Posts Tagged ‘mens bulova watch’

Which watches are scratch resistant?

The cover of a wrist watch’s face, known as the crystal, is designed to protect the dial. There are three main types of crystal found in wrist watches: acrylic, mineral and sapphire.

Acrylic crystal is an inexpensive plastic that does not prevent scratches, but allows scratches to be buffed out.

Mineral crystal is glass, which is composed of several elements that aid in resisting scratches (it is seven times harder than acrylic crystal). It is generally found on more expensive watches.

Sapphire crystal is the cover of choice for premium watches. It is the most expensive type of crystal and is three times harder than mineral crystal. It is made of an extremely durable synthetic material that makes it shatterproof and scratch resistant (not scratchproof). Some have a non-reflective film to prevent glare.

Men’s Wristwatch

Shop men's luxury watches at Overstock.com

What is the legal definition of a Swiss watch?

Men’s wristwatches, like Champagne, Bordeaux or Port, have stringent standards (based on location or quality) that must be met before carrying a particular designation. The Swiss have several organizations to ensure the integrity and reputation of Swiss watchmakers. The accepted standard for what constitutes a Swiss-made watch is a Swiss movement, set into its case in Switzerland, by a manufacturer of Swiss origin.

A Swiss movement is defined as a movement that was assembled in Switzerland (by a Swiss-based manufacturer), and whose Swiss movement parts constitute 50% or more of a movement’s total value. Movements that meet this requirement will carry a stamp (on the watch’s face or back of the case) with the words “Swiss,” “Swiss Made,” “Swiss Quartz,” “Suisse,” “Produit Suisse” or “Fabrique en Suisse.” The former three are the most popular in North America.

If your wristwatch says “Swiss Movement,” it means that the inside parts of the watch are Swiss, but that the case is not, therefore it cannot carry the other stamps. If the case is Swiss, but the movement is not, it will say “Swiss Case.”

Some other tidbits: If your watch has a “T” on its face, it means it has tritium , the greenish-white substance on the hands and numbers that glows in the dark. If the face has the letter “O,” it means that the hourly markings on the dial are made of gold.

Men’s wristwatch

Are serial numbers important?

Most premium men’s wristwatches (and all luxury watches) have a serial number. A very important component, it identifies your watch and is one way of ensuring that your purchase is legitimate. All authorized dealers of premium watches have access to a database from their respective watch manufacturers, listing all the serial numbers of all their watches. If you spend a good amount of money on a timepiece, you should make sure that your watch is the real deal by contacting the manufacturer or visiting an authorized shop that can look up the serial number of any potential purchase.

Men’s wristwatch

What do “chronometer” and “chronograph” mean?

Chronometer is a designation given to a watch that has the highest standard of precision. The designation is given to automatic and mechanical movement watches, not those that run with quartz movement. A watch carrying the chronometer certification has passed vigorous tests demanded by the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (COSC).

A chronometer’s mechanical movement is close to perfection, so the time it displays is almost always accurate (unlike other self-winding or automatic watches), and therefore carries a premium price over non-chronometer watches. The 15 days of rigorous tests conducted by the COSC include testing its performance under different temperatures, different positions, and even under water.

A chronograph designation is often confused with a chronometer one, though they are completely different. A chronograph is basically a watch with stopwatch capabilities. It displays different counters or mechanisms for measuring elapsed time. Counters can register seconds, minutes and hours. This gives its owner the ability to time anything he wants.

Click here to search Men’s Wristwatch for the lastest chronograph watches

Is a Rolex worth the high price?

There are two possible answers to this question, and Men’s Wristwach still hasn’t figured out which one is right. Why do some people automatically say “no”? Because the Rolex corporation artificially inflates the price of its watches by limiting the yearly supply of some of its collections (the Daytona is notorious for being near impossible to find), leading to scarcity in the market. It is a strategy similar to the one employed by De Beers, the world’s largest diamond retailer, which limits the supply of diamonds on the market to keep prices high (even if De Beers has plenty stored in its safes).

Rolex also meticulously (and some say dictatorially) controls its authorized dealer system to make sure that all watches are sold at its suggested retail price. Any dealer that sells a Rolex at a discount is subject to having his dealer status revoked. So since it is nearly impossible to get a new real Rolex at a discount, you will always pay a premium for the name (thanks to smart marketing by Rolex execs) and not necessarily for the craftsmanship (though it is still very high). That is why many watch experts say that, for the cost of a Rolex, you can get a higher caliber mechanical watch from a different company.

