Men and Watches – What do men love Watches so much?
Globally, watches are probably the best selling mens accessory, and men in Ireland are no different – trust us, we sell quite a few!
This quick read about the different types of Watches and why we love them so much is intended to shed some light on the watch makers of the world and to help you get a better informed decision when you go to buy.
Avoid the Hype of Fashion Brand Watches:
Fashion Brands such as Hugo Boss and Armani don’t make watches. They’re not watch companies – Companies such as Rolex, Tag Heuer or Longines make watches – even Daniel Wellington just make watches.
We always recommend avoiding the likes of Gucci or Armani as you’re overpaying for the watch you’re buying. The components used in W&W watches are far superior and at a more affordable price too.
There are three main types of Watches:
Manual wind, Automatic and Quartz. They’re all different based on their movement, the movement or caliber is what makes a watch tick.
Manual Wind Watches or Mechanical Watches:
The passage of time on a mechanical movement watch is measured by a spring-driven mechanism. The spring (also called a mainspring), needs to be wound periodically.
Manual Wind Watches are the original type of watch. They’re powered by manually winding them and this stores energy and keeps the watch ticking during the day.
There are some fabulous manual wind watches out there such as the Marwell Cherwell that uses a Chinese Seagull movement – The Seagull movement is very well regarded, we have one of these watches and they’re beautiful indeed.
Modern manual wind’s tend to be quite large as many use Pocket Watch movements to power them. Vintage Manual winds such as this Omega are much more compact and it’s still going strong – 50 years later.
Benefits Of Mechanical Movement
- Longevity: A well-built mechanical watch will last a lifetime with proper care.
- Batteries: You don’t need to worry about any battery replacements, which are always an inconvenience.
- many consider manual rewinding of a simple mechanic wristwatch to be a strongly desirable ritual.
- Aesthetics: Many mechanical timepieces have a clear sapphire casing on the back which gives a clear view of the fascinating rotations and oscillations of the minute working parts
The exhibition case of the Marlow Cherwell – A modern manual watch.
Automatic Watch –
An automatic watch is powered by the kinetic energy in a small motor being powered by the movement of your wrist or by using a winder. Modern versions include the likes of Rolex, Omega etc. There are some very good automatic modern watches such as Linjer that represent great value for money and are stunning to wear- expect to pay around €500 for a reliable one
Benefits of An Automatic Watch:
- The ritual of daily winding your watch is not required with an automatic watch.
- With regular wear, the watch continues to function.
A vintage Omega Automatic model.
Quartz Watches:
In 1969, Seiko, the Japanese watchmakers introduced the quartz movement. The launch of this new technology challenged the traditional timepiece houses who relied on mechanical movement to power their watches.
- A quartz timepiece is powered by a batterythat sends an electrical signal through a piece of crystal quartz.
- The quartz vibrates 32768 times per second, creating a signal with a precise frequency.
- The vibrations are measured by the circuit and converted into a single pulse every second.
- The consistent movement of the watch hands is a result of this pulse.
Quartz watches are battery powered, the battery makes the quartz crystal vibrate which powers the watch and keeps it ticking. Quartz watches are the most affordable and also the easiest/cheapest to maintain. A manual wind or Automatic watch needs to be serviced regularly whereas a quartz watch will usually keep ticking until the battery needs changing! Japanese movements are incredibly reliable and are perfect for a minimum fuss, very reliable watch movement – at the end of the day, it’ll keep time perfectly without having to worry about it.
- Accurate Time: A quartz mechanism barely veers from the exact time, ensuring superior accuracy.
- Ease Of Use: Quartz watches are battery-powered and do not require human intervention to keep ticking.
- Low Maintenance: The low number of moving parts and the presence of a battery ensure that quartz watches are lower maintenance.
- Less Expensive: Mechanical and automatic watches require more watchmaking hours and skill. Quartz watches are hence cheaper.
- Durability: A quartz timepiece has fewer moving parts that may require repairing, making it more durable than a mechanical watch.
Luxury watch collectors prefer watches with mechanical movement, while quartz watches are preferred for regular use given their superior accuracy and reliability.
There are a number of brands in Ireland making and supplying great mens watches. These include the likes of Ansley Watch Company, Toc Watches and W&W of course. Ansley and W&W sell quite a similar theme in terms of minimalist, sleek watches, Toc watches are automatic and come in at around 45mm so are very large and quite thick when compared to the slimmer Ansley and W&W.
Men and Watches can sometimes be a status thing, if they’re slinging around a Rolex on their wrist – sometimes it’s an insecurity thing too! A nice slim, minimal watch can draw attention for all the right reasons as opposed to having a block on your wrist.
Big Watches certainly suit some men but smaller watches pretty much suit everyone – look at vintage watches, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything over 36mm and the 50’s and 60’s were probably the most stylish of times.
“Fashions change, style remains constant”
What should a man look for in a watch?
The first thing to decide upon is colour – Silver, Gold or Black are the staples these days.
Then the colour of the dial, black/white/silver/coloured. Next thing to think about is the type of strap that you want – a NATO canvas strap, Leather Strap? Mesh Milanese Strap? There are many benefits to each of these – The NATO Strap can be changed up very quickly, are nice and light and don’t get sweaty.
The Leather straps from W&W are all quick release so you can pop them out in two seconds with minimum fuss, all Italian Croc style leather, if worn everyday they will eventually get a bit sweaty but this is easy to remedy.
Our favourite straps at the moment have got to be the Milanese straps, they’re stainless steel, again can be swapped out easily if you want to go for a more dress leather strap, don’t get sweaty and are incredibly slick.
Something to consider about buying a watch online:
Taking W&W as an example, they’re only sold online which is why they can be sold at such an affordable price. If you took a W&W watch and compared it to anything in a shop on the high street then you’d notice that the quality is at least the same as well known brands twice the price. In most cases the quality of a W&W watch is far superior to those on the high street as they’re made in small batches with a thorough quality control check system in place.
With over 100 different combinations including NATO Strap Watches, Leather Strap Watches and Milanese Mesh Strap Watches along with Silver, Black, and Gold cases and a multitude of dials then you can literally find any combination you need!
What watch for what occasion?
Can I wear a NATO strap watch with a suit? Can I wear a Leather strap watch with Jeans? Does a Milanese mesh strap go with a more formal occasion? They answer to all of these questions is simple – whatever you desire.
Personal style is your choice, there are not rules to what you can or can’t wear. I personally think a NATO strap is incredibly slick with a suit, a leather strap is great with a more casual outfit or for wearing to a formal occasion – The Shelby is the W&W Dress Watch, The Heritage can be worn as a dress watch or casually etc etc. The W&W range are multifunctional, fantastic quality, incredibly reliable and affordably priced, we 100% stand behind these watches and wouldn’t sell them if we didn’t!
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