Astronauts, military pilots, elite police, race car drivers, divers and underwater bomb-disposal experts all count on Bell & Ross watches to go the distance despite violent accelerations, dramatic temperature swings, high pressure and other extreme conditions so they can get the job done.

From Cockpits to Wristwatches
Founded in 1992 by childhood friends Bruno Belamich and Carlos A. Rosillo, Bell & Ross is a youngster among the Swiss watchmakers. But their bold, utilitarian timepieces immediately made a mark with aerospace and military professionals. Two years later, they began selling to the public.

The first watches were crafted by Sinn, a German manufacturer of dashboard instruments. In fact, the first Bell & Ross model (Space 1) was actually a re-issue of Sinn 142—the first automatic chronometer used in space, worn by German astronaut Reinhart Furrer on the 1983 Spacelab mission.

Space 1 and subsequent Sinn models re-issued under the Bell & Ross name featured both companies' logos. The partners also collaborated on new watches until 2002, when Bell & Ross began its own independent production in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Watches with a Purpose
"The essential is never compromised by the superfluous" — the Bell & Ross motto underscores the clean aesthetic and insistence that every detail on a  watch have a purpose and function. Each timepiece must also pay homage to the company's four basic design and manufacturing principles:

• Readability
• Performance
• Precision
• Water-resistance

Each watch is assembled, then tested and adjusted under a variety of conditions for two weeks to ensure it meets precise accuracy standards. It must also provide a 40-hour power reserve through wrist movements alone–so the wearer never has to stop and wind during an important mission. Afterward, a master watchmaker examines each timepiece to give final approval before it is sold.

The Vintage collection was Bell & Ross' response to customers wanting  high quality watches they can wear in their daily lives. The original models resembled 1950's aircraft control panel meters, later ones evoked aviation watches of other decades.

Despite the minimalist philosophy, variety abounds with Bell & Ross watches. Many are available in both chronograph (stopwatch) and non-chronograph versions. A watch line using quartz instead of mechanical movement is also available. Limited editions of 500 or less are also frequently issued for popular models.

Breaking New Ground in Functionality
To meet its customers’ exacting expectations, the company unites a team of professional users, designers, engineers and master watchmakers for the development process. This unique teamwork has led to innovations, such as:

• Hydro Challenger—cited by the Guinness Book of World Records for its water resistance rating of 11,000 meters in 1997, the watch’s patented system uses liquid silicon for perfect water tightness and readability

• Vintage 123 Heure Sautante—the first jumping hour-hand watch with power reserve indicator and automatic movement, created through collaboration with legendary Swiss master craftsman Vincent Valabrese in 2002

• BR 01 Instrument—inspired by aircraft cockpit instrument panels, two disks—one for hours and one for minutes—rotate beneath a stationary vertical line, allowing the wearer to read the time through the top crystal

Bell & Ross has also been awarded patents for its water-resistance indicator, which absorbs potentially damaging humidity and alerts the wearer about possible water problems by changing color, and its T-crown system. Developed for the Space 3 model, the latter features a screw-in, telescopic and collapsible crown that perfectly integrates into the watch case to avoid damage.

When reliability, professional quality and functionality are top priorities, professionals of all stripes turn to Bell & Ross.

Swatches - Bold, brash and sassy, they took the world by storm in the 1980s.

And just in time.

While Swiss watchmakers accounted for 80% of the watches in 1945, in 1951, the US Time Corporation (later Timex) combined automation, precision tooling and simpler design to create robust watches available to the smallest of budgets. (Nearly 40 years later, a similar combination would catapult the Swiss back as leaders.)

Formerly the nearly-exclusive domain of jewelers, watches now showed up as affordable merchandise in department stores, catalog showrooms and sporting goods retail.

But, in a one-two punch, watchmaking innovations, shunned by the Swiss were picked up by the Japanese, thus further killing off dominance by the Swiss. In 13 short years, from 1970 to 1983, the number of Swiss watchmaking firms and employment declined by about 2/3rds.

SSIH and ASUAG, the leading Swiss watchmakers of the time faced foreclosure by their own Swiss banks, and esteemed Swiss brands such as Omega, Longine and Tissot were in danger of falling into competitors' hands.

Much credit lays at the feet of Nicolas G. Hayek, who brought together a combination of business, marketing and technological savvy to create what is now, in the 2010s, the world's largest watchmaker.

Just how that happened, and more about the Swatch "concept" watches will be discussed in future articles.

