REEBONZ ETC: Watches Intro

REEBONZ ETC

The Reebonz Story

So You Want To Start A Luxury Watch Collection?

Written by: Andre Frois

The watch you seek to acquire has to suit your personality. If you do not enjoy being the centre of attention, opt for subtly elegant timepieces. Gleaming 18k goldwatches, bezels paved with diamonds or outlandish skeletons with unusual dials might not be your cup of tea. If you engage in vigoroussports or perhaps lead a raging party lifestyle, then investing in a fragile five-figure watch is definitely a bad idea.

Most people who are drawn to watches either:
a) see the value of watches as status symbols,
b) enjoy the look of particular watches, or
c) get their thrill from understanding the intricate mechanics within a high-accuracy time-teller.

The capabilities of watches are numerous and span from warning an intrepid outdoorsman of impending bad weather and pressure drops, to helping the ardent sportsman track remaining time of a football game.

Chronographs. Traditional stopwatches that facilitate the calibration of finite durations of time.

GMT. Simultaneously tell the time of two different time zones using a rotatable bezel with more than one dial.

 Power Reserve. Indicates how long automatic movement watches can continue to operate, or the time left till its next winding on manual-winding watches.

 Diver’s. Boasts water resistance to very impressive depths.

Early watches, before the quartz timekeeping technology was introduced, are called mechanical watches. They remain the most prized type of watches in the industry due to the meticulous and traditional techniques used to fashion and assemble each part. These minute feats of engineering are diverse and require ultimate precision and patience.

Mechanical watches with power reserves are either manual-winding or automatic-winding.

Manual-winding watches have to be physically wound via their crown to endow them with the potential energy to operate, while automatic watches are equipped with rotors that swivel as the wrist moves, storing potential energy and are thus automatic-winding.

The rotor in automatic watches is often made of a precious metal like gold and its surface is used to display the craftsmanship of the watchmaker. The larger surfaces of a watch’s many tiny parts, such as the dial, are preferred for displaying an atelier’s flair for engraving or enamelling.

While some labels rely greatly on automated production, many still incorporate numerous handcrafted techniques into assembling a watch. The rotor and dial may be polished or have a special finish applied to them by hand. Markers or numbers on the dial, along with its hands, are sometimes luminescent for greater legibility in the dark or under water. Numbers are usually either Roman or Arabic, the latter being the more commonly used system.

The bezel is often furnished with precious stones or used to track world time, and is part of the case. The case may be made of valuable materials like yellow gold, rose gold, platinum, titanium, stainless steel or specially engineered ceramic, which are generally durable, non-allergenic and resistant to corrosion and scratching. The bracelet and the buckle, if the watch employs a leather strap, are usually made from the same material as the case. The back of the watch is called the caseback, which is sometimes made of transparent sapphire crystal to allow the enthusiast to admire the watch’s mechanics, known as its ‘movement’ or ‘calibre’. Sometimes the caseback sports an opaque medallion that might shield the movement from the harmful effects of magnetism.

Thinking of starting your own luxury watch collection? Find numerous brand new and pre-owned watches that are expected to climb in value, or even trade in your luxury watch at a good rate on Reebonz now.