Type Of Watches

[Watchnewby]

Generally, watches can be categorised as (IMHO) :
1) Dress watch - or fashion watch (whether mechanical or quartz) often appreciated as jewelry or as collectible works of art rather than just as timepieces to tell the time. The price ranges from very cheap but accurate watches (intended for no other purpose than telling the correct time) to extremely expensive watches that serve mainly as personal"jewelry".  Traditionally, men's dress watches are for semi-formal, and formal (business) situation. Nowadays, many women's dress watches have faceted gemstones on the face, bezel, or bracelet. In the 1980s, the Swiss Swatch company hired graphic designers to redesign a new annual collection of non-repairable watches. Companies that produce watches specialize in one or some of these fashion markets that I know of (may be more)are Patek Philippe, Blancpain and Jaeger-LeCoultre who specialize in simple and complicated mechanical dress watches. Of course other brands like Rolex, Panerai Seiko etc do produce these too but they specialised in other category of watches.

2) Sports Watch - for those actively on the go in sporting activities, there are watches for such ocassion. Companies such as Omega SA, Ball Watch Company, TAG Heuer, Sinn, Breitling, Panerai and Rolex specialize in rugged, reliable mechanical watches for sport and aviation use. Under "sports" maybe some watches can be sub-categorised as divers, chronograph (which has a stopwatch function), a chronometer watch (which has a high quality mechanical or a thermo-compensated quartz movement that has been tested and certified to operate within a certain standard of accuracy by the COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres)). The concepts are different but not mutually exclusive; so a watch can be a chronograph, a chronometer, both, or neither.

For diver watches, it must be made to withstand the water pressure. The standards for diving watches are regulated by the ISO 6425 international standard. The watches are tested in static or still water under 125% of the rated (water)pressure.

3) Extreme Environment watch - like in space, polar icecap, mountaineous places like Mt Everest will requires tough, rugged and the use of specially tested watches. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin wore a Shturmanskie (Russian word which actually means "navigator's") wristwatch during his historic first flight into space. This watch used the movement manufactured by the First Moscow Factory, especially the trademark "POLJOT", which means "flight" in Russian and is a tribute to the many space trips its watches have accomplished. Another example is the Sinn watches worn by a Canadian who resides near the Artic Pole for up to 8 or 9 months in a year.

4) Multifunction watch - watches with other function, for example calculator, address book, heart beat/pulse monitor etc. Companies such as Casio, Citizen, Timex, and Seiko specialize in watches as affordable timepieces or multifunctional computers.

5) Tourbillion watch -  is a watch with an addition to the mechanics of a watch escapement. Developed around 1795 by the French - Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet and throughout the century has evolved into a fine piece of horological advancement. Originally an attempt to improve accuracy, tourbillons are still included in some expensive modern watches as a novelty and demonstration of watchmaking virtuosity. The mechanism is usually exposed on the watch's face to show it off. There are generally 4 different types of tourbillion watches (could be more, but from my reading there are 4) - i) double axis, ii) double and quadruple tourbillons iii) Triple-axis tourbillon and iv) Flying tourbillion (using cantilever)

Last I heard, several Chinese manufacturers now produce a variety of tourbillon movements (bought in as by some foreign manufacturers and incorporated into watches that meet the requirements of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry to be sold as Swiss watches. The availability of cheap tourbillons has led industry spectators to worry that another Quartz crisis may occur, where the Swiss watch industry will not be able to adapt quickly to cheaper complicated mechanical watches produced in other countries like China, India etc.


Note : References :
1) Wikipedia
2) Sinn - 50th Year Anniversay Book.
3) "Current Chinese Developments". http://www.tractionink.com/. Retrieved June 2010. 
4) Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. "Swiss Made". http://www.fhs.ch/en/swissm.php. Retrieved June 2010



(Edit : Russian text cannot be read, hence the edit)

[Watchnewby]

I made some research on the Tudor brand and this is what I can conclude :

Tudor is a brand (some says it is the sister brand of the more famous Rolex) founded by Hans Wilsdof. It was registered in 1926 and its watch appeared in the 1930s.
In 1946, Montres Tudor SA was established in Geneva and launched its first Oyster (very similar to Rolex's Oyster Perpetual) in 1947. The Tudor Oyster Prince & Princess came out in the 1950s
The Tudor Prince Submariner was issued in the 1960s.
The Tudor Oyster Date Chronograph was launched in 1971.
It uses ETA/Valjoux movement but built to Rolex/Tudor specifications

So far, the model that it has produced :
Iconaut
Hydronaut II
Aeronaut
Classic 28mm
Classic 38mm
Classic 39mm
Monach
Prince & Princess
Date-Day
Chronograph
Sport
Lady Chrono
Lady Diamond

Tudor also has at one time cooperate with Porsche Racing and issued the Grantour series line of watches.

