ROLEX
Makes probably the best mass produced watch in the world so dont expect much hand finishing. The movement is as rugged, reliable and accurate as anything out there (except quartz), and despite a few rough edges the case, dial and hands are pretty good. Shame about the bracelets.
And no, they dont really take a year to make.
IWC
Yes they are worth it.
SIZE
Is this watch too big/small for my 8/5 wrist?
No.
RESALE VALUE
Buy LNIB and chill.
COLOUR
(I speak English, OK?)
Your watch looks absolutely fabulous with that particular combination of dial/strap colours really.
WHICH DIVERS WATCH?
For diving, a dive computer or G Shock. For everything else, buy whatever rocks your boat baby, but Seiko is probably the best buy.
WHICH WATCH?
Whichever one you really, really want. Do you need us to tell you which one that is?
ETA
Most ETA movements were someones in-house movement once. Now theyre not, but it doesnt make them any the worse for that.
IN-HOUSE MOVEMENTS
An in-house may not be any more accurate, robust and reliable than an ebauche and it may be worse. You trade off exclusivity against a higher initial price, generally more limited supply of spare parts and more expensive servicing. Your choice.
QUARTZ
The type of movement that all rational people would chose for a watch.
DEPLOYMENT/DEPLOYANT
Same thing, different language.
DEPLOYMENT CLASP/TANG BUCKLE
Deployment clasp may be more comfortable than a buckle, but it aint necessarily so. Try it and see. Straps tend to last longer on a deployment buckle, which is a shame if you want to justify spending $XX on the latest strap.
BUYING STRAPS
Why are European made straps cheaper in the US than in Europe, and where can you buy them on the net in the EU? No idea but suggestions would be welcome
BEATER
This is the watch you wear when you are doing things that you shouldnt wear a watch while doing (if you see what I mean). The best beater is the watch that you really dont like and would prefer to replace, but isnt worth anything if you sell it. I have an awful plastic Stocker&Yale which I just cant break.
SEIKO
Why would anyone buy any other divers watch? But Im as guilty as any
GRAND SEIKO
They bought Jean Lassale a few years ago in an unsuccessful attempt to move upmarket with an established name, now theyre trying it with their own name. Would you buy a Rolls Royce with a Grand Ford badge on it?
OMEGA
Spookily, one of the best bargains in the watch world due to their consistent history of getting it wrong. Probably the best buy for mass produced mechanicals at the moment, but showing signs of getting it wrong again by pushing their market position and prices upwards.
CHRONOGRAPH
A very useful complication which attracts a number of posts suggesting what you can do with a chronograph to make it useful. If its so useful, why the posts? Hmmmm And dont leave it running all the time otherwise the friction will cause it to heat up and burn your wrist.
MODULAR/LEVER/CROWN OR CASTLE WHEEL CHRONOGRAPH
One of these is definitely better.
COMPLICATIONS
The mechanisms which watches use to tell you things when you know the time already. If the watch stops it can take a long time to set the complications correctly, and if you don't do it right, you might just wreck your watch. Still want that perp?
LANGE&SOHNE
Make superb watches which just might not be as well engineered as a Patek.
WHICH CAR GOES WITH WHICH WATCH?
Your car goes with your watch, strangely enough.
LIMES
If Germans wanted to use the boughs of a lime tree as their logo, why didnt they call it Linden? Ill stick with the usual pronunciation of Limes, thanks.
VINTAGE
The cheapest way of owning a top quality watch, but somehow it takes some kind of mental leap to wear one every day. Im getting there
LUMINOSITY
Why on earth would anyone want a highly luminous military watch? Makes a great aiming mark. Ive always assumed the point was to read the time, not read a book by the light of a watch dial.
TRITIUM/LUMINOVA/SUPERLUMINOVA
The tritium on my IWC c8521 from 1954 still glows in the dark, and when I open the safe in the dark, I can read the Luminova on the dial of an Omega Dynamic which has been in a blackout for a week. I wonder whether Luminova will still light up in 48 years time.
LUMINOUS DIAL MARKS
The Rolex Sub dial with the combination of triangle, baguette and dot markers represents the best design I have seen.
ACCURACY
If youre not happy with it, have it serviced, but dont expect quartz accuracy from a mechanical movement.
ACCURACY AND REGULATION
A watch which loses precisely 3 seconds every day is as accurate as a watch which is spot-on every day its just not as well regulated.
LOGOS
A few pet hates the AP combo doesnt work for me, or the JB on Blancpain 2100s. LUC on the seconds hand is a no-no, as is the GG for Glashuette and the Breitling B. I dont like the Nardin anchor. IMHO the original International Watch Co script looks much better than the block letters, but the script implementation on the GSTs just doesnt work for me.
Some logos do work the Rolex crown, VCs Maltese cross, the Calatrava cross and of course the Omega symbol. Longines wing and the JLC logo work too. Notice the similarity? Theyre all left/right symmetrical, and none of them are attached to anything spinning round the dial.
WRITING ON THE DIAL
As little as possible is preferable just check out Patek.
DIAMONDS/GEMS ON THE DIAL
No.
DATE WINDOW
Why has no-one ever commented that this is usually at 3 because most of us wear our watches on the left wrist under long sleeves and therefore see only half the dial? The date at 3 is the easiest place to see it.
TOP TEN WATCHMAKERS
The usual suspects minus any Japanese and one you have taken an irrational dislike to, plus whoever made the shiny thing on your wrist right now.
THE ONE WATCH
The holy grail of WISdom. It has to be robust enough for everyday wear and waterproof to at least 100m, dressy enough for a dinner suit (tux to our US cousins) but casual enough for jeans, it needs a bracelet for days when it's just too hot, but a leather strap for a more formal look, it needs both a black and a white dial and it needs to be both gold and steel. And no, it doesn't exist.
Could we wear only one suit of clothes all the time? No? So why are we surprised that we need more than one watch?