Caliber
A caliber can be described as the type of movement used in a watch. It is expensive and impractical to design a unique movement for each watch model, so most manufacturers often use the same movement in different watch models, sometimes with significantly different designs. The term "caliber" is due to the fact that initially the type of movement was designated by a number (in inch lines) corresponding to its largest size; however, today unique names or alphanumeric indices that are not directly related to sizes are widely used.
Knowing the name of the caliber on which the watch you are interested in is built, you can, if desired, find more detailed information about the mechanism and determine how its characteristics meet your requirements.
Colour
The main colour of the watch case.
Modern watches are quite diverse in colour options. The most widespread models are in shades of "
stainless steel ",
golden and
black ; however, in addition to this, on the market you can find, in particular,
white,
yellow,
green,
brown,
red,
orange,
pink,
silver,
grey,
blue and
purple cases.
In general, the colour of the case is a fairly obvious parameter; Let's note only some of the nuances associated with marking:
— Multi-coloured models include models in which there is no clearly defined primary colour. If there is such a colour, it is indicated in the characteristics. And for two-tone cases, an additional colour can be specified, for example, "stainless steel
with gold " or "black
with blue "
— Silver, among other things, are plastic cases without additional coloring.
— "Stainless steel" in this case is a c
...olour, not a material; other metals (e.g. aluminium and titanium) that are not complemented by PVD coating (see “Case Coating”) may have this shade. And the cases of gold watches, in turn, are not necessarily made of gold — red and white gold are also used in jewelry.
— Camouflage coloring is indicated separately — such watches are designated as "military", and here, again, the main shade of the coloring is given. However, not every military model has camouflage on the body; see below for details.Bezel material
— Stainless steel. An inexpensive yet very practical material. "Stainless" looks decent, resists corrosion and scratches well, and retains its marketable appearance for a long time. However, it is quite heavy.
— Aluminum. Considered slightly more advanced than stainless steel. Aluminum alloy is also strong, corrosion and scratch-resistant, and has a solid appearance. On one hand, it is noticeably lighter, but on the other, it is more expensive.
— Titanium. A premium-class material used in watches of the corresponding price level. Titanium alloys combine lightness and high strength. They are practically resistant to corrosion, do not require protective coatings, and are hypoallergenic. On the downside, titanium is quite sensitive to scratches.
— Gold. The bezel is made of jewelry gold or has a gold-plated coating. Note that the color can vary: besides classic yellow, white and red gold are also available. In any case, such watches are quite expensive and look the part; they are mainly aimed at those who need a rich, image-enhancing accessory rather than just a timepiece.
— Plastic. The common features of all types of plastic are ease of processing, relatively low cost, light weight, hypoallergenic properties, and moisture resistance. However, it is worth noting that there are many types of plastic, including high-strength varieties that are as reliable as steel.
— Carbon. A composite material, essential...ly high-quality plastic: carbon fiber threads embedded in a polymer filler. Carbon is notable for its combination of light weight and very high strength, overall surpassing even steel in reliability; at the same time, it has many advantages of plastic. A drawback, aside from the high cost, is its sensitivity to localized impacts.
— Ceramic. Ceramic refers to various materials produced by sintering and firing at high temperatures. This material stands out for its solid appearance and very high scratch resistance. At the same time, ceramics are quite sensitive to impacts.
Thickness
The thickness of the watch case. A fairly obvious parameter; we only note that nowadays it is customary to attribute watches with a thickness of less than 7 mm to
ultra-thin models. This design has both aesthetic and quite practical meaning — a thin watch will be useful for those who wear narrow sleeves with tight-fitting cuffs.
Weight
Total weight of the watch. As a rule, it is indicated taking into account the complete strap/bracelet.
The lightest modern watch weighs
no more than 50 g. The most popular models weigh 50 - 100 g, and weight more than 150 g most often means not only a large, but also a fairly advanced device, usually for sports and tourism purposes.
Both light and heavy weight have their advantages: light watches create minimal inconvenience when worn, while massive watches are subconsciously perceived as a solid and reliable device.