Alpina Geneve is all about passion, and their brand is a fully integrated and involved in all stages of production, from initial design through to final assembly, including the building of its own calibers and an exhaustive quality control.

Each watch by Alpina is hand-assembled by a team of highly qualified technitians and artisans. They also employ state-of-the-art digital machinery to maximize watch quality and life longevity. 

Every watch Alpina Geneva they produce shares the following characteristics… Accuracy, readability, shock and water resistance, strength and reliability. Their core themes have been developed around… Adventure, Aviation, Racing and Club.

In collaboration with Cessna Aircraft and PrivatAir, Alpina introduced in 2010/11 a collection of Pilot watches, as well as a Sailing Collection with an in-house design regatta module, running on an automatic chronograph caliber.

Some of Alpina's lines include… Startimer Pilots – Once an official supplier of military watches to pilots, Alpina revisited its rich aviation heritage in 2011 with the new Startimer Pilot Collection. It includes a range of contemporary timepieces inspired by the original Alpina designs from the 1920s and 30s, and delivered in a special gift box along with a Cessna Mustang miniature plane.

… the Startimer Pilot Gold. On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of its manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, Geveva, Alpina introduced a beautiful Pilot manufactured watch, a limited edition of 888 pieces in 18k rose gold. As with other timepieces in the collection, the Startimer Pilot Gold evokes the rich history of Alpina as the official supplier of Air Force-quality performance watches.

… the Startimer Classics. Alpina's Startimer Classics are a spin-off of the utility-inspired Startimer Pilots, offering more stylish, vintage-looking timepieces designed for the style-conscious. The silvered dial and cognac brown or deep black leather straps are reminiscent of bygone times, while the sturdy and generous case diameter of 44mm makes a statement.

Sailing Automatic Chronograph… In 2010 Alpina added to their Sailing Collection. Inspired byy the manufacture's close collaboration with Italian Extreme 40 Catamaran team 'Niceforyou', the yacht-perfect Sailing Chronograph. A 'sporty' timepiece that is powered by the new automatic Yacht Timer caliber AL-880, developed entirely in-house and based on the Sellita SW500 chronograph movement.

The Alpina Lady Ceramic is a recent (2010 era), which captivates women's ceramic watches marries timeless elegance with spirited modernity and sparkle, making the timepieces a perfect choice for daily wear, transitioning into nights out. The bold 42mm-diameter case houses the AL-240 Quartz movement with date. It also comes with black ceramic and a black PVD coated stainless steel or rose gold plated bezel, or, in white ceramic with rose gold plated or stainless steel bezel.

Now… there are a few more Alpina designs that demand a look-see. I'm going to mention them, and for the sake of keeping this post as brief (yet, insightful!) as possible, here we go…

… the Extreme Diver 1000 Meters, the Racing Automatic Chronograph with date, Club Regulator Manufacture, and the Extreme Tourbillon Regulator Manufacture.

The Extreme Diver 1000 Meters offers a high luminous readability and the ultimate in water resistance. The 48mm black PVD coated steel case is equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel for measuring elapsed time with luminous minute indication, while the automatic helium escape valve at 10 o'clock protects the watch from the damage expanding helium atoms could cause while ascending… an interesting timepiece indeed!

Aplina's racing Auto Chrono embraces the very concept of racing and competition, a spirit and challenge that has captured all cultures throughout time. It's powered by the automatic AL-725 caliber sporting a 42-hour power reserve and housed in an impaction resistant, 47mm black PVD coated stainless steel case… a must see.

The Club Regulator Manufacture features all the classic design elements that Alpina is celebrated for, including durability, water resistance (to 100 meters) and a bold, sexy design, the Club Regulator Manufacture is the epitome of a watch. The commanding 44mm brushed stainless steel case houses the Automatic regulator Manufacture caliber Al-950 developed entirely in-house. It incorporates Alpina's trademark rotor decorated with the Cotes de Geneve!

And, the 'exclusive' collectors watch [a recent gold model is limited to only '18' numbered pieces]… the Extreme Tourbillon Regulator Manufacture. Alpina's Extreme TRM retains a bold 48mm case that is crafted from pink gold and comes with a black ceramic bezel. The commanding matte black dial features finely brushed steel Alpina double digit indexes, satin-brushed touches of black in the center of the "Regulator" sub-dial, skeletonized hands in black brushed steel and unique and originally decorated bridges in tourbillon cage… wow.

