![\"Man's](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Wristwatches-Header-1-e1475088059861.jpg\")
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Last week we talked about the history of men\u2019s wristwatches and why a man should still consider wearing one today<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been looking to become a watch wearer yourself, or already are, but know almost nothing about the timepiece you tote around on your wrist, this article is for you. From weighing the pros and cons of different types of mechanisms, to offering dossiers on the various styles of men\u2019s watches<\/a>, we\u2019ll cover the basics of everything you\u2019ve always wanted to know about choosing and wearing this classic accessory.<\/p>\n Below you’ll find the ultimate guide to men’s wristwatches — all the essential information in one place, offered in an accessible, easy-to-understand way.<\/p>\n When you start familiarizing yourself with watches, one word that\u2019s going to come up a lot is \u201cmovement.\u201d Movement encompasses not only the sweep of a watch\u2019s hands around its face, but the way its inner mechanisms produce that effect. A watch\u2019s movement is fundamental in how it works and keeps time — consider it the \u201cheart\u201d of the watch.<\/p>\n Watch movements come in three types: mechanical, automatic, and quartz. Below we explain the differences between them and their pros and cons.<\/p>\n A mechanical watch has a movement that\u2019s powered by a mainspring — a coiled wire of metal — that is wound by hand. Once the mainspring is wound, it slowly and evenly unwinds, causing the second hand to move in a smooth, sweeping motion around the watch\u2019s face. Most mainsprings are about 9-13 inches long. The longer the mainspring, the longer your mechanical watch\u2019s power reserve, and the longer you can go between windings.<\/p>\n Not all mechanical movements are created equal. The attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into a watch will determine its smoothness and accuracy.<\/p>\n For many aficionados, mechanical movement watches represent the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me<\/em> of timepieces due to their traditional pedigree and the intricate work and engineering that must go into creating them. For these enthusiasts, owning a mechanical watch isn\u2019t just about telling time, it\u2019s a way to express their appreciation for history, refinement, and craftsmanship.<\/p>\n Pros of Mechanical Watches:<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons of Mechanical Watches:<\/strong><\/p>\n Automatic watches are pretty much just like mechanical — they\u2019re powered by a mainspring and use intricate gears to move the watch hands — but they don\u2019t require the user to hand-wind the watch to keep it ticking. Instead, your movement throughout the day winds up the mainspring while you wear the watch. Hence, the name \u201cautomatic movement.\u201d They\u2019re also known as \u201cself-winding\u201d watches.<\/p>\n How does an automatic movement watch self-wind? Well, there\u2019s a small weight inside the watch called a \u201crotor\u201d that moves as your wrist moves throughout the day. It\u2019s connected to the mainspring and winds the mainspring as it moves. Automatic watches also have a slipping clutch device to prevent the watch from getting over-wound while you\u2019re wearing it.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not wearing your automatic watch, you\u2019ll want to put it in a watch winder<\/a>. It\u2019s a little device that moves the watch in a circular motion while it\u2019s stored so it stays wound. This is particularly important to do if your watch has features like a calendar or date display. For example, let\u2019s say your automatic watch has a calendar on it, but you decide not to wear it for a few days. If you don\u2019t store it in a winder, the power will run down and the display will get stuck on the time and date the watch stopped ticking. When you decide to wear the watch again, you\u2019ll have to reset both.<\/p>\n Pros of Automatic Watches<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons of Automatic Watches<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re like most average Joes, the watch on your wrist right now is probably a quartz watch. There\u2019s a reason for that. Quartz watches are incredibly accurate and very affordable.<\/p>\n Instead of being powered by a wound mainspring, a quartz movement uses electricity from a small battery. The battery sends the electricity through a small quartz crystal, causing the crystal to vibrate 32,768 times per second. The vibrations are measured by a circuit, which converts the vibration into a pulse, which moves the second hand on the watch. Because quartz watches use electric pulses to move the second hand, they have a distinctive \u201ctick tick tick\u201d movement. It\u2019s not as smooth as a mechanical or automatic watch.<\/p>\n Because quartz movements rely on electricity and fewer moving parts, they\u2019re much more accurate and can withstand far more of a beating than mechanical or automatic watches. It\u2019s for this reason that most \u201csport\u201d and \u201cfield\u201d watches use a quartz movement.