You may be wondering whether the watch you are paying for is worth your dollars or if you are just wasting your money. Your wristwatch is something that speaks for your personal style and every watch lover has a different taste. However, there are several signs of quality and workmanship which make a watch be declared as a good quality watch in general regardless of the brand, style, or price tag. Generally, luxury brands strive hard to fulfill all the quality standards and make the watch worth buying. There are more affordable brands that offer a superior quality on the market too and with the help of this article, you might be able to find a great gem when it comes to money/value.
We can already declare: the seagull 1963 watches in our collection have all these features and definitely are a bang for your buck when it comes to price/quality.
We will be sharing some quality features of a high-quality watch and how to identify whether or not you’re getting a bang for your buck. The most googled question these days is how to buy a good quality watch at affordable prices? So, in this article, a complete buying guide is provided if you are looking for a high-quality watch at a reasonable price.
Read on to find out what suits you the most!
1. Watch Material:
Watch material is the first sign to identify the high-quality of the watch. Most of the average-quality watches are made of stainless steel. Sometimes manufacturers use hollow steel instead of solid stainless steel, which largely affects the quality of the watch. Usually, the weight of the watch can give it away easily whether or not they’ve used hollow steel instead of solid. Always try to make sure you’re buying a watch made up of solid steel. Solid stainless steel is not likely to get affected by moisture or water and it will be much harder to break.
Most luxury watches are made up of precious metals such as silver, Gold, Titanium, etc. Some would argue that these materials are even better to create a high-quality watch, but needless to say, they are very expensive. So, if you want to buy a high-quality watch at affordable rates, stainless steel watches are the best choice for you. Moreover, if you are buying a Rose Gold, Silver, Gold, or Black colored watch, always make sure that it has a PVD coating to protect the color of the watch. The PVD coating protects your watch from the deposition of vapors and hence keeps your watch in a healthy condition for a much longer time.
Furthermore, it is always recommended to buy a watch made with 316L stainless steel because it is highly pure and of commendable quality. These quality features are not often marked on the watch that you are purchasing so always check it with the seller in order to be sure.
2. Watch Movement:
It is always said that a high-quality watch is mostly equipped with a certified mechanical movement or in most cases: an automatic movement. Mechanical watch movements are used in most expensive watches. They usually are expensive but are highly durable, of excellent quality, and run very smoothly.
3. Watch Water Resistance:
A moisture-resistant feature of a watch is one of the signs for identifying a good quality watch. It is said that nothing is more damaging for mechanical and electronic gadgets than water or moisture. Mostly 10 ATM water resistance is analogous with a high-quality watch. Every watch manufacturer has a priority list while manufacturing quality watches and waterproofing tops the list.
Water resistance has also varied degrees such as a 10 ATM water-resistant watch means that it is capable of withstanding extreme moisture contact or 10 bar pressures. Therefore, it is suitable for swimming or diving. A 5 ATM water-resistant watch can be worn during a shower and a 3 ATM water-resistant watch is only suitable for washing hands. This shows that at least a watch must be 3 ATM water-resistant. Water-resistance ratings are often mentioned on the back of your watch.
Some good watches have a leather strap. You must be very careful with leather strap watches as they are not waterproof. Therefore, it is always advised to not wear your leather strap watches while having contact with water as there are chances of the destruction of your strap (your watch should be fine if it’s water-resistant of course).
4. Watch Finish:
One more thing that distinguishes a high-quality watch from an ordinary watch is its marvelous finish and an eye for detail. The appearances are of great importance: are things all straight and aligned? You always look for a watch that has a spotless, shiny, and glossy surface. The little details of the elegant watch make it attractive and stunning. A good quality watch is a symbol of excellent craftsmanship. So, there is no harm in saying that a good quality watch needs to at least look good too.
5. Watch Brand:
This is a controversial topic to touch on. It is often recommended to buy a watch from a renowned and known brand. It will hold its value a lot better compared to lesser-known or new brands. Therefore, it is not bad to be brand conscious. Moreover, top-quality watch brands will have their reputation at stake: often there’s extremely professional after-sales & customer support.
Quality Checklist:
Here is a checklist of some quality features that a watch must possess in order to be entitled as a high-quality watch regardless of the dollar figures mentioned on it:
- A waterproof and moisture-resistant watch
- Mechanical or automatic movement
- An eye for details & finish
- The material used must be 316L stainless steel
- PVD coating if precious metal such as Titanium or Gold is used.
- The brand name of the watch to ensure high quality or the existence of a company to provide spare parts or repair if needed.
Some extra features can also be considered while making a decision to purchase a high-quality watch.
- 10 ATM or 20 ATM water resistance, a 3 ATM at least!
- Crown protector.
- Arabic numerals on the dial.
- Quartz movement with EOL function.
So, this is a complete guide for purchasing a high-quality watch. Needless to say, it all depends on your budget, the focus here was to arm you with a checklist in order to find a good price/value deal. Hope it helps some of you watch enthusiasts out! Looking for a great bang for your buck? We absolutely think the Seagull 1963 models are a no-brainer when you’re looking for good price/quality deals. Check them out here