Watch Buying Guides
Plain-English guides for buying mechanical and quartz watches. Written from the catalog data — every claim about size, movement, or price retention links back to a watch you can verify against.
Buying
Do Watches Hold Their Value?
Most watches lose 30-50% of MSRP on the secondary market. A specific shortlist of references holds 90% or appreciates. Here's how to tell which is which.
What Size Watch Should I Get?
The right watch size depends on wrist circumference and lug-to-lug, not diameter alone. Most wrists land in the 38-42mm range. Here's how to figure out yours.
Explainer
What Is a Microbrand Watch?
A microbrand is a small, independent watchmaker — usually run by 1-10 people — selling direct-to-consumer at prices between $200 and $2,000. Here's how they differ from mainstream brands.
Automatic vs Quartz vs Manual Movements
Quartz is battery-powered, accurate, and cheap. Automatic winds itself from wrist motion. Manual is wound by hand. Here's how to pick between them.
Reference
How to Track Your Watch Collection
Spreadsheet or app? What to record for every watch — references, service dates, wear — and how cost-per-wear turns a log into better buying decisions.
Watch Size Guide: Diameter, Lug-to-Lug and Thickness
Diameter is the number everyone quotes; lug-to-lug is the one that decides fit. How to read the three case dimensions, with wrist-size rules of thumb.