<\/p>\n Quartz movements are also dirt-cheap. $4 can get you a watch that keeps time like a champ. Of course, if you want something with a bit more panache, you\u2019ll need to spend more.<\/p>\n Pros of Quartz Watches:<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons of Quartz Watches:<\/strong><\/p>\n Your basic wristwatch tells you the time.<\/p>\n But many wristwatches come with features that also display the date or even the phase of the moon. These little extras on wristwatches are called \u201ccomplications.\u201d<\/p>\n Besides calendars or moon phases, other complications include alarms, power reserve indicators, and repeaters (a feature that chimes the hour and minutes on your watch at the press of a button).<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s the chronograph.<\/p>\n The chronograph is a separate and independent time system which serves as a stopwatch. Most chronographs consist of three small dials (also called sub-registers) within the main dial of the watch. On the side of the watch\u2019s case, you\u2019ll usually find two buttons: the top button starts\/stops the chronograph, while the bottom button resets it.<\/p>\n On some watches, a chronograph is paired with a tachymeter<\/a> — a scale inscribed around the rim of a watch. Using the chronograph and tachymeter together allows a user to calculate all sorts of things like speed, distance traveled, or fuel consumption (when you\u2019re driving or flying).<\/p>\n (Chronographs and tachymeters are pretty dang cool and I plan on devoting an entire article on how to use them down the line. Stay tuned.)<\/p>\n How many and which complications you want in a watch is a matter of preference. Dressier watches tend to be sleek and have one (usually the date) to none. More sporty and casual watches often include more complications.<\/p>\n While there are a plethora of functional men\u2019s wristwatches out there from rubber sport watches you\u2019d wear while running a 5K to tactical digital watches with a bunch of wiz-bang features, we\u2019re going to focus on wristwatches you\u2019d wear to class up an outfit. Sure, functional watches serve a purpose in a man\u2019s life, but they just don\u2019t look that great with a suit or at the office.<\/p>\n When it comes to stylish <\/em>men\u2019s wristwatches, there are basically five types: dress, field, diver, aviator, and racing. We\u2019ve compiled dossiers on each one.<\/p>\n History\/Pedigree\/Personality<\/strong>: Birthed in the early 20th century for well-to-do gentlemen who wanted to start wearing their timepiece on their wrist, rather than in their pocket. The dress watch is all about simplicity and sophistication; it\u2019s sleek rather than encumbered. It\u2019s not flashy, and draws attention to itself in a subtle way — for its classiness and how it compliments your get-up.<\/p>\n Signature Features<\/strong>:<\/p>\n When to Wear<\/strong>: As the name implies, you wear a dress watch for dressier, more formal occasions like with a business suit or a tuxedo<\/a> (though, there\u2019s debate as to whether you should ever wear a watch at all with black tie). But you can also wear a dress watch with everything on down to sharp<\/em> casual. It won\u2019t pair well with a t-shirt and jeans.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n History\/Pedigree\/Personality<\/strong>: The field watch is the descendant of the WWI \u201ctrench watch,\u201d<\/a> which was designed for officers who needed to coordinate attacks, tell time at night, and sport a wristwatch that could withstand the rigors of battle, all while still looking good. Field watches continue to evince a military<\/a>-esque vibe and are rugged, functional, and stylish all at the same time.<\/p>\n Signature Features<\/strong>:<\/p>\n When to Wear:<\/strong> Field watches are quite versatile and can be worn on all kinds of adventures as well as for everyday casual wear or even business casual. So everything from jeans and a t-shirt, to a sports coat and khakis. For men, especially younger guys, who don\u2019t get dressed up in a suit very often, a field watch is probably your best bet; its simple, rugged style<\/a> may best match your personality and lifestyle<\/a>.<\/p>\n Examples: <\/strong><\/p>\n History\/Pedigree\/Personality<\/strong>: Next to the field watch, the dive watch is probably one of the most common watch types you see men sporting. And we likely have James Bond to thank for that. Ever since Dr. No<\/em>, 007 has been sporting a dive watch of some kind or another. In the early Bond films, it was a Rolex Submariner (which is why the dive watch is sometimes called a \u201csubmariner\u201d); then Pierce Brosnan turned the Omega dive watch into Bond\u2019s timepiece of choice.<\/p>\n As the name suggests, the dive watch was designed for individuals who spend a lot of time in or near water. Their primary selling point is that they\u2019re water resistant. The first iteration of what became the dive watch was likely the Rolex Oyster, which was introduced in the 1930s. With its hermetically sealed case, it was one of the first water resistant watches on the market.<\/p>\n In the 1950s, Rolex board member Ren\u00e9-Paul Jeanneret wanted a watch that would be useful for when he went diving (a hobby he actively pursued) but still looked good as an everyday time piece. The Rolex Submariner was born and the standard for dive watches everywhere was set. Most dive watches on the market today take their design cues from the Submariner.