Jaeger-LeCoultre watches are recognized as being among the very finest hand-crafted watches in the world. Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) was founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833 in picturesque Le Sentier, Switzerland. It manufactures high-quality luxury watches and clocks and supplied movements and parts to other prestigious watch manufacturers such as Cartier and Patek Phillipe.

Antoine LeCoultre spent his life discovering the finest inventions for precision and perfection of the timepiece. He capitalized on his notable skills as an inventor, creating tools for making pinions for watches and clocks. He invented the Millionometer, the first instrument that can measure thousands of a millimeter, which becomes instrumental in the making of precision timekeepers for well over a century. He also developed the first crown winding system which eliminated the need for a separate key to wind the watch. 

Antoine LeCoultre was a genius. His inventive spirit and his ability to complete the vision of others are at the core of Jaeger-LeCoultre to this day. From early in its founding, Jaeger-LeCoultre developed long-standing relationships with other high-end watch manufacturers whereby they produced the movements that gave those companies their distinction.

Much of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s work over the first century had been developed for others. From 1902 to approximately 1932, LeCoultre produced most of the movement blanks for the high-end watch manufacturer, Patek Phillipe. In 1903, watch designer and manufacturer, Edmond Jaeger, began working with LeCoultre to manufacturer an ultra-thin collection of pocket watches Jaeger designed. In 1907, the French jeweler, Cartier, contracted with Jaeger to be the exclusive manufacturer of Cartier's movement designs for a period of 15 years. Those movements were produced by LeCoultre. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Jaeger-LeCoultre produced a 36-jewel, self-winding calibre for Patek Philippe.

The Atmos is the brand name of a mechanical clock that Jaeger-LeCoultre began manufacturing in 1936. This modern marvel did not need to be wound manually. It derives energy from changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure. It can run for years without any human intervention.

Nearly 100 years after the founding of LeCoultre, Cesar de Trey, a businessman, was challenged by some fellow polo players to create a watch that could withstand the abuse and hard knocks inflicted while playing polo. He shared this problem with Jacques-David LeCoultre. LeCoultre collaborated with Edmond Jaeger and they created the Reverso watch. 
 

The iconic Reverso is what sets Jaeger-LeCoultre apart from other watch manufacturers. It is one of the grandest distinctions for Jaeger-LeCoultre. Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated the Reverso’s 80th birthday this year by introducing several tributes to the 1931 models. It weighs less than 1 gram and has 98 parts today. 

Hours and hours of craftsmanship and quality control go into each and every Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. Virtually every component is hand-finished and produced in-house. The Reverso Tourbillon, Reverso Minute Repeater, and the Master Control series are masterpieces requiring a 1,000 hours of testing and assembly at the patient hands of master watchmakers who work painstakingly to create a piece of art.

In 1937, Jaeger and LeCoultre officially joined forces and became Jaeger-LeCoultre. However, watches were sold in North America under the LeCoultre name from 1932 to approximately 1985. The Jaeger-LeCoultre name was officially adopted worldwide after 1985 when the LeCoultre trademark expired. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre has been a fully-owned subsidiary of the Swiss luxury group Richmont since 1966. Their watches compete with other high-end brands such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Phillipe.

Jaeger-LeCoultre watches have enjoyed a long and wonderful history. If you’re contemplating the purchase of a highly prestigious, quality watch from a respected brand, then Jaeger-LeCoultre would be an excellent choice.

=======================================
REFERENCES: 

http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaeger-LeCoultre
http://www.classicwatch.com/asp/watches/…sp?code=62

No doubt one of the appeals of the Patek Phillipe watches was the invention of the stem winding and setting system invented by Phillipe in 1845, according to Patek Phillipe's history on their site.

Patek Phillipe describes this as "The Keyless Watch" because, prior to the stem winding mechanism, watches had to be wound by keys! in the 250 years prior to this wickedly clever invention, watch owners were plagued with having to keep track of the key.  Worse yet, the key needed a hole, and the holes let in dirt.

If you've used a stem winding watch, where you pull out to set the time and then push in to wind, you probably never realized how old that invention was!  Nor how long watches had existed without this slick device!

Located in Switzerland, the company undoubtedly has helped to give rise to the re-known which "Swiss watches" are known for.

Patek Phillipe watches claim fame by having made some of the most complicated watches in the world, in fact, they herald their "complications" on their website.

