![]() But with each new round of testing, all previously vetted models need to prove themselves against newer competition to maintain their spots. In some cases, our test samples didn’t need to be returned immediately, allowing us to continue gathering impressions beyond our official evaluation period. They wore them while exercising, adventuring, walking around town, sleeping, doing the dishes, and even showering, then told us how easy the watches were to use and how they felt on their wrists. We considered features, construction, style, and price and had our test editors wear the most promising options for one week. To find cheap watches that don’t skimp on performance, we set a $200 limit, researched the market, consulted user and expert reviews, and spoke with product managers about the latest releases. Also, watches with leather bands, which become brittle when water binds to the leather’s oil and then evaporates, are best left on land. Even if the case is water-ready, most companies recommend not adjusting the buttons underwater just to be sure. “It’s really a feat of engineering, how basic they are but how much pressure they can withstand.” Some models are built with high-quality materials that handle the pressure 1,000 meters or more below the water’s surface, but anything greater than 30 meters offers the protection you need for most activities, including swimming, Scriniere says. “It’s amazing how far case construction has come,” he says. No matter what type of watch you choose, Scriniere recommends evaluating the water-resistance rating. Although they do not need regular battery maintenance, mechanical watches should be serviced every five years or so to ensure accuracy. A watch with manual movement requires you to wind it, whereas the more common automatic movement harnesses the energy from your body movement to turn a rotor that does the winding, instead. That winding tightens the mainspring, and as this spring loosens, it sets the gears and other parts in motion to move the watch hands. Other timepieces operate on more complex (and expensive) mechanical movements that require manual or automatic winding. ![]() Because they have few moving parts, quartz watches are more affordable, but eventually, the battery needs to be replaced. Electrical currents from the battery cause a small quartz crystal to vibrate, and those vibrations advance the hands. Quartz mechanisms are powered by batteries. Understanding Analog Watch MovementsĪnalog watches can run on one of two movement types: quartz or mechanical. Band materials include leather, nylon, and metal. Today, field watches can also have titanium cases, and crystals-the clear covering over the dials-are commonly mineral or sapphire (the latter is the most scratch-resistant). Originally used by the military, field watches traditionally feature quartz movement for accuracy and a stainless-steel case for durability. If you don’t need many special features, consider an analog model like a field watch that will work for diving, hunting, and even casual wear. With a focus on data, sports watches usually have digital displays, some with touchscreens, and feature silicone or resin straps. They typically offer greater water-resistance than analog watches, and smarter models track a smattering of activities, your heart rate, and more. Think about how you plan to use your new watch, and that should help you navigate the options to the model that will serve you best.Ī sports watch, and possibly something more specialized such as a smart watch or altimeter watch, is the way to go if you plan to work up a sweat. You can choose specific functions, various strap and case materials, and in the case of analog, how your watch actually ticks. ![]() The world of watches is a vast one, and differences go far beyond analog and digital. We’ve tested many watches, sussing out the strengths and flaws of each to recommend the best. The price of some smart watches has come down considerably without sacrificing much functionality, and there are plenty of lower-tech options that look great and track time, if that’s all you want and need. “Now the technology has come to a point where there’s a lot of good inexpensive watches out there,” says Michael Scriniere, a Pennsylvania-based watchmaker certified through the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute. You don’t have to drop hundreds of dollars to get a reliable, feature-packed watch to wear around town, track your workout, or take into the field. ![]()
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