On the other hand, some firmly believe that a Rolex is worth the price because it is still a premium watch made with the highest level of craftsmanship. The artificially inflated prices also help Rolexes maintain their extremely high resale value. And, of course, you can’t underestimate the cachet value of a Rolex. The status and prestige it projects can, in certain people’s eyes, justify its exorbitant price. More than any other regularly produced watch, owning a Rolex is an investment and a status symbol, more than it is a teller of time. If you want to buy a watch purely on its mechanical merits, nothing beats a Piaget or a Jaeger.

Source: askmen.com      men’s wristwatch

MEN’S BULOVA MARINE STAR

With styles for every lifestyle demand, the Bulova brand features dress, career, casual and sport wrist watches for men, including high-performance Marine Star® sport watches, precision chronographs and 14-karat gold watches for men. Many Bulova men’s wristwatches offer water resistance from 30 meters to 200 meters (100 feet to 660 feet), stainless steel cases and bracelets, scratch-resistant mineral crystals and genuine leather straps. Diamond watches feature hand-set diamonds, while crystal styles use only genuine Swarovski® crystals.

Time For a New Wristwatch?

You might think you don’t need one, but the right timepiece can make a statement.

What is it that makes men choose a wristwatch? Is it the desire to be on time? Or is it about making a style statement?

What is it for you? A more mature individual still uses it specifically to tell time, but the younger generation uses it more as a fashion accessory.

Although cell phones and PDAs might make watches seem antiquated, the mechanisms in men’s wristwatches these days are lasting relics of human ingenuity.

Today, men have choices. There are classic designs with simple, no-frills dials and hyper-modern designs with multiple features. There are watches for everyday wear, sporty watches designed to withstand the elements and luxury watches made of precious metals and encrusted with jewels. And although some sought-after brands can run for thousands of dollars, you don’t have to break the bank to own something beautiful and long-lasting.

When searching for a new wristwatch, look for a strong glass covering. Sapphire crystals are the hardest crystals available, and they’re more scratch- and break-resistant than others.

You also want to consider the movement. Mechanical movement tends to be more precise, but it’s also more expensive. Rolex and Cartier are known for their mechanical movement watches.

Quartz movement is battery-operated. Seiko and Citizen make reliable quartz movement watches and Bulova is known for reliability and bold design.

The material used also is important. Surgical stainless steel will not rust and pit like base metals. Although gold plating can flake and peel, a method known as ion fusing is a way to chemically bond metals to prevent this problem.

Finally, consider how the watch will fit into your lifestyle. If you’re a suit-and-tie man, look for something more formal. If you enjoy sports and outdoor activities, durability is important. But no matter what, you should like the way it looks.

After all, you’re going to be looking at it.

Source: “The Watch” by Gene Stone men’s wristwatch.com

Understanding Common Watch Types

Before you decide which watch to get, it is helpful to understand some of the common types of watches available here at Men’s Wristwatches.

All watches can be separated very broadly into two categories: mechanical watches and quartz watches.

Mechanical Watches

Mechanical watches include both automatic-wind and manual-wind. They consist of parts with no electronic components.  Energy is stored in the mainspring and is slowly released through the gear trains.  The energy is eventually transmitted to the escapement mechanism responsible for time regulation.

Automatic Watches

This type of watch is wound by the wrist movement of the wearer.  An automatic watch is self winding and does not require a battery.  It’s important to note that automatic watches will stop if not worn for an extended period of time (some as little as a couple days).

Manual Watches

These watches are similar in the sense that they don’t need a battery.  However the wearer must wind it manually.  A Mechanical watch is generally the most expensive of the three because it consists of many more parts and requires more time and expertise to assemble.

Quartz Watches

This type of watch is powered by a  battery and does not require manual winding.  They get their name from the quartz crystal in the watch.  The energy from a small battery in the watch causes the quartz crystal to vibrate.  A small computer chip then translates the vibrations into pulses, that drive a stepping motor, and causes the gears to move and make the hands turn.

Chronograph Watches

Chronographs have a built in stop watch function.  The watches generally have 2-3 sub dials displaying the minute, hour, and seconds.  Although most people don’t use the chronograph features, in some cases these watches look more stylish and sophisticated.  And that’s what we want here at Men’s Wristwatch!