Men, unlike women, don’t wear many accessories when going out. If a man is into fashion and would love to accessorize, the first item on his list would be a wristwatch.
Wristwatches have been around for ages and will never go out of fashion. If there is anything, it still is thriving, especially on the luxury end of the market. It keeps evolving from analog to dress watches, mechanical to digital watches, and smartwatches to sports watches.
In the wristwatch market, there is everything from cheap plastic watches sold at thrift shops to luxury watches focused on precision, quality, perfect artistry, beautiful designs, tradition, and unique technology.
You can consider a wristwatch a timeless piece passed on from generation to generation. That is why it pays to have proper knowledge of men’s wristwatches. Many experts online share their guide to watch companies that are helpful to watch and clocks enthusiasts.
This article is ideal for those who are just starting to show interest in men’s wristwatches. The content will give a quick overview of what you need to know about men’s wristwatches.
3 Types of Watch Movements
Not many people may know that wristwatches can be powered using various mechanisms. There are three types of watch movements: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.
Mechanical
Mechanical watches are powered by a mainspring, a coil of metal rotated by hand. In this movement, the second hand sweeps smoothly. Mechanical watches require manual winding to function.
Quartz
Quartz watches are incredibly accurate and very affordable. Unlike a mechanical watch, a quartz watch’s movement is powered by electricity. As the electricity passes through the battery, a small quartz crystal vibrates 32,768 times a second, causing a movement on the second hand in individual ticks.
Automatic
In essence, automatic watches are also mechanical; they run on a mainspring and are powered by gears, but the wearer doesn’t need to rotate it manually. An automatic watch drives its mechanism automatically by transferring kinetic energy from the wearer’s wrist. They are also known as “self-winding” watches due to their automatic movements.
3 Different Designs on Men’s Watches
Men’s watches come in different designs, just like there are many styles for women’s watches, and each design fits different occasions. These designs are divided into three: casual watches, functional watches, and dress watches.
Casual Watches
You can tell a watch is a casual watch from the material and color. Watches like these go well with activities such as your daily trip to the store, a stroll in the park, or a walk on the beach.
Casual watches are easy to wear because it comes in the usual colors like black, green, red, blue white, or a mixture of different colors. The bands are constructed from fabric, nylon, canvas, or metal. The typical face designs of a casual watch are chrono and digital.
Functional Watches
Functional watches serve a specific purpose; therefore, they are commonly used in jobs related to sports, aviation, racing, marine life, and others.
The material is usually leather, canvas, or rubber, depending on its use. The overall look of functional watches is more toned down with black, brown, silver, or tan hues.
The typical design of the numbers and dial of functional watches depends on their purpose and technology. Some have a chronograph, digital numbers, stopwatch, dive bezels, and sometimes a combination.
Dress Watches
There is no doubt that dress watches should be the first watch every man should own. A dress watch with a leather strap is an ideal choice when wearing a suit. They can also be matched with a variety of business casual outfits.
Nothing is more formal than a dress watch with a plain white face, no complications, and a black leather band. Dress watches that only display hours, minutes, seconds, and maybe the date are the most formal.
A typical face design of dress watches mostly includes minimalistic dashes, Roman numerals, and hour indexes. Some may or may not have the second hand, but there are always the hour and minute hands.
Final Thoughts
Men’s watches are not just timepieces but also valuable accessories. No matter what the occasion is, there is always a watch that you can wear to enhance your overall look.
There are plenty of brands you can choose from. As soon as you decide the type and style of watch you want, you can decide on a price range. You can start with a simple ordinary watch and work your way to luxury wristwatches in the future.