General questions When will you be wearing it? What will you use it for - work, going out, lounging around, playing sports? How do you feel about high-tech gadget watches? How much money do you want to spend? While you can conceivably get any style of watch for little money, certain watchmakers and brands command very high prices.
watch types and optionsSo you’ve decided on the situations in which you’ll wear your watch and you’ve figured out the style you want for your wardrobe. Before heading out, take a look at the main types of wristwatches and some of their parts.
Analog, digital or analog/digitalAn analog watch has a face that holds hour and minute hands, and either numbers, markers or Roman numerals that display a 12-hour day. It is considered the more formal, classic watch type, and is perfect for business, dates and formal events.
Digital watches either have an LCD(liquid crystal display) or LED(light emitting diode) face that displays the time in numeric form(for example, 2:50). They’re considered very casual.
Analog/digital watches have both an analog and a digital face. They’re utilitarian and can be worn to work and during your daily routine(though they’re probably not a good bet for formal events).
Battery, quartz or mechanical(hand-wound)Digital watches are powered by an ultra-small watch battery(the kind you usually see by the checkout counter in electronic stores).
Quartz watches are analog timepieces that run on a tiny, vibrating, electrified quartz crystal. They keep extremely accurate time(within a minute each year).
Mechanical watches are powered by a complex array of gears and springs. These watches can command a hefty price as a result of their superior craftsmanship. Unfortunately, the ancient art of hand-wound watchmaking remains imperfect. Mechanical watches lose about an hour a year and must be wound regularly.
CaseThis is the watch’s frame. When it comes to analog watches, the case can be round, rectangular, square, and sometimes even polygonal. The case finish can be shiny, matte, patterned, or inlaid with jewels and other crystals(although I can’t recommend such a look - unless pimpin’ is your thing).
For analog watches, the case is usually made of a metal - steel, titanium, gold, silver, and platinum being the most common. Getting a watch with a case(and band) made from the latter three precious metals is going to cost you a pretty penny, but many watchmakers mix the precious metal with less valuable alloys for a more affordable timepiece.
Here are some common watch "Gold Marks" according to The Encyclopedia of Men’s Clothes:
18K or 750 means the piece is about 75% pure gold.
14K or 585 means it’s about 58% gold.
10K signifies it’s about 42% gold.
Watch crystalThis transparent cover protects the watch face. It can be made from plexiglass, mineral(traditional) glass or synthetic sapphire - an ultra-hard, clear, man-made crystal.
Plexiglass is the cheapest of watch "crystals." It’s the least likely to shatter, but the most likely to scratch.
Mineral glass, on the other hand, is more likely to shatter, but less likely to scratch.
Synthetic sapphire costs the most, but it’s the most scratch-resistant. Of course, there’s a catch: Synthetic sapphire breaks quite easily.
Band typeIf you have an analog timepiece(whether quartz-powered or hand-wound), your watchband will either be made of leather(usually black or brown) or the same kind of metal used on the case.
Digital watches, such as sports models and gadget watches, usually have plastic bands. nontraditional watch types SportsSports watches are very sleek, very durable and made from high-quality plastic composites. The most common sports watch is the classic water-resistant diving watch. Nowadays, the market is packed to the gills with such timepieces. Sports watches can incorporate odometers, altimeters, compasses, GPS technology, blood pressure and pulse monitors, and a range of other gadgets for the guy leading an active lifestyle.
Two good brands to look at are Nike and Timex. Both companies produce diverse, feature-laden lines that are relatively affordable and quite durable.
Gadget watches are highly functional for the student, techie or engineer. They contain even more tech goodies(such as calculators, digital cameras or e-mail applications) than their loaded sports model cousins. Keep in mind, however, that gadget watches are conversation pieces that usually only attract the interest of other tech-savvy guys. They’re usually not a good bet for picking up women.
the proper fit and matchWhatever its type, your watch should fit snugly(and not move up and down when you move your arms), without leaving an imprint on your wrist.
Silver watches match best with blacks, grays, silvers, and blues, and ideally, you should wear them at night. Gold watches go with browns, beiges, tans, and other earth tones. They are best worn during the day.
And, of course, digital watches(no matter how cool) go better with casual clothes or workout attire than with business suits or formal wear.