projects can, in certain people's eyes, justify its exorbitant price. More than any other regularly produced watch, owning a Rolex is an investment and a status symbol, more than it is a teller of time. If you want to buy a watch purely on its mechanical merits, nothing beats a Piaget or a Jaeger.

2- What do "chronometer" and "chronograph" mean?

Chronometer is a designation given to a watch that has the highest standard of precision. The designation is given to automatic and mechanical movement watches, not those that run with quartz movement. A watch carrying the chronometer certification has passed vigorous tests demanded by the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (COSC).

A chronometer's mechanical movement is close to perfection, so the time it displays is almost always accurate (unlike other self-winding or automatic watches), and therefore carries a premium price over non-chronometer watches. The 15 days of rigorous tests conducted by the COSC include testing its performance under different temperatures, different positions, and even under water.

A chronograph designation is often confused with a chronometer one, though they are completely different. A chronograph is basically a watch with stopwatch capabilities. It displays different counters or mechanisms for measuring elapsed time. Counters can register seconds, minutes and hours. This gives its owner the ability to time anything he wants.

Don't even think about buying a watch until you read the following...