Different type of watches
Based on style and functionality
Dress watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre - Reverso
Glashutte Original - PanoReserve
Characteristics:
- elegance
- rather thin (preferably < 12mm)
- case diameter preferably 38 to 40mm
- dial color: white, silver, black, dark blue, grey
- case in stainless steel, patina, white gold, rose gold, gold
- leather strap
Diver watches
Rolex - Submariner
Omega - Seamaster Diver 300m
Characteristics:
- water resistant to at least 100m depth, 10 bar pressure. Preferably 200m, 20bar or higher
- rather thick: 12 to 16 mm
- large case diameter often 41 to 44mm to favour easy readability under water
- Hands and hour markers with strong lumen
- Rotating bezel to indicate start time under water
- screw down crown
- pro models with a helium valve
- strap in rubber, silicone or metal
Pilot / Navigation watches
Breitling - Navitimer B01
IWC - Pilot Chrono
Characteristics:
- Large case and dial for high readability
- Chronometer
- Some with a circular slide rule for flight speed calculations
Race / Sport watch
Rolex - Daytona
TAG Heuer - Monaco
Panerai - Luminor
Tudor - Black Bay 58
Characteristics:
- Rugged construction using robust materials to withstand harsh environments
- Functional focus: priorities utility over aesthetics, designed for professional tasks like diving, field exploration etc
- High-contrast dials for legibility
- Luminous hands and markers for high visibility in low-light conditions
Field / Military watch
Hamilton - Khaki Field
Timex - MK1 Automatic
Characteristics:
- Utilitarian with basic functions (hr, min, sec)
- black dial, hands and hour markers with lumen for high visibility
Fashion watch
Studio Underd0g - Watermelon
Chanel - J12
Characteristics:
- aesthetics and design comes first
- At SMYW we only select those with real watch credibility among watch experts i.e. with brand heritage and qualitative movements and materials
GADA Watches (Go Anywhere Do Anything)
A versatile, durable watch designed as all-rounder "one watch" for all situations to be worn: at work in business meetings, outdoor (city, beach, pool, mountains).
Characteristics:
- balances style, comfort, robustness,
- decent water resistance: 100m, 10bar
- dial preferably in neutral colour: white, silver, black, blue, grey
- case material preferably in stainless steel or titanium
- case dimensions preferably between 38 and 40mm, but could stretch to 42mm
- scratch resistant sapphire crystal is important for durability
- low maintenance with no or little amount of complications
Examples: Rolex Explorer, Longines Conquest, Longines Spirit Zulu Time, Tudor Black Bay, Tudor Ranger M79950-0001
Homage Watches
Homage watches are (mostly legal) near-identical design copies of famous iconic watches, but with a different brand name
Characteristics:
- affordable access to classic aesthetics &/or test a specific design before buying the real iconic watch
- price range $20 to $500
- mostly produced in China and sold via Chinese online retailers such as Aliexpress & Temu
- quality varies strongly, but the more decent ones ($100 and higher) will have reliable industrial Japanese movements from Seiko (NH-35) or Miyota (8215) and finishing which can start to become OK
- credibility of these watches is relatively low ... they look very nice from a distance, but eventually some will spot and consider the wearer to be a wannabe
Brands: San Martin, Baltany, Steeldive, Pagani Design, Addiesdive
Cons: originality debate, brand dilution
Sanda (€ 17)
homage watch
Cartier Tank
icon watch
San Martin (€ 226)
homage watch
Tudor Black Bay Burgundy
icon watch
Example of some better known producers of watches as homage to Rolex Explorer, with indicative ratings :
Homage brand
Case
Crystal
Dial & lume
Bracelet
Price €
Movement
Total
San Martin
4.25 / 5
3.5 / 5
4 / 5
3.75 / 5
235
Automatic
China YN55
4.6 / 5
Baltany
4.25 / 5
3.75 / 5
3.5 / 5
3.75 / 5
265
Automatic
Japan
4.6 / 5
Cronos
4.75 / 5
4.25 / 5
4.25 / 5
4.5 / 5
255
Automatic
China PT5000
5 / 5
Addiesdive
3.5 / 5
4.25 / 5
3.75 / 5
3 / 5
120
Automatic
4 / 5
Pagani Design
3 / 5
3.75 / 5
3 / 5
1.5 / 5
104
Automatic
3 / 5
Replicas / Copies
Replicas are illegal fake copies of mostly expensive watches. Brands too often copied are Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, Cartier, ...
You should refrain from buying fake watches for below listed reasons:
- it's illegal and if caught at customs you face severe penalties
- if you can't afford the real stuff:
* people in your social network, most likely will know you can't afford it and will figure out any replica you wear is a fake watch .. which most often will not reflect well on you
* go for a less expensive original watch, there are plenty of better great options
- Quality greatly varies often resulting in watches stopping to function, losing screws ... only limited short term pleasure and quickly irritation and waste of your money
- no guarantee nor any servicing
New Old Stock (NOS)
In Switzerland on second hand online markets (e.g. Ricardo.ch ) you'll find New Old Stock watches. Often these watches have been assembled using old stock of never used components purchased by someone at a bargain price from a manufacturer who went bankrupt. These watches look new and nice but unfortunately tend to be of inferior quality. I ventured myself into purchasing a few at relatively low cost and more often ended up with a miss rather than a hit (crown lost after 1 day / or watch no longer running after a week).
Vintage
Vintage watches correspond to watches produced between 1920 and 1980
Pros: character, history, wear on the dial can add additional character
Cons: wear, service complexity