Along with its over 70 patents, Patek Phillipe watches catch the eye of collectors and investors, having held records for the most expensive watches sold at auctions over time.  One such was one produced for Henry Graves, Jr in 1933.  In December of 1999 this pocket watch was auctioned off for $11,000,000 by Sotheby's, making it the most expensive watch ever auctioned off.

In fact, one of the top collectibles in 2011 has been the 1928 Patek Phillipe, auctioned off for over $3.6 million at Christie's.

Inventiveness, "complications", beauty, and history have made Patek Philippe timepieces one of the most collectible and admired line of watches in the world.

You're well aware that gold is known as a very special, precious commodity… simply because it's difficult to find, mine and process… A quick check on the spot commodities exchange underscores its value.

The popularity of gold watches for men has increased in financial worth on the marketplace over the past several decades, since these time-pieces have proven to be at the 'top' of wearable, function-able investments.

One can say that Men's Gold Watches are quite popular for many reasons… including:

1. Gold is an eternal symbol of living standards.
    
2. Continuous increase in gold prices has made gold watches an attractive investment.
    
3. The gold watch is the traditional reference for retirement, or the status of… 'you could be' retired.
    
4. Gold is a precious metal in common use in jewelery, which make gold watches for men a natural accessory for any outfit.
    
5. 14k or 18k gold watches are very sturdy… So a gold watch can last a whole lifetime with proper care.

Let's break-down some fine examples of the best gold watches for men.

So… what's your favorite Gold color?

Since gold watches come in many flavorful hues… like; White, Rose, Yellow, Platinum/Palladium, Black Hills, and a mixtures of tones thereof, you'll want to consider your favorite.

Sidebar: Gold watches (as with most gold jewelry) combine gold with other base metals in order to make it durable for wear.

Let's start by looking at rose gold & white (yellow)…

The ultimate illuminance of the gold watch is determined by its shade(s) that is altered from the original, pure yellow frequency that you've come to know. If we add more copper for example, the stronger the presence of the red hue in a 'rose' gold watch.

Rose gold watches (as reference) are made of gold & copper alloy, which may also include some silver & tin additions that further varies the pigments from red to (rose) pink.

RoseGoldWatch – image provided by Anjan

Colors of… rose, red, pink, yellow or white gold do not exist in nature. As mentioned, the difference in the appearance of the gold luster is determined by the amount that this precious metal is used, in combination with other (usually harder) alloy(s). So… ultimately the mixtures thereof, of course, will bear the outcome of the gold watch color frequency.

Yellow gold watches are created via copper & silver (the later being its major alloy).

Yellow Gold Watch – image provided by Anjan

White gold is derived from gold & the combination of alloys such as… palladium, platinum and/or nickel.

How about the differences between white gold & platinum watches?

Platinum is a pure natural metal that's mined mainly in Russia, Canada, Zimbabwe, USA & Columbia. It is known as one of the rarest elements in the Earth's crust and has an average abundance of approximately 0.005mg/kg. It occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River."

palladium watch – image provided by Anjan
 

You're, no doubt, getting the fact that numerous factors go into a gold watch for men. The variations are mind-boggling, yet, the uniqueness that comes from these time-pieces, makes investments in watches ever more fun!

Are you aware of Black Hills Gold?

Black Hills Gold had its origin in 1870 during the gold rush in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Black Hills gold coins are known for their 3 colors… yellow, rose, & (even) green.

Of course, their is the gold pocket watch, when was it invented?

The pocket watch itself was developed in the late 1400s.  These (pocket) pieces were the most common types of time references during the 16th century. They grew in popularity in the U.S. In the 19th century as they were worn by railroad workers, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. Pocket Watches lost popularity in the mid 1900s as the convenience of a wristwatch gained in popularity.

Gold pocket watches still remain today a very powerful investment chronometer.

How do 10k, 14k, and 18k gold watches differ from each other?

Firstly, what is a ('k') karat?

Simply, the higher the 'karat' the higher the percentage of pure gold in the metal.

24Kt gold is pure, yet too soft to use in the process of watch manufacturing, so it is mixed with other metals (the aforementioned alloys) to strengthen its characteristics.

18Kt is (approx) 75% pure and is the European standard. 14Kt established itself as the most popular choice in the U.S.; however, 10Kt is another, affordable (and still beautiful) alternative for gold watch purchases.

Of course, other factors like 'manufacture and design' will make a substantial difference in your watch purchase considerations. However – regarding this conversation – no matter which 'Color of Gold' you choose, your watch investment will ultimately make for a most unique esthetic asset, as an accessory of your life, and will only increase in its market value over time!

