People have used various timepieces for centuries, like sundials, water clocks, and candles. But with the invention of small mechanical watches, timekeeping was revolutionized. Instead of having to go look at the clock or sundial in the town square, anyone with enough money could buy a personal timepiece. As time went on, a pocket watch or wristwatch became available to anyone.

Antique watch collecting has been popular as long as there have been antique watches. There are several reasons for this success. First, even a large antique watch collection is small enough to be kept in a small case. Second, good quality watches will hold their value. Often handcrafted from precious metals and stones, these qualify as functional jewelry. And, interestingly, it is an area of antique heavily collected by men rather than women.

Watch Parts

The most well known type of antique watch is the pocket watch. For hundreds of years, men toted these timepieces as a sort of fashion accessory, but not necessarily in the pocket.

A watch chain was an important accoutrement for an antique watch. The watches were small, rather smooth, expensive, and easily dropped. So men would get a fine chain, attach one end to the watch and the other end to his vest or pocket. The finest chains featured fancy workmanship. To show this jewelry off, men often let the chain dangle very prominently across their chest or stomach. The watch chain is also known as a watch fob.

An antique watch might be found in a lady’s ensemble too. The female equivalent of a watch fob was a chatelaine. A lady’s chatelaine would be a very ornate sort of key ring pinned at the waist. She would hold her house keys, cupboard keys, and perhaps a dainty little watch on it. Just as today some people like lots of key ring charms, so too did many ladies prefer a chatelaine with plenty of pretty decorations that jingled as she walked.

In a museum or an antique watch collection, you may see a timepiece dangling from a pin – upside-down. Ladies pinned these jewels somewhere on their collar or chest where they could easily hold up the watch without removing it and see the time right side up.

Antique or Vintage?

Under US law, only an object over 100 years of age can be called an antique. Twentieth-century watches are still beautiful and collectible, but technically they are only “vintage” until that 100th birthday. If you meet a dealer who is not adhering to this definition, you might ask why. Read the rest of this entry »

Not everyone seems to enjoy some of the latest additions available on wristwatches.

In this article one man writes a tirade about alarm watches. I can’t say they are anything that has ever bothered me and in my youth I do remember buying a Seiko Bellmatic wrist watch although after the first couple of days I don’t think I ever used it as an alarm watch. The novelty soon wore off.

“All of us have heard about alarm clocks. It is that irritating little thing that wakes you from restful slumber to remind you that reality beckons and that you need to get moving or else you will get late. As we all know the answer to how much sleep we need is always “just 5 minutes more”. So you will not be surprised to know I absolutely detest my alarm clock. So you can very well imagine that I had no inclination to know anything at all about contraptions like alarm watches. But it is a well known truism that whatever we avoid is what comes to us and latches on. So it was in the case of alarm watches.

My first confrontation with alarm watches was when I spotted a colleague of mine wearing one. In fact, spotted would not be the right term. I actually heard that confounded specie people call alarm watches. At first I frantically checked my phone and my beeper to make sure that the sound wasn’t coming from the. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it could be coming from alarm watches. How could I? At that point, I wasn’t even aware of the existence of alarm watches.

Anyways, after witnessing me hopping around like a monkey in heat and having a loud guffaw, my colleague finally condescended to reveal that the sound was emanating from his wrist. I could not believe what I was hearing. Was it not sufficient that one had to content with alarm clocks at home? Did one also have to content with alarm watches now? Apparently this colleague of mine found alarm watches a useful contraption. He claimed that these alarm watches helped him track his time better. Each time he wanted or needed to remind himself about an appointment, all he needed to do was to fiddle around with the watch and he could set it to go off and remind him at the appointed hour. Why someone with a cell phone, a beeper and a PDA still needed to rely on alarm watches was beyond me, but I wasn’t about to argue with someone who brandished alarm watches in the first place.

Call it fate or a more fine tuned perception, but since that fateful day when I set my eyes on alarm watches, I continue to see alarm watches wherever I go. They sound off while I am in the lift, in the cafeteria queue and even in the men’s room. It seems like there is no way to avoid alarm watches anymore.”

Why settle for a cheap knockoff when there are many fashionable as well as original fashion watches available like the Cartier watch that are begging to be bought, even though at exorbitant prices. The Cartier watch is often decked in diamonds and gold and certainly very flashy.

