When buying a watch, one may ask why we should pay a much higher price for a certain brand or model of watches when another similar model or brand may only cost a fraction of the price. To ensure value for money, you should look at into the following factors:
1. Movement
a. In general there are 2 broad categories of movements. They are Mechanical (manual winding and Automatic) or Quartz (powered by battery). In recent years, a hybrid movement pioneered by Seiko known as Auto-quartz (watch movement with quartz accuracy and is self powered by the movement of the wearer hand) has also been introduced into the market.
b. Mechanical watch by the nature and complexity of their movement will generally be more expensive than Quartz watch.
c. Even for watch that uses the same movement, the price differences can be very big. Main reason for the price differences is because of the extremely stringent quality control and high manufacturing standards employed by the manufacturer of expensive watches. They ensure that all parts are of the highest quality by putting them to the most stringent tests. The parts are also handled and finished with great care (e.g. all steel components are polished; bridges are decorated and chamfered).
2. Case Materials
a. Case materials of watch vary. Some of the common materials used for watch casing are arranged below in descending order based on their cost starting from the highest cost:
i. Precious metals (These metal include gold, sterling sliver and even platinum and are usually used on more high-end watches)
ii. Gold-plated base metals ((prices will vary depending on the karatage of the gold, the higher the karatage the more costly. The thickness of the plating which is measured in microns will also affect the price and is normally ranged from 2 to 30 microns, again the higher the microns the more costly the watch will be).
iii. Stainless Steel and Base metal ( most widely used)
iv. Plastic and Resins (normally used in sport or fashion watches).
3. Crystal
a. Watch crystal normally refer to the glass-like covering designed to protect the dial of watches. Some of the common crystal types used for watch are arranged below in descending order based on their cost starting from the highest cost:
i. Sapphire crystals (Most expensive crystals used for watches and is also the most sturdy and is highly scratch-resistant)
ii. Mineral glass ( one of the more commonly used covering)
iii. Plastic ( used mostly in lower-priced and mass-market watches)
4. Bracelets
a. Materials of watch Bracelets vary and depending on the material used, it will dramatically affect the cost of the watch. Some of the common materials used for watch bracelets are arranged below in descending order based on their cost starting from the highest cost:
i. Precious metal or titanium ( used for high-end watches)
ii. Leather straps (Depending on the kind of leather used, the price range can be very big. In general, price range for leather straps is between $10 to $100)
iii. Plastic or Rubber (used mostly in sport or lower-priced watches)
To ensure value for money, you should look thoroughly at the above 4 categories when buying a watch.
Today, the highly competitive market is such that the quality of watches is inexorably pushed upward, a trend which translates into a range of products constantly improved in order better to meet consumers' need and expectations.
