Four Types of Watches that Everyone needs to Know About

If you thought that watches are all about chronographs and non-chronographs, then you cannot be farthest from the truth. In fact, there are more types of watches than you probably think or know about. Thus, buying a watch is not all about brands and manufacturers. It is also about the features and functionality that separate one type of watch from other. So, without further ado, let’s take a look today at the four main types of watches that everyone should know about, and you can decide for yourself regarding the kind of watch that you want.

Dress Watches

The sole function of the dress watch is to compliment a business suit or formal wear. Dress watches aren’t even that concerned with accurate timekeeping, as many don’t even have second hands. So what are the important features to look for then? Put simply, simplicity. Practically speaking, a dress watch like Rolex Cellini should be properly proportioned to the wearer’s wrist.

Otherwise, it will draw attention to itself; the one thing a dress watch should never do. Since it is worn with a suit, a dress watch must be thin enough to slip in and out of a dress shirt cuff easily. The standard rules of matching metals and leathers with shoes and belts apply as well.

Field Watches

Field watches must be rugged. Traditionally, a good field watch would have a stainless steel case though modern versions may feature PVD coatings or titanium construction. A field watch must be readable, even under low-light or night conditions.

As such, it will have a high-contrast black dial with white numbering. The polished gold hour markers that are common on more formal watches can be slow to read in the field and can create undesirable glare under sunlight.

Aviator Watches

There isn’t any one style that defines an aviator watch. In keeping with the forward-thinking nature of the aviation industry, the type has grown and developed as new technology and new requirements have emerged.

The earliest watches worn by pilots were re-purposed field watches. They had to be accurate, of course, and they had to be readable under low-light conditions. As the field watches were good enough but not great, the air forces started coming up with special watches having aviation functions.

Dive Watches

The dive watch is one of the most prolific styles of men’s watches. Divers have always looked for superior timepieces so that they can keep track of time even when they are hundreds of feet under water.

The diver watches come with superb water resistance besides being highly accurate. The band and case materials are highly corrosion resistant due to use of materials like rubber, silicone, titanium, and stainless steel.

So, these are the four types of watches that everyone needs to know about. Now that you have a brief idea about them, it will definitely help you in making the right choice when you buy your next watch.

Thanks to Alecia Haven