The Cartier Tank Francaise Women’s Two Toned Steel/18KT Watch is a case in point and this Cartier watch is contained in a stainless steel case and it has alternating 18Kt and brushed and polished stainless steel bracelet with a white dial with Roman numerals in Black to give the watch a classy look. And, to add to the looks, there is a Sapphire crystal with the Crown topped with blue sapphire cabochon and Swiss quartz movement that makes it not only classy but also functionally sound. Needless to say, this watch is water resistant and retails for just under $4,000 depending on where it is purchased from.

A Golden Wonder: The Cartier Tank American Ladies 18kt Gold Watch

There is also the gold version of the Cartier watch which is called the Cartier W260152K2 Tank American Ladies 18KT Gold Watch which has a gold elongated face and bracelet as well as a white dial with Roman numeral hour markers and the quartz movement provides accurate times that makes this Cartier watch a much sought after item which is water resistant up to 30 meters. Of course it has a whopping high price tag and one may have to shell out over $13,000 to purchase one of these ladies watches.

The men’s Cartier watch is just as impressive as the women’s watches and the Cartier Men’s Swiss Automatic Tank Francaise Watch is an exquisite, stylish as well as quality Cartier watch that makes for a wonderful timepiece collectors item. The watch has a stainless steel case and bracelet with brushed as well as polished finishes and the silver dial has Roman numeral hour markers.

There are also gunmetal blue hands and a hidden butterfly clasp that makes it a very useful piece of timekeeping. Other features include Swiss Automatic movement, sapphire crystal, and date display at 6 o’clock and this men’s watch can be sized to fit wrists of sizes between seven and a half inches and eight and a half inches. To purchase one of these exquisite Cartier watches one can expect to pay approximately $3,500.

Initially the watch was the man’s prerogative; not because women were not allowed to wear watches, but because it was not convenient for them. The early watches were worn on chain, inside the pocket. Women did not have a pocket to keep them while they were moving, creating a lot inconvenience for them. It was until almost 100 years later that the wrist watch made it possible for the woman to wear once on a regular basis.

Men’s Watches need not be Expensive to be good

Actually, if you are a smart shopper, you will get some excellent bargains when you buy men’s watches.  Most of the retail stores hold clearance sales at the end of the season so they can accommodate new and more up to date products.  At these times, if you are lucky, you will get the watches that normally cost $200-300 at about one-third of its price. Hence, you can buy an excellent watch for your husband/ sweetheart/ or any other man in your life, for around $50 – which is a mind-boggling price, possible only because the sale.

There are other ways to shop for men’s watches so you can get the best for the least. Check out websites that offer watches for 40 to 60 percent below the market price. There is tremendous scope for such research and there are tons of websites out there who offer men’s watches for less that $100.  The watches that retail for under $100 are easily the best brands in the world. You can get Seiko, Citizen, and so many other leading brands adapted to the needs and budget of the normal person.

It is easy to shop on the web because you have search engines that act like your helper. You set certain search criteria and you get quick lists of all the places where you can get the item you are searching for. Some sites also give you the option to comparison shop so that you can identify and buy the item that you need or want the most.

In this way you could get an original Citizen men’s watch for about $80 rather than spend $300 on it. It will be the same watch, the same impact with the same beauty, all you have to do is be a little patient and shop around, preferably ahead of time!

If you are looking for a Swiss Army watch then look no further than Wenger who are suppliers of not only Swiss Army watches but are also one of the two official knife suppliers for the Swiss Army, along with Victorinox. Since 1908, Wenger has supplied the Swiss Army with watches that are stylish as well as classy and they have permission to feature the Swiss Cross which is a sign of a top notch product.

Rival Firm Victorinox

A competitor in the Swiss Army watch segment is the rival firm Victorinox which sells affordable watches that have exceptional engineering as well as outstanding and perfected craftsmanship and this brand of Swiss Army watch is certainly worth serious consideration. The Swiss Army Victorinox watch can be used for hiking, skiing, climbing as well as other adventure pursuits and these watches are perfect for extreme sports as well as a good accessory for wearing to a dinner at the Hilton. The Swiss Army watch is warranted by the Swiss Army to the original buyer to be free of defects in material as well as workmanship under normal usage for three years from when it was purchased.

