On Watches

I've previously posted on watches, but that was years ago; I've grown up, and learned a lot. In that post I made some suggestions based mostly on aesthetics, and that's not all there is to it when you are buying a watch you'd like to have forever. For instance, in that post I mentioned a Ted Baker watch that I had at the time. I don't have that watch anymore. Because it was a piece of crap  with a 50% plastic movement and it stopped working. Considering I paid under $100 for it, I should've known better.

If you're new to the watch world (that is, nice watches), then the task of buying your first can be daunting. There are a million options, a million more terms, and tons of places looking to take your money with a watch that looks nice, but will fall apart in a year or two. So if you're new, that's OK. Don't be frightened: I'm here to help.

• Spend at least $500

Anything less and you're probably dealing with either a fake or a low-quality watch. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but it's a good rule of thumb for someone just starting out.

• Buy from a watchmaking brand

Avoid fashion houses that also have a watch line like Diesel, Burberry, or Michael Kors. Most of them outsource and you'll end up paying for the brand name instead of for a quality timepiece. Look for brands that make their money from making watches: Hamilton, Longines, Frederique Constant, Tissot, Raymond Weil and others will serve you well.

• Aim for versatility and simplicity

Since it's your first quality watch, don't buy some massive showpiece. You're aiming for a watch you can wear almost every day with whatever you have on, so buy something with a steel band or simple brown or black leather strap (depending on the tones in your wardrobe.)

• Avoid Quartz

While there are certainly some nice watches out their with Quartz movements, it's hard to know which ones they are and as such, best to avoid them. They will keep time fine, but the quality just isn't there. Look for a watch with an automatic or mechanical movement, and if you can, make it Swiss.  

After you hit those points, it falls down to taste. I like a simple, elegant watch, like the Frederique Constant Slimline pictured above. But that may not be your jam.

If you think you're ready to finally have a nice watch that you can be proud of, head over to Jomashop. They have a huge selection of amazing timepieces in for every budget and taste.

ProTip: Fossil does not make quality timepieces. Even their newer Swiss Made line, while serviceable, is dubious.