Hi guys. I’m looking to purchase my first ever watch and I have very little knowledge or understanding on watch etiquette, fashion, pricing, how to maintain and clean it, etc. I’ll give a brief overview of what I want so hopefully you can help me out!
So I’m a female, I assume there are differences between male and female watches? Can a female wear a male watch, or is that a big no-no. What is the difference in styles or quality between the two? Are there unisex watches? Also, I’m in a wheelchair so I’d prefer not a super big chunky metal band as it could scrape against my rims as I move around or make clinking noises. But I don’t know how I feel about leather bands, either? I prefer the look of metal bands, but like the “mesh” kind (I looked it up online so hopefully that’s what it is). Color wise, I prefer gold or silver, but am open to black? I want something that is appropriate for casual daily life as well as a more professional setting like a wedding or interview. I know of Rolex watches but that’s like the only brand I know of. I don’t like the rectangle or square faces as much as regular circle faces, too.
I know it isn’t a lot to go off of, but if you can help teach me or give me resources to use to learn more then I’d appreciate it!
- “So I’m a female, I assume there are differences between male and female watches?” in paper yes some brands will have collections divided by male / female, but in reality most watches are unisex. Just wear whatever makes you happy
- “Can a female wear a male watch, or is that a big no-no” Just wear whatever makes you happy. 95% of the people you meet won’t care about your watch anyway
- “What is the difference in styles or quality between the two?” generally speaking size (ladies watches tend to be smaller) and design (ladies watches tend to have more decorative elements like diamonds / mother of pearl details etc). Quality is basically the same
- “Are there unisex watches?” most watches are unisex
Most important question right now: what’s your budget? You can get an OK watch for a few hundred or if you want a Rolex they will start at around $7k. So set a price range you are comfortable with and people can guide you better.
You want a mechanical watch or a quartz? Mechanical watches work by you inputting energy into them either through the movement of your hand (they have a small pendulum inside) or by manually winding them. They will need service every few years (usually around 5 years but you can service them once they stop) and that service can cost around $300-$500. If taken care of they can last several generations as parts can be replaced if broken. They are accurate enough but most will gain or lose around 5-10 seconds a day, so you will probably have to adjust the time every few months. Quartz watches get their energy from a battery. They don’t need to be serviced except for when a new battery is needed (around every 3-5 years). They are very accurate (+/- 10 seconds per year) and tend to be more robust. They can last for a long time too but if the movement breaks it will be much harder to fix than a mechanical watch. Usually the whole movement will be swapped out and a whole movement doesn’t cost much either.
About the “mesh” bracelet, you can swap them out. So you can “dress up” the same watch by adding a crocodile strap to it in order to make it more elegant. or you can “dress down” a watch and make it more casual by adding a rubber strap to it. So I wouldn’t focus too much on that aspect. I would buy a watch with it’s original metal bracelet and then swap it out for whatever you like best. Straps tend to be much cheaper than metal bracelets and most times getting an original bracelet aftermarket can be hard
I would suggest taking a look at watch websites like these:
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/
https://www.hodinkee.com/
and try to figure out what style of watches you like regardless of the price. Then you can use those as reference so people here can help you find an alternative within your budget