There are many models of the Swiss Army watch available from Victorinox as well as Wenger. Some other suppliers of the Swiss Army watch include Swatch, Mondaine, Camel Active and Jacques du Manoir. In addition, there are various models such as Alpine, Mountaineer, Commando, Standard issue, bienne, original Swiss military, and field new generation in the casual watch category.

The Alpine WEN.72123 Wenger Swiss Army watch is priced at about $180 and is made of stainless steel and has ETA quartz movement, and this a men’s watch. It is also water resistant till 100 meters and the case finishing is sandblasted with mineral crystal, regular crown, a brown dial and dial style that have Arabic figures and three hands for hours/minutes/sweep second. The strap is made of brown leather with a regular buckle and special features include date display, and it is also luminous for nighttime visibility.

There is also the Wenger Alpine Chrono WEN.70875 sports gents’ collection Swiss Army watch that has Swiss quartz chronograph, movement and water resistance to hundred meters and it also has luminous hands as well as markers for nighttime visibility. It comes with a one year limited warranty and costs approximately $300.

When looking for a stylish watch, there are many things that one should consider. Price is, of course, an important factor, but no less important is the look of the watch and its efficiency. Those looking for a stylish Asian watch should thus look into purchasing a Seiko watch.

A History of the Seiko Watch and the Seiko Corporation

The Seiko Corporation which produces Seiko watches, is a Japanese watch company that was started by Kintaro Hattori in 1881. This first shop was both a jewelry and a watch shop, and it was located in Japan’s Ginza area. In 1892, Hattori expanded his line of products to also include clocks, manufactured under the name of Seikosha.

Despite having produced watches in the latter part of the 19th century, the first watches that were specifically known as Seiko watches did not appear on the market until 1924. A Seiko watch names the Seiko Astron was introduced onto the market in 1969. This watch was indeed notable, as it was the first production quartz watch. As such, it was quite expensive, costing the same amount that a medium-sized car at the time would.

The Seiko Watch Today

Seiko watches today are used for a number of important events. Most notably, the Olympic games have used these watches as their official timekeepers because they are known to be amazingly accurate.

Although the Seiko Corporation produces many different styles of watches, the most popular type of Seiko watch is the wristwatch. Since this company is one of only a few that manufacture every facet of the watch in-house, these watches are known also for their advanced technology.

The Seiko brand manufactures both mechanical and quartz watches. Some of types of Seiko watches require no battery at all, as they are powered by everyday wear. Seiko watches vary according to price, with the cheapest generally being under $100 and the most expensive costing several thousand dollars.

If one is a collector of these watches, it should be noted that the Seiko Corporation does not make every type of watch available in every area. Indeed, there are many types of these watches that are only available in Asia.

If one is looking into purchasing a Seiko watch, one should first consult the phonebook for reputable watch dealers, or the internet. Indeed, this type of watch is the ideal choice for those looking for a watch that is both attractive and efficient.

With the many different brands of watches available, one could certainly find the task of selecting the perfect watch daunting. However, if one is looking for a reliable watch that is also a source of fashion, one should consider purchasing a Fossil watch.

About Fossil, Inc.

Fossil watches are manufactured by Fossil, Inc., which is a company based in Richardson, Texas. Although Fossil watches are the most popular line that is manufactured by the company, Fossil, Inc. also manufactures such things as clothing, wallets, jewelry, and sunglasses.

Men’s Fossil Watches

These watches are available in a variety of different styles for men. There are metal, strap, and designer categories that men can choose from

An example of a Fossil watch in the metal category is the Oversized Black IP Glitz. This watch is ideal to wear for more formal occasions. The features of this watch include a stainless steel case, and a three-hand quartz movement. The watch itself is subtly decorative, with glitz framing the sides.

A unique metal Fossil watch that a man could wear for any casual occasion is the Anadigi watch. This silver watch looks like a little digital clock in watch form. The watch can resist up to 50 meters of water, and the bracelet is made out of stainless steel.

Women’s Fossil Watches

Like men’s styles, women’s Fossil watch styles are also quite diverse. Women’s watches are also available in metal, strap, and designer categories, which are sure to suit the most formal or the most casual occasions.

An excellent example of a women’s strap watch that is ideal for a formal occasion is the White Mother of Pearl Dial watch. This watch consists of a thin patent leather strap, and the face of the watch contains Swarovski crystals.

A strap watch that is ideal for casual occasions is the Sunflower watch. Subtly decorative, the strap of this watch is metallic in color and embossed with little sunflowers. Enclosed in a stainless steel case, the dial of the watch is brown, and of a three-hand quartz movement.

