When it comes to watches, the smallest of details can really make you feel good about your watch purchase. In my years of collecting, I've found that little things can come together to make a timepiece satisfying. Here are ten details that make a watch feel like a luxury and that I am richer for having made the purchase.
1. A Mechanical Movement - When I buy a watch with a mechanical movement, I feel connected to the magic and mechanical wizardry of watches. It doesn't matter if the watch came from Switzerland, the far east, or a workshop in India, if it winds or shakes and ticks, then I feel like I have something special.
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| My refurbished HMT Pilot is powered by a manually wound movement |
I think a mechanical watch is one of the closest things we have to a magic item in this world today.2. Well-Designed Bezels - When it comes to watch bezels that bring something to the party that is my watch. If a bezel has diver-style markings, I like the bezel to be rotating with clicks and unidirectional. It's one of the things that separates "real dive watches" from "diver-style watches." If the bezel doesn't rotate, I like when bezel on a dress or sport watch has some design features like a coin-edge or an engraved design.
3. Fancy Hands - I like when there is something a little special about the hands of a watch. For example, I like the W-shaped design of the back part of the second hand on my Timex Waterbury watches. It looks like craftsmanship. Similarly, if the watch is a tool watch, it's nice to see some lume on the hands so that the watch can be read in the dark.
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| This Timex Waterbury Standard Watch has a great bezel |
4. Stainless Steel Cases - A stainless steel case feels substantial. It has weight and substance. It's real metal. Titanium feels real, too. Cases made from lesser base metals like brass, copper, tin, or zinc or from various plastics and resins just don't feel as luxurious. They also may not last as long. I've got plenty of inexpensive watches with base metal cases, but stainless steel or titanium just feel like richer materials and better purchases.
5. Working Subdials - I blow hot and cold with subdials. I can barely read them even with reading glasses. But, when subdials don't work, a watch can feel like a mere facade of a watch. I wish companies that use non-functional subdials would replace them with other design elements like shields or sailing ships or compass roses or meaningful logos.
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| The Invicta Sub Aqua Noma III |
6. Engraved Casebacks - An engraved caseback is a way for a company to share heritage and communicate watch capabilities with the watch wearer.
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| The Engraved Caseback of a Timex Waterbury Watch |
I like an engraved caseback much more than a plain one. Some engraved casebacks are practically works of fine art. I like having art. Art enriches the soul.
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| The Engraved Caseback of an Invicta Sub Aqua Noma III |
7. Engraved Buckles - If you have a watch with an engrave buckle (usually with the name or logo of the watchmaker), you feel like you are getting something that isn't generic. You feel like the watch company invested a little more in the design and detail of your watch.
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| The Engraved Buckle of the Sub Aqua Noma III |
8. Crowns with Designs - A crown with a design engraved in it or a jewel embedded in it, feels a little more finished and a little more polished, than a plain generic crown.
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| The Engraved Crown of my Timex Waterbury |
9. Genuine Leather Straps - In this synthetic world, it's nice to have something genuine.
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| The Leather Strap of my Timex Waterbury |
10. Improved Dials - A dial design with interesting materials or a textured surface or a sunray dial is more interesting than a plain dial.
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| The sunburst dial of my Caribbean Joe watch |
I may not want to have each and every one of these elements incorporated into one watch, but when a design incorporates several of these features, my purchase makes me feel pretty rich.
If you are looking for a watch that brings many of these details together, check out the Timex Waterbury Men's Standard 3 Hand Quartz Watch (above) with a Silver-Tone on Silver-Tone case and dial and a brown leather strap. It's a real bargain at less than $60. You can get this Timex here on Amazon.
