Designer Men’s Watches

Whether you are an avid watch wearer or you are finally coming around to the idea of adding a designer men’s watch to your wardrobe, there are a few different styles and movements that you can choose from. This guide is intended to cover the basics of everything you’ve ever needed to know about men’s watches prior to making a purchase.

Watch Movements

One of the first decisions that will need to be made prior to purchasing a watch is to determine the movement of the watch. The movement refers to the sweeping of the watch’s hands around its face, and the inner mechanisms that power the hands to move and keep time. Essentially, the movement of a watch is the “heart” of a watch. There are three different types of watch movements: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.

Mechanical

Mechanical watches are powered by a mainspring within the watch that is wound by hand, generally every 24 hours. When the spring is wound up tight, it slowly unwinds, which, in turn, causes the second hand to move around the face in a sweeping motion.

Not every mechanical movement is created equal. To ensure that a mechanical watch is as accurate as possible, and to make sure that the smoothness and accuracy of the watch is perfect, attention to details and craftsmanship is a must. Watch enthusiasts will sometimes argue that the mechanical movement watches are the crème de la crème, due to their historic lineage and intricacy in manufacturing. For those who are looking for a watch that will do more than just tell time, a mechanical watch is the choice to go with. They are a great way to express appreciation for history, refinement, and craftsmanship. 

Automatic

Similar to that of mechanical watches, automatic watches have to be wound up in order to keep time. However, there is no spring that needs to be hand-wound to keep the watch ticking. Instead, the watch is wound throughout the day, through the movement of your arm during the course of your daily activities. This is the reason why these watches are also referred to as “self-winding” watches.

There is a small weight that is found inside of the watch, called a “rotor”, that moves around as the wrist moves. The rotor is attached to the mainspring, which winds as the rotor moves around. For those who are worried about over-winding their watch due to excessive movement throughout the day, automatic watches have a slipping clutch that prevents the watch from being over-wound.

If you don’t intend to wear your watch every day, it is advised to store your automatic watch in a watch winder in order for the watch to keep the correct time. Watch winders move the watch in a circular motion white it is stored. If you do not wear your watch for a few days and don’t store it in a watch winder, the power will run down, and you’ll have to reset the time when you decide to wear your watch again.

Quartz

The most common watch movement available is the quartz, because it is very accurate and affordable. Instead of relying on a spring to be wound to keep time, quartz watches use a small battery that sends electricity through a small quartz crystal. The crystal then vibrates, sending a pulse to power the second hand. It is the pulse from the quartz that creates the famous “tick, tick, tick” movement that is associated with watches. This also means that quartz watches are not as smooth as mechanical or automatic watches.

Because quartz watches rely on electricity to power the second hand, there are fewer moving parts, which allows for the quartz watch to be more accurate and durable than other types of watches.

Men’s Watch Styles

There are various styles available when it comes to selecting men’s watches. For the purpose of this guide, we will focus on five styles that will assist you in dressing up an outfit, while looking great in a suit or at the office. The five styles that we will go over are: dress, diver, racing, field, and aviator.

• Dress watch: As the name implies, the dress watch is intended to help dress up an outfit. This watch style looks great with a suit at the office, or a more casual look of jeans and a t-shirt. No matter where you are going, this is a great watch that adds a little sophistication to any outfit or occasion.
• Diver watch: The diver watch is the most popular watch style worn by men. This is, in part, thanks to James Bond, who sported one diver watch or another during his missions. As the name suggests, the diver watch was designed and originally intended for those who spend a majority of their time in or near water. The biggest selling point for diver watches is that they are water-resistant.
• Racing watch: Similar to that of the diver watch, the racing watch was first designed for racecar drivers who needed an accurate timekeeping measure to determine the outcome of a race. The first racing watch was created by Rolex, who outfitted some of the top drivers with the famous Oyster watch in the 1930s. Later, other watch makers worked to perfect the craft of making racing watches by including a chronograph and tachymeter—two of the defining features of a racing watch.
• Field watch: The field watch is a direct descendant of the WWII trench watch that was designed for officers. Today’s field watches continue to exude a military vibe by being rugged, functional, and stylish all at the same time.
• Aviator watch: Ever since the beginning of aviation, watches have been a part of flying. One of the first specific men’s watches ever made was for a pilot friend of Louis Cartier in 1904. Since then, watchmakers have built off of the original design to make timekeeping easy for pilots taking off.

Whether you are looking for a classic designer men’s watch or one that looks a little more masculine, Egard Watches has a wide selection to choose from. Egard specializes in creating beautiful timepieces that can withstand the test of time, regardless of movement or style. View our vast selection today, and find your next watch!