Early Tudors were signed by a English Tudor Rose. This was later replaced by the Coat of Arms in the 60s.
On the inside of the watch, Tudors are powered by movements sourced from outside the company (from ETA). However in the 50s, Tudor actually had its 'own' movement (of course, it was modified by Rolex, but it was used exclusively by Tudor). It was Rotor-Prince 390 calibre. It was a 12.5 ligne 17 jewel automatic movement, which is based on the Fleurier 350 calibre. This movement, the Tudor 390, was also fitted on early Tudor Submariners.

Source : http://www.tudorwatch.com

[Watchnewby]

I have a question to ponder, what exactly can be constitute as a fashion watch?

Some of the criteria to determine a watch as a fashion watch generally, IMHO, are :

1 - Watches from companies that make other stuff (like bags, clothes, shoes etc) besides watches. In short they make other items don't normally associate with watchmaking. For examples Calvin Klein, Timberland, Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Timberland, Jeep, etc.

2 - Watches from brands that focus primarily on design/look and frequently have substandard movements and its case may rust after 2 months like Adidas, Fossil etc. (Note: "substandard movement" is of course relative and subjective)

3 – Watches which are very clearly meant to be disposed off very quickly after the fads is over. (Eg. Swatch). But here some may say it is not fashion but affordable; many of us may confuse the two. A "fashion" brand is still capable of making an "affordable" watch (ie: solid quality, honest watch, fair price, won't fall apart after 3 months) and an "affordable" brand will sometimes release "fashion" watches (trendy stuff, crazy looks, sometimes "plated" cases etc.   

4 – Most of the times, a price point below luxury is a criterion and a fad at any one time. Certainly, Panerais, Rolexes, Tags, etc. have (at one time) been labeled as fashion watches on occasion, but IMO the majority of folks on this board would disagree with that sentiment. Maybe currently, it’s the Omega Planet Ocean is the fads among Omegans.

5 –  Jewelry or fashion accessory "watches" that emphasize aesthetics with minimal concern for timekeeping function or accuracy. Jewelry designers use the watch simply as a canvas for fine aesthetic exploration and actual timekeeping is a tertiary consideration. However, there are certain watch brands out there that actually cultivate the impression of quality timekeeping while being quite prolific in their design offerings. I believe some of the brands like LV, Cartier etc are in this category.
There are many fashion watches (mostly quartz) that should be excellent timekeepers. For example, Guess watches.  So it is not necessarily to classify them as poor when it comes to functionality.

6 -  Watches that are widely available in non-WIS establishments, such as being found at department stores in shopping malls like Parkson, Jusco (e.g. Fossil, Swatch,)

I am curious to know other members’s thoughts. Also any other definitions/criteria to add?
(Note : I do not have intenmtion to to build a consensus here, just exchanging ideas, thoughts and opinions among members here)

[Watchnewby]

Is fashion watches for yuppy, who has load of $$$ to spend?

IMHO, fashion watches adored by yuppies as well as "ordinary" chaps like you and me.
Not necessary must be expensive, some are fashionable but cheap.

[Watchnewby]

Very interesting opinion, zitan.

Returning to the earlier comments on $$$ for yuppies, I found that "affordable" (and available) comes into play frequently when people think of "fashion watches". I believe this is an important criteria with the term "fashion."

Perhaps affordable and available leads to seeing a particular watch/brand in the open more often making it a part of the fashion landscape. But my assumption is that the higher end (and less affordable and typically less available) brands are the ones spending the $$$ on R&D in terms of design and style.
For example, brand like Chopard is a very "fashionable" brand. A brand like Graham or Bremont obviously have a high level of focus on the look of their pieces. Yet, my guess is that one will be hard pressed to find people that consider brands like these as fashion watches.

At the under end of the scale, there are affordable brands that are frequently labeled as "fashion watches", but when I look at their line, IMHO, I found them to be unimpressive from a stylistic/fashinable viewpoint. (But of course this differs to individual opinion.)

I have thought it would be easy to define a fashion watch. Eg. a watch with a name on it more known for fashion (clothes, or whatever) than for watches. Hugo Boss or Nautica etc. Usually these watches have cheap quartz movements and the money was spent on design rather than materials. 100% of the time these are made by some other company that actually makes watches. Such as Timex making Nautica, Guess and Guess Collection.

But Gucci uses higher end materials and movements, while it still considered a fashion watch but made of good quality pieces for wear. Other examples, Cartier - famous for their high quality jewelery, handbags, pens, perfumes... as well as watches where they have a long list  history. Another brand, Chanel, famous for perfume, is a more recent newcomer to watch manufacture, but very much following in Cartier's footsteps.