<\/p>\n Signature Features<\/strong>: A dive watch is first and foremost water resistant. The standard for a dive watch is to be water resistant up to at least 100m, though some keep ticking at even lower depths.<\/p>\n Since it\u2019s designed to be worn in the water, both the case and the band of dive watches are made from corrosion-resistant metals like stainless steel or titanium. (You\u2019ll of course see dive watches made from rubber and silicone, too. They\u2019re just not as classy looking.)<\/p>\n When to Wear: <\/strong>While the dive watch was designed for underwater use, its all-metal casing and band, plus its iconic heritage, make it a suitable wristwatch for versatile everyday wear. You can don it with your sports wear, casual wear, business causal wear, and business formal wear. And if you take your style cues from James Bond, you can even get away with wearing a dive watch with a tux.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n History\/Pedigree\/Personality:<\/strong> Wristwatches have been a part of aviation since its inception. In fact, one of the first purpose-specific men\u2019s wristwatches ever made was for a pilot friend of Louis Cartier back in 1904 (the iconic Santos watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n In the decades after, watchmakers built on that original design to make timekeeping easy for pilots taking off into the wild blue yonder, most notably with the addition of a chronograph. Back in the 1930s, the Swiss company Breitling made onboard chronographs for planes in the Royal Air Force so pilots could determine their speed, distance traveled, and fuel consumption. In the 1940s, they decided to put their chronograph on a wristwatch — creating the Breitling Chronomat<\/a>, as well as the mold for future aviator watches.<\/p>\n Signature Features: <\/strong>Unlike other men\u2019s watch styles, the pilot watch doesn\u2019t have a firm, distinctive style; the features of timepieces marketed as \u201caviator watches\u201d can widely vary. That being said, the following are the features that are most common to this type of watch:<\/p>\n When to Wear:<\/strong> The size and more casual look of pilot watches make them a good fit for more casual get-ups, but not for black tie and formal business wear.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n History\/Pedigree\/Personality:<\/strong> Car racing and wristwatches have been linked together since the 1930s. That\u2019s because racecar driving relies on accurate timekeeping to measure the outcome of the race. Rolex was one of the first companies to capitalize on this need for accurate timepieces by outfitting top drivers with their famous Oyster watch back in the 1930s.<\/p>\n But it was TAG Heuer that created the standard for racing watches by adding a chronograph and tachymeter — the two defining features of a driving watch. The first TAG Heuer chronographs were made in the 1930s and 1940s for pilots in the Luftwaffe, but by the 1950s and 1960s, racecar drivers were wearing them to measure their speed and distance. TAG Heuer cemented its racing bona fides when actor Steve McQueen wore their Monaco 1133 in the 1971 film, Le Mans<\/em>.<\/p>\n Signature Features:<\/strong><\/p>\n When to Wear:<\/strong> Racing watches tend to be flashier looking than dive or pilot watches. Because of their bold look, they\u2019re more suitable for casual than formal wear.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the factors to consider in choosing a watch is how well proportioned the watch is to your wrist and hand. If it\u2019s too big for your wrist, it will stand out and look garish; too small and it will look like you\u2019re wearing a lady\u2019s timepiece.<\/p>\n The general rule is if the circumference of your wrist is 6 to 7 inches, you want to go with a watch that has a case diameter of 38-42 mm wide. If your wrist is larger than 7 inches, then you can go with cases that are 44-46 mm wide.<\/p>\n The best way to figure out if a watch is proportional to your wrist and hand is to try it on and eyeball it. Ask friends and family for their opinion.<\/p>\n Of course, watches are statement pieces. So if you want to go with the giant, rap-mogul watch, go right ahead. Just understand that by doing so, you\u2019re communicating to the world that conspicuous consumption is important to you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Once you decide what type and style of watch you want, you\u2019ll next need to decide what kind of price range to look in.<\/p>\n When you see the $8,000 price tag on a Rolex Submariner or that a TAG Heuer Carrera goes for $4,500, you might ask yourself \u201cAre these watches really worth that much if they tell time just as well as my $10 Casio?\u201d<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s a complicated question to answer and it somewhat depends on what sort of luxury watch we\u2019re talking about: mass market luxury watches or luxury<\/em> luxury watches.