Automatic watches are those which are self-wound, the mainspring of the watch are automatically wounded by the natural movements of the wearer; hence there is no need of manual winding. When it was first invented, it was into the pockets of the gentlemen they went into, as pocket watches and were manual timed. Over the course of the 1st world war, soldiers found automatic watches to be indispensible while fighting back to back in the trenches and back home, all the young guys wanted to emulate their heroes and so it came into fashion.
Things to Know Before You Buy Automatic Watch for Your Partner As A Gift
Nowadays, you’ll find that watches are overlooked and not given as much importance as they were before due to the proliferation of all the electronic gadgets of which the smartphones are the guiltiest lot. But to the discerning gentleman, an automatic watch is a much prized possession and I have seen people go batty and blow it if they happen to misplace their wristwatch. A good automatic watch is so many things rolled into one, a sign of your status in the community, an investment if its resalable and a legacy as well if you choose to pass it down the family tree.
If you’re on the lookout for a good timepiece for the wrist of your man, here are a few things you should consider before spending a wad of money;
- The weight of the watch: This might sound silly, but it is a good indicator of the reliability of the watch as experience dictates. Basically, when you take up the watch in your hands, it should have a good feel of solidity. This is because the parts of the watch are innumerable and added together, they should be a bit hefty. You’re looking for a REAL watch, not a toy.
- The hands and sweep: If you’ve been listening to the right people, you would have heard the talk about “the sweep”, which is the fashion in which the hands of the clock move. You can narrow it down to the seconds’ hand, and can tell if it’s a good watch or not by carefully listening for any ticks it makes while revolving on its axis. To tell you the truth, all watches do tick, but top quality ones tick at so fast a rate that the result is a near flawless sweep. This tiny bit of attention to detail might save you hundreds of dollars.
- The maker: Your partner will always appreciate it if you gift him a watch from a premium maker like a Rolex. He’ll be literally over the moon and totally taken aback at this wonderful gesture, especially if he had been talking about getting one for himself. So please do take a bit of time to do your research on the good brands there which suit your pocket and are great to look at too.
- Swiss brands: With rampant counterfeiting and confusing marketing, the buyer tends to get confused while getting a watch for a loved one. I would suggest they only try those which have “Swiss made” written on them, as these are the only ones which meet Switzerland’s exact and demanding standards to ensure a watch for a lifetime.
- Your partner’s style: This, at the end of the day, will settle any arguments. You are the one who knows your partner the best. If he’s more into formalwear than casuals, then a polka dotted watchband won’t go down well with him. A safe bet is a watch which has a plain black dial and steel case. Its elegant and simple at the same time. Also keep in mind the size of your partner’s wrist, the watch should be proportionate and not look too large or small.