[khanwooi]

as i read all,

my point of view, watches the most important part is the movement,
as movement is seperated to 2, which is Quartz and Mechanical.

in term of beauty we move to design, each brand have it own way of design of the watch,
our part is to pick which design attracted to us.
thay why i know every one here is not picking the watch is not because their friends own 1, then they get one. everyone own a watch must have thier own reason. some like the design, some like thier movement, some like the brand history, philosophy, the watch story behind and many more.

the price is always depand on the buyer affordability, no point u no $$ but u force ur self own a rolex,
is like buying a car. you wan cheap there is good cheap watch, you want expensive there is expensive good watch.

but not forget also, now a day there is exist another kind which is digital watch, we cannot assume it cannot fight with mechanical watch, now a day the digital watch is very powerful, even some consist of digital compas, thermormeter, borometer, altimeter. which giving you a 100% traveling everywhere and give you a direction, prediction and the watch life time is determine by solar.
this digital watches, some even can calculate the heart rate, racing, i think even thymeter, or telemeter, lap calculation, or even alarm. what they lack of is phone capabilities. i think it soon will coming out.

there is exist many categories of watch,
but at the end the watch is still a watch, design is the most important of all.
i beleive everyone before buying a watch, the first thing to do is, pick their favourite brand then look which modal suit them and they feel nice, or another way is, just find a watch which they feel nice and attracted to them.
unless the person is too many $$ and buying watch is like buying fast food. we put this kind of guy a way first.

due to my point of view, the watch is still depand on the design, that why, as your research, there is many watch is so call fashion watch, that why those other brand such as cloth brand, perfume brand they all sure capable to build thier own watch and sell.
is the buyer have to pick correctly, they can create their own watch is for sure because there is a demand.

[Watchnewby]

but not forget also, now a day there is exist another kind which is digital watch, we cannot assume it cannot fight with mechanical watch, now a day the digital watch is very powerful, even some consist of digital compas, thermormeter, borometer, altimeter. which giving you a 100% traveling everywhere and give you a direction, prediction and the watch life time is determine by solar.
this digital watches, some even can calculate the heart rate, racing, i think even thymeter, or telemeter, lap calculation, or even alarm. what they lack of is phone capabilities. i think it soon will coming out.

there is exist many categories of watch,
but at the end the watch is still a watch, design is the most important of all.
i beleive everyone before buying a watch, the first thing to do is, pick their favourite brand then look which modal suit them and they feel nice, or another way is, just find a watch which they feel nice and attracted to them.
unless the person is too many $$ and buying watch is like buying fast food. we put this kind of guy a way first.

due to my point of view, the watch is still depand on the design, that why, as your research, there is many watch is so call fashion watch, that why those other brand such as cloth brand, perfume brand they all sure capable to build thier own watch and sell.
is the buyer have to pick correctly, they can create their own watch is for sure because there is a demand.

Could not agreed more with your comments, khanwooi.
The phrase " ... the digital watch is very powerful, even some consist of digital compas, thermormeter, borometer, altimeter. which giving you a 100% traveling everywhere and give you a direction ..." reminds me of Suunto watches as well as G-shocks.

The part I may have a different opinion from yours is " ... i beleive everyone before buying a watch, the first thing to do is, pick their favourite brand then look which modal suit them and they feel nice, or another way is, just find a watch which they feel nice and attracted to them."
Some people will have in mind the type of watch they wanted (say a GMT or a chronograph or a diver etc) but not the brand. Once they decide they want a certain watch, then they will look for the list of brands that have them.

[khanwooi]

watchnewby,

yes i agree with you as well.

but beside suunto, have you encounter Protrek?
suunto for me is like new brand watch from Finland and the outlook too like girlish, hehe
i think protrek is more MEN!!! and like tough, but there is still other such as timex, recently i heard of garmin have watch as well, quiet similar like suunto.

[Watchnewby]

but beside suunto, have you encounter Protrek?
suunto for me is like new brand watch from Finland and the outlook too like girlish, hehe
i think protrek is more MEN!!! and like tough, but there is still other such as timex, recently i heard of garmin have watch as well, quiet similar like suunto.

Protrek is actually Casio Protrek.
Casio Protrek watches utilise Casio’s unique Triple Sensor system to accurately measure temperature, barometric pressure and direction. This collection includes several models with various permutations and combinations of solar, compass, barometer, thermometer, altimeter, world time, stopwatch and countdown timer.
Casio Pro-trek watches have this unique auto-luminescence feature where the back light goes on automatically when you turn the wrist towards you which is more than a definite plus.

Link : http://pathfinder.casio.com/protrek

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