Be Golden With Your Time Pieces!

Unfortunately, watches are part of the Jewelry industry which means the price you pay for the exact same timepiece is often way different from one seller to the next. Like buying a new car, haggling is expected and if you are like me and don’t like haggling. this guide will really help you save a lot of money.

Fortunately, watches are the same no matter where they are bought so comparing deals is easier than comparing jewelry. If you have chosen a watch or not, the first thing to determine is your budget. You can choose a watch in advance or not. The real key is to determine if you are interested in expensive mens watches, modern mens watches, or a vintage investment watch for the ladies because budget should determine where to make your watch investment. So we will start with my number one rule… 

Never Spend More Than $20

In Any Store Which Doesn’t

Specialize In Watches!

Department stores, mall shops and watch stands are designed to sell modern mens watches at the highest prices possible and they take advantage of everyone’s lack of  knowledge about watches. The only way to get a decent deal in a mall or department store is to wait for huge sales and even then, your deal is most likely to be fair at best. Plus, these places are not equipped to take care of repairs or selling extra bands. They don’t carry wrist watch parts and some can’t even help resize the watch to fit properly. This leaves Authorized Dealers, Grey Market Dealers and Ebay.

Most people choose one side or the other but I find all three good for different levels of buying. Authorized dealers are the way to go for anyone spending more than $500 because the factory will always honor their guarantee. Like all jewelry stores, they are set to negotiate, so I’ll give you tips to getting a good deal out of them in a moment. If you are looking at watches which are $500 or less, go with grey market dealers. They can and will easily beat authorized dealer prices for most digital and analog watches(watches with hands). Now here is…

The Industry’s Dirty Little Secret

The grey market dealers usually get their watches through an authorized dealer. Some even use the exact same watchmakers for warranty work as the big authorized dealers and should anything go wrong with your new watch, they always have the option of replacing the watch. They also provide box and papers for each timepiece they sell but because they don’t pay rent for a fancy store, their overhead is very little and the prices are MUCH lower. The trick is to find a grey market dealer who is not fly by night. Warranties for all companies are only good for the life of the company and any of them can go under.

If you are lucky and get to know a good grey market dealer over a long time like I did you can get those better prices on higher end pieces too. Until then, stick with an AD for anything over $500. They have loads of selections so you are sure to find something you like. Ebay is also a good place buy a watch but…

Ebay Is The Worst Place To Buy

If You Don’t Know What You Are Doing There are a lot of fakes and scammers so here are rules for fishing the bay. NEVER buy from anyone without feedback in the thousands. The scammers can easily fudge the numbers to the tune of a hundred but not thousands.

Make sure the seller’s feedback is in watches.

Make sure the seller makes deals with different people and for prices around what you would be spending.

Buy only new watches.

Buying used is much more complicated so don’t buy used watches until you read our guide to buying used investment watches.

That pocket watch which looks like a good investment may not rise in value as fewer and fewer people are interested in them these days and you definitely won’t get much money back on that clock worn on body like Flava Flav but, if chosen correctly,many watches can be resold for close to what you paid. Check shipping costs.

Remember, this is money you will never get back. Often this is where the seller makes his money. They offer refunds but sending the watch back costs more than what you paid minus shipping. Asking prices mean nothing. Check complete listings for real prices and make sure you see quite a few to get a good idea how much they really can be had for. Beware of customs. Some of the most tempting deals are from abroad but even if the seller isn’t a scammer you could get hit with customs bills and duties on anything of value. They can also cause huge delays as customs officials try to determine if your band is made out anything from an endangered species.

Negotiating Made Easy

Leave your max budget in your wallet. After you here the equivalent of “for you my friend” say it is beyond your budget no matter what his price is. When they get a little lower, make an offer lower than what your budget really is. He or she will scoff and make a last offer or keep it the same. Act disappointed as you pull out your wallet to count the cash in your wallet. You would be surprised how often a seller will say okay I’ll do it for what you got. This next tip helps…

Cut Negotiating Time A Lot!

If you know which watch you want, print out deals available on the Internet. Even Ebay auctions. Make sure to write numbers and prices on them so it looks like you have been doing a lot of homework. You just place it on the counter with your keys when you ask to see the exact watch model you are looking for. If you do all of this right, here is what the discount you can expect based on MSRP.

*Better know the dealer has been around for a long tme.