Where to Find Fossil Watches

Fossil watches are easily found online or at local department stores. The price range of these watches is quite affordable, as many watches can be purchased for under $100. Indeed, if one is looking for a stylish, reliable, and affordable watch, a Fossil watch is an excellent choice.

A very young man named Louis Brandt, at La Chaux-de-Fonds in

After Louis Brandt died in 1879 his two sons took over the business and moved the company to

name of SMH. Though they are extreme high-end products, the market demand is still very high. This is because they are exceptionally well designed, manufactured with excellent workmanship and totally trouble free for its entire life time. 

The current range of Omega Watches include the following lines: Seamaster, Speedmaster, Aqua Terra,

Some Great Achievements of the Omega Watch Speak for Itself

1. There are a number of international and Hollywood super stars who wholeheartedly endorse and use this watch. Among those who are well known for their Omega watches are Cindy Crawford, Michael Schumacher, Nicole Kidman and so on. This year, Abhishek Bachchan, the famous son of the Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan, became the new Omega watch Ambassador.

2. The Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph was the first watch that made it to the moon; and this is not all. After that maiden voyage, the Omega watch was recommended and worn on all the NASA missions.

3. The Omega watch was the watch that “James Bond” (played by actor Pierce Brosnan) wore ever since the movie Goldeneye was shot. The model worn by the world famous 007 Agent was the 300M Omega Professional Chronometer. The watch is still the official watch for James Bond today.

4. There is an Omega watch that has become a collectible now, after being show-cased in the movie The Big Blue of Luc Besson. This watch is the Seamaster Professional 600.

5. It has also been the official time keeper at many Olympiads including the 2006 Olympiad. Omega will again don the official cloak for the Olympics of 2008. 

As you can see, the Omega watch is a world leader is many ways. It has maintained the highest standards of quality and design for over one and a half centuries, making it the instant favorite the world over. It is an upscale product, but something well worth the money spent on it.  In appreciation of its outstanding qualities, the Omega watch has been given its limelight position on the global stage; a place that it is well deserved and preserved by this brand.

There are a lot of things that the modern world has made available for our use and convenience; one such gadget is the wrist watch. Can anyone imagine life without a watch on our wrist today?

Because it is such a great gadget, the watch has been adjusted to fit in to every activity we indulge in.  

There are plenty of bejeweled watches made specifically for party wear. Both men and women models are available in a mind-boggling variety and styles. As a matter of fact, some reports say that watches are one of the largest selling items in the world both for men and women. The party watches usually are highly decorative and flashy, using precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc set in gold, silver and/or platinum. Needless to say that such pieces cost the earth (and sometimes even more than that) – though they are worth every penny. 

The sky is the limit when you think about how much exclusive diamond encrusted or solid gold watches cost; but if you think of them as heirloom pieces and an investment, they may not seem so outrageously priced any more. 

Sports  

For those who love the outdoors, sports watches resist sweat, shock, dust and all other things that go hand-in-hand with an active lifestyle. In this category, looks are not that important; what is important is the ruggedness of the watch so it can withstand the abuse of any sport without getting damaged.  This is how you get the shock-proof, scratch-proof, water-resistant and water-proof watches. There are other uses for time in sports - hence, watches are also used as chronometers, chronographs, stop-watch, and altitude meters, and so on. Many sports athletes endorse certain brands. That doesn’t imply that this is the only brand they wear, but perhaps it lends some credibility to the durability and style element of that watch. Everyday  This is the most popular ever type of watch. You see it on every wrist and there are thousands of styles, models, brands, makes, colors, and what not watches. There is something out there for each and every taste and budget. Most people prefer sturdy watches to dainty ones for day-to-day wear that are at least water resistant. Most people go for water proof varieties. There are many other extras the day-to-day wear watches can offer – such as alarm, hour chimes, light (for night vision), radium for low visibility areas, different time zones, date, moon calendar, and so on.   

Once upon a time a person would have one watch for his or her life time. Today, with the price being extremely reasonable, and the features being so diverse, people have three to four per head which are used as and when different occasions require, i.e. a party watch for celebrations, sports styles for workouts, and a regular one for going to work.  On this site we review all types of watch from the cheap to the very expensive so that whatever your price range or requirements you can have the full facts.