Archive for May, 2007

Buying A New Watch

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

It is unwise to purchase a non-branded watch. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly the quality of build is often considerably lower for a non-branded watch so you are unlikely to get the years of service that you should expect. Secondly there are often issues with warranties when non-branded watches fail.
Another thing that you should always avoid is purchasing your watch from an unauthorized dealer.

If you buy a branded watch from an authorized dealer then you have made two of the best decisions that you can make when buying a watch.

Before you buy your watch you really need to think about the reason why you are buying the watch. Obviously a construction worker will need a different type of watch than the businessman who is looking for a watch to wear when he is attending business lunches.

There are watches designed for all applications, and these factors need to be considered before purchasing. Is the watch going to be for recreational purposes, casual, dress, sports, or active wear, or are you looking for a watch simply to make a statement?

With so many good brands of watch on the market, there is a lot to choose from and with prices ranging from relatively cheap to out of this world it is wise to explore all the options before parting with your money.

Don’t just look at the brands that you are familiar with, as there are many excellent brands that might offer more features for your money.

A good watch dealer will be able to help you make a good decision by explaining the differences in the brands and tailoring your purchase to your requirements.

Many of the brands that have been respected for quality also offer cheaper quality watches so you can’t assume that a watch is good just because of the brand name. Once again a good dealer will be able to help you decide. There are also a few good watch forums on the internet where people will share their opinions and experiences.

Do not be too concerned with the technical details when buying a watch as most quality watches have the same basic functions. It shouldn’t matter to you whether the watch is a quartz, a certified mechanical (chronometer), or a non-certified mechanical, provided it is capable of keeping time with accuracy and maintain that accuracy for many years.

Most expensive watches are mass-produced to a very high level of quality thanks to modern techniques so it is unlikely that you will be buying a watch that has been handmade by craftsmen who have had generations in the trade.

While price is one consideration that needs to be taken into account when making your purchase, it is more important that you get exactly what is needed for your requirements even if that involves paying a little more money for your purchase.

If you choose wisely, a watch can last a lifetime with good care.

About the Author:

Graeme Ramsey writes on Buying a New Watch

Written By: Graeme Ramsey

History of the Watch

Friday, May 11th, 2007

The earliest mention of the watch was in Shakespeares play “As You Like It.” In the second act of the play one character produces a sun-dial from his pocket and muses about the time. Though at this time in history a true, portable timekeeping piece would have been too much of a hassle. Coming up with a powers source for the watch was impossible at this time. But in the 1500s Peter Henlein from Germany created the first pocket watch. And from that point on portable timekeeping was part of the norm.

In the early 1600s, form watches came into being. Cases shaped like animals and objects and religious themed watches were the most popular. But cheap, portable clocks & watches didnt really come into wide spread use until 1780 when Abraham Louis Perrelet invented the self winding movement.

Watch making enters its prime period in the years that followed. In 1791, J.F. Bautte founded the watch company that would eventually become Girard-Perregaux. In 1820, Thomas Prest registers a patent for the self-winding watch. In 1833 Antoine LeCoultre started his own watch making business that would eventually become Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Other big names and when they were founded:

Minerva founded in 1858
Heuer founded in 1860
Zenith founded in 1865
Movado founded in 1881
Rolex founded in 1905
Citizen founded in 1918
Seiko founded in 1924

But probably the most innovative and best-selling watch of all time is the Timex. Timex created the Waterbury pocket watch in the 1880s and made affordable timekeeping a mainstay for the average man.

By the turn of the twentieth century, the watch industry’s first and most successful mass marketer, Robert H. Ingersoll, worked with Waterbury Clock, a partner of Timex, to distribute the company’s “Yankee” pocket watch, the first to cost just one dollar. Twenty years later, with nearly forty million sold, the “Yankee” became the world’s largest seller and “the watch that made the dollar famous.” Everyone carried the Yankee: from Mark Twain to miners, from farmers to factory workers, from office clerks to sales clerks. Throughout the rest of the 20th Century, Timex conquered the low-end market selling 500 million watches by the end of the 1970s.

And the watch market has continued to grow and expand in the following years. With the introduction of the digital watch in 1972, watchmakers had brand new roads to explore in the area or portable timekeeping. It is now not so uncommon to find watches that can do everything under the sun from reading the wearers heart rate to playing music. But telling time is still the number-one priority.

So whether you’re more interested in the fashion statement your watch makes (Rolex, Heuer, Seiko) or the practicality of your watch (Timex, Casio, Citizen), there will always be numerous choices out there.

Hey, anyone know what time it is? I think I’m late.

About the Author

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides tips and information on brand name watches and watches in general.

Written By: Allen Shaw