<\/p>\n One criticism levied at mass-market luxury watches is that the high price is simply the result of clever marketing. Rolex and TAG Heuer can charge thousands of dollars for a watch not due to scarcity (these companies mass-produce their iconic watches by the hundreds of thousands each year), but because they\u2019ve created the perception<\/em> in the public through decades of advertising that their watches are rare and worth thousands of dollars. It\u2019s the same criticism levied at diamond makers. Diamonds, in reality, are plentiful. Diamond producers have made them a sought-after luxury item through decades of marketing them as such.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s true that the high prices of mass-produced luxury watches are partly due to branding, there are factors in the watch itself that make it worth more than your $200 watch from the department store. For starters, these luxury watches are often made with fine metals like gold and silver. Given the price of gold these days, a gold Rolex is going to be expensive any way you slice it. They also use a higher quality glass or even sapphire to cover the watch face.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, the technology and thought that went into designing a mass-produced luxury watch is typically far superior to the technology and thought that went into making a $200 department store watch. In short, they\u2019re made better, work better, and last longer.<\/p>\n So with mass-market luxury watches, you\u2019re definitely getting a superior watch in terms of its build and movement compared to other watches, but you\u2019re also paying for the mystique, story, and social cache that come with a brand name. It\u2019s up to you to decide if that\u2019s important when buying a watch.<\/p>\n That leads us to luxury <\/em>luxury watches. These are watches that can cost tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. Companies like Audemars Piguet<\/a>, Blancpain<\/a>, and IWC<\/a> exist in this realm. These watches can command these sorts of prices because they\u2019re actually scarce. Oftentimes, just a few hundred or maybe a thousand of a particular watch are made. And this isn\u2019t some artificial scarcity. They\u2019re often meticulously handcrafted (with the help of machines of course) from the finest materials. Some of the watches from these companies take months or even years to be finished. So, yeah, with these types of luxury watches, you\u2019re definitely getting what you pay for: high-end craftsmanship.<\/p>\n Luxury watches are thus a lot like luxury cars. There is <\/em>a difference in the quality, features, and engineering of a high-end vehicle, but you\u2019re also paying for the brand, for the status symbol. Some folks are attracted to luxury cars, and to luxury watches, for both reasons, and they feel that the enjoyment they get out of the possession warrants the steep price tag.<\/p>\n For other folks, buying a luxury car, or watch, will never cross their mind. It\u2019s not in their price range, and even if it was, they\u2019ve got other things they can spend that money<\/a> on, and luxury watches offend their sense of republican virtue — their commitment to frugality and modesty (I\u2019m admittedly in this camp).<\/p>\n That being said, \u201cfrugality\u201d is of course an entirely relative trait, which depends on one\u2019s personal income (Jefferson and Washington didn\u2019t live in mud huts and walk around in burlap sacks, after all). If a billionaire wants to buy a $10,000 watch, that doesn\u2019t make him a spendthrift; it\u2019s just a drop in the bucket for him.<\/p>\n For the rest of us average Joes, invest in the best quality watch that fits your <\/em>needs, desires, and budget. There are plenty of nice-looking watches that don\u2019t cost an arm and a leg. My own go-to watch is the Spirit of St. Louis<\/a> (a pilot watch), which comes in at a reasonable $225, and I still get lots of compliments on it. If you want something a little outside your current budget, ask for a nice watch as a gift; timepieces make great birthday, Christmas, and graduation presents.<\/p>\n Well, there you go. A guide to the world of horology. While we got pretty comprehensive in this article, we only scratched the surface on wristwatches. If this topic interests you, I highly recommend checking out sites dedicated to all things wristwatches. A few of my favorites include Watch Movements<\/span><\/h3>\n
Mechanical
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Automatic<\/h3>\n
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Quartz<\/h3>\n
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Watch Complications<\/u>
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<\/a><\/p>\nMen\u2019s Watch Style Dossiers<\/u><\/h3>\n
Dress Watch
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Field Watch<\/h3>\n
![\"Field](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2016\/10\/Field-Watch-2.jpg\")
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Dive Watch<\/h3>\n
![\"Dive](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2016\/10\/Dive-Watch-2.jpg\")
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Pilot Watch<\/h3>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2016\/10\/Pilot-Aviator-2.jpg\")
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Racing (or Driving) Watch
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Picking the Perfect Watch For Your Hand Size<\/h3>\n
![\"Picking](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Size-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAre Expensive Watches Worth Buying?<\/h3>\n