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Watch features: Chronographs

The chronograph is one of watchmaking's most recognized complications, but it is often misunderstood. With several hands whizzing around the main dial and a collection of sub-dials (normally two or three) it can be easy to get confused. Additionally, it is not uncommon for the bezel to be printed wi...

Watch Bands: Types of Bands

As well as rubber/leather/fabric straps, there are also metal bracelets to consider. Bracelets can be made from precious metals and even be set with precious stones. Good, integrated bracelet designs are often as famous as iconic watch references themselves. Even if your watch does not come with a m...

Watch Bands: Band Materials

While a watch strap or bracelet serves a practical purpose to affix a watch head to your wrist, it is also integral to the design and has the ability to completely transform the appearance of the watch. Watchbands come in many different styles and materials. Here we will run through the latter, alth...

Watch Features: Altimeter

Occasionally in life, knowing how high you are above sea level is very important. But finding an analog altimeter on a mechanical watch is a pretty rare thing. They do, however, exist. Part of the problem of installing relatively old technology into a wristwatch comes down to miniaturization. Modern...

Introduction to Watch Types: Analog Vs Digital

Broadly speaking, there are two types of wristwatch displays: analog and digital. This display can be referred to as the dial or the face, but in either case it is the part of the watch that displays the time. The dial can come in many different shapes and sizes. Dials are often bold colors to impr...

Watch Styles: Casual Watches

Perhaps the best place to start in the discussion of what makes a watch "casual" is the case material. Stainless steel (normally 316L, which is a surgical-grade, hypoallergenic steel) is by far and away the most common material used for casual watches. It is increasingly common to see this steel pla...

Watch Features: Jumping Hours/Minutes/Seconds

One of the first things you associate with a mechanical watch is the smooth sweep of the seconds hand. In fact, many people would assume that the easiest way to tell the difference between a quartz watch and a mechanical watch is whether the hands "sweep" or "step". Regrettably, for fans of neat def...

Watch Features: Tourbillon

You don't have to spend long around the watchmaking industry to hear about the tourbillon complication. But despite it frequently popping up in the conversation, its meaning is very rarely explained. So what is a tourbillon? A tourbillon (theoretically) eliminates gravitational poise error, which sh...

Watch Styles: Pilot's Watches

It is almost certain that you have seen a Pilot's watch in your life before. These large, clean and clear timepieces are popular for their straightforward design and a high degree of legibility. One of the most appealing things about Pilot's watches is that they are clearly built for purpose. They ...

Watch Styles: Military Watches

Military watches were born out of an essential need - survival. Exactly when wristwatches first started being worn in combat situations is very unclear. Some say that the German Imperial Navy wore timepieces made by Girard-Perregaux as early as 1880. Others believe that British soldiers during the Boer war (1889-1902) or that the Japanese personnel involved in the Sino-Japanese war (1894-1895) were the first to don wristwatches.

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