Of course discounts vary from seller to seller and some watches are actually hard to get so they do cost a bit more but the closed Ebay auction prices will tell you if that is the case. On the flip side, some watches are discounted heavily because nobody wanted them. The only way to get better deals is to spend lots of time studying watches and the market and buying used or in volume. Just like cars. Even then, you won’t find a much better deal unless you went to school as a watchmaker. Want to save even more…

Don’t Pay Tax

As part of the jewelry industry, it is assumed if you pay in cash the price will be tax included. Check state laws on internet tax. But most dealers who ship out of state don’t charge sales tax.  Discuss everything as tax included from the start. Some authorized dealers need to ship it out of state to make it tax exempt or discount the watch even further to cover the tax.

Grey market dealers just deal with their own tax and they too can use UPS. I’m willing to share my sources but they are not allowed to advertise these prices. Like car dealers, nobody advertises their real bottom price.

Once you are set to buy a watch, email me with the watch you are looking for. I should be able to recommend someone who specializes in that brand and won’t make you haggle to get the rock bottom price. You can find authorized watch dealers all over but if you really want to get a great deal and avoid the uncertainty/hassle of negotiating, I bet my sources can beat their offer.

Good grey market dealers are located in big cities and I’m only familiar with one here in Los Angeles but they will ship. This is a good option if you are looking for a seriously good watch which doesn’t cost as much as a new car. However you should know which watch you want. The internet has a massive numbers of sources but be sure to check the sellers reputation at watch forums. This takes the most time but good deals can be had. If you are a regular Joe looking to replace your daily beater because it broke check out www.bluedial.com

Tell them Everett sent you for an extra 5% off! The way I see it, the more business I send them, the better deals we all get and if they get a lot of business, maybe I’ll get a free promotional watch or something. Peace, Everett

Some Other Things To Consider

If you ever sell your watch, certain brands hold their value better. You may get lucky and see your watch rise in price but it is super rare and since kids don’t wear watches, because they are used to checking the time on cell phones, don’t ever expect to gain money collecting watches. When I use the term investment watches, I’m only speaking of those watches which can sometimes be resold for a profit but nobody ever knows which ones will rise in value regardless if they are at the top of all men's watch reviews.

There is only one brand of watch everyone knows is expensive and if your goal is to show you have a watch worth money, buy a Rolex. Most people have never heard of the other brands and they can’t tell what makes a watch expensive. After Rolex, Omega is the second most recognizable mens watch brand. Other than Rolex and Omega, buying a very fancy brand will only impress watch aficionados who can also be impressed by some inexpensive watches because they are just cool or rare. Conversely don’t be afraid to buy a nice wristwatch because only people who will know it is expensive are those you tell and those who do know, will understand. Many of the Swiss watch companies use the same company ETA to make their movements. They simply design their own hands, dials etc and cases and then buy an undecorated movement by ETA to throw in there. Collectors pay more for brands who actually make their own movements.

Also, technology has evolved to where making movements based on the same designs can be done cheaper and still be accurate. In the world of mechanical watches accuracy is king. The Swiss COSC or certified chronometer rating means they tested the movement and it is accurate to within 5 seconds a day. However unlike days past, it isn’t so hard to get a watch which is accurate to within 5 seconds a day as it once was. More expensive Swiss models either say certified on the dial and some even come with the test papers. This gets collectors excited but does nothing for the average Joe.

Japanese watches are dominated by Citizen and Seiko. Both are awesome and a good value. They range in price from a few bucks for some of the most popular mens watches to several grand even for digital watches like some G-Shocks but in general they are way cheaper than Swiss and work just fine. High end dealers will also negotiate a little so finding one with a good deal is a factor but customer service means a lot more with really expensive watches because in general, complicated and more unique timepieces need repair more often than workhorse watches. If you are in the market for high end watches for investments, I may also be able to point you in the right direction if you email me and let me know what brand or model you are looking to purchase.

The site devoted to taking the stress out of buying a new watch. We are helping people find the perfect watch for your needs at a great price.

Check out our new series of reports starting with How to Get A Great Deal On A Watch including negotiating techniques and how to cut through all the nonsense and get a great deal. Not sure who to trust? This informative guide can save you a bundle whether it’s $500 or $50.000. Don’t pay too much for a watch you could have had for half.

Coming soon…

Average Joe Watch Glossary- Simple English Explanation of Watch Terms

Online Watch-Sizing Tool-  Measuring your wrist at home and see how big various watches will look on your arm.

Current Trends- What watches are hot now