A digital watch is not something you bring with you at a wedding, business meeting or another event that requires a black tie and suit. They’re great tough for outdoor use and other places where a durable watch comes in handy. Usually the chronograph mechanism behind a digital watch is quartz based that uses an electronic oscillator that is regulated by a quartz crystal to keep time. It’s at lease 10 times more precise than a good mechanical clock, so you do understand why a digital watch is the better alternative to keep an accurate time. If style is your concern then go for something else.

Now, back to the functions employed by digital watches, here’s where this type of wrist watch shines, featuring things you didn’t even imagined possible on a computer a few years ago. So here are a few functions employed by digital watches (and sports watches, for that matter):

• date (with month and year display)
• chronograph with start/stop function and some to lap time measurement
• altimeter
• thermometer
• alarm clock
• atomic timekeeping (automatic sync through radiowaves that transmit time from an atomic watch)
• solar powered (no need to recharge)
• waterproof (the case is isolated so that the watch resists submerged in liquids). Maximum depth varies with model
• shock resistance (don’t worry to drop it off the ground from time to time)
• illuminated screen for night time functionality
• GPS function
• heart rate monitor
• pedometer

Want to get a digital watch? Take a look at Amazon.com, one of the biggest collection of digital watches out there, all at a click away, with prices starting in sub 10$ range.

A stainless steel watch is made from steel resistant to rust and usually the wrist band gets the same treatment, so they match color and durability. As a leather wrist band, a stainless steel one can be adjusted to the desired size by removing or adding elements to the chain that forms the wrist band. Contrary to a leather wrist band a stainless steel one handles moisture better but it collects more dirt so you have to clean it up more often. Keep in mind that it also pulls the hair from your hand and can get uncomfortably hot under direct sunlight.

But despite those disadvantages I don’t see the point of a stainless steel watch with a leather or rubber band. It doesn’t look nice, that’s the truth. Anyway, stainless steel watches are not the right choice if you want to go to a fancy meeting, but more as a sportsman companion. That’s why many sports watches are in fact stainless steel models.

What types of functions stainless steel watches perform?

Just as sports watches, stainless steel variants can perform various tasks, so here are a few of them:

• date (with month and year display)
• chronograph with start/stop function and some to lap time measurement
• automatic movement (just move your hands a few times a day and the watch charges automatically from your kinetic energy)
• waterproof (the case is isolated so that the watch resists submerged in liquids). Maximum depth varies with model
• shock resistance (don’t worry to drop it off the ground from time to time)
• illuminated indicators for night time functionality

Want to get a stainless steel watch? Take a look at Amazon.com, one of the biggest collection of stainless steel watches out there, all at a click away.

As a definition, a water resistant watch is a marking that tells how well the watch is insulated against water leaks. Markings like “Water resistant 100m” means that particular wrist watch model was tested in water against 100 meters of static pressure. If you forgot physics, static pressure is the pressure of the water column found above the watch. If you’re wearing the watch and move your hands (as you would do) there are other forces involved, forces that can break the watch, that’s why you should take some margins into consideration.

Also make sure that you don’t use the watch submerged in water for longer periods of time, as it will also damage the watch or some of its components like the seals that age faster under water than in thin air. Because there isn’t any official classification of water resistant watches here’s a table taken from Wikipedia that compare current markings with suitability and activities permitted with such models:

Tip: When servicing a water resistant watch ensure you take it to a specialized repair shop, so that a professional ensures all seals are in place and the wrist watch is again water tight once the case has been opened and internal components exposed to air.

Some people are not even interested in the story behind the watch as long as it’s cool, works without issues and makes other turn heads when they walk down the street. This is why I believe a post about the best wrist watch companies in the world is meant to help people choose the right watch based on the manufacturer, or at least avoid the bad brands.

The list I’ve included in this post is not referring to the wrist watch companies with the biggest profits or sales, it refers to brands by reputation and includes companies that are traditional watch companies, not fashion brands that also happen to own a watch line, like Gucci, Kalvin Klein, Armani and such (avoid those names at all costs). The list of the best wrist watch companies in the world that produce wrist watches is now ordered, it’s a ‘pool’ of names, if you like.

So, let’s see the list with the best wrist watch companies in the world:

• Rolex
• Cartier
• Patek Philippe
• TAG Heuer
• Chopard
• Bell
• Nixon
• Breitling
• Audemars Piguet
• IWC
• Piaget
• Omega
• Breguet
• Tissot
• Jaeger-Le-Coultre
• Girard-Perregaux
• Longines
• Rado
• Vacheron Constantin
• Hublot
• A.Lange&Sohne
• Raymond Weil
• Baume & Mercier
• Blancpain
• Ulysse Nardin
• Movado
• Hamilton
• Panerai
• Jacob & Co.
• Suunto
• Zenith

Do you have any other names in mind? Let me know and I’ll include them in this list. Also if you feel like the list is incomplete or doesn’t include the correct watch brands feel free to leave a comment below.

Whether we like it or not, a watch defines us, tells others what you’re made of, what are your priorities in life (cheap means you’re hunting for bargains, not putting too much importance on  style, while expensive means you can either afford it or you prefer to pay more for looks than other amenities).

Which type of watch goes with what clothing?

My take on this matter is that you don’t have to be too obsessed with matching a wrist watch with your current wardrobe, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have two or three watch models, one stainless steel that goes well with almost every type of occasion, except the ones where a tuxedo is required. For those occasions you can get a leather strap wrist watch. For very sporty occasions or environments that are harsh you can opt for a rubber strap watch, that will be more comfortable to use and will last longer (it can be replaced easily if broken and it’s also cheaper than other options).

Other rules

In the end all you have to do is follow the rules above and you’ll be fine. Don’t buy 1 dollar watches, opt for a popular name, and chose the model that you can afford. As a rule, don’t buy a watch that’s more expensive than all the clothes you wear at a given time (unless you’re talking about sport apparel, which usually don’t cost much). If you’re really rich try and get more watches that match partially your wardrobe (similar strap color, screen color and so on). And don’t even think of not wearing a watch at all (it’s OK maybe if you’re an artist, but that’s pretty much it).

This doesn’t mean that wrist watches are obsolete, so I thought of making a list with the most important advantages of using wrist watches against things like smart-phones and other complex consumer gadgets:

• A wrist watch is stylish and is always on display for others to see it
• If you want to take a look at your smartphone display to tell the time you have to take it out of your pocket, which takes additional time, plus it’s impossible to do when your hands are full of groceries
• A wrist watch always displays the time, so you don’t lose time browsing through menus and such
• There are places where your phone can’t follow you, like the sea side, so here’s where a waterproof wrist watch takes the lead
• Wrist watches are a thing of social status, so wearing them has certain advantages, especially in business meetings
• Backup is always good to have, in case your phone is lost or gets broken. Given the fact that wrist watches don’t weight too much you won’t feel the additional weight on your shoulders.

Those are a few reasons to keep a wrist watch. Of course you might have your own, so please share them with you if you please, so everyone can know why it’s important to wear your wrist watch, despite the alternatives that lie in front of you.

As you might have remembered, the inPulse is not a replacement for your Blackberry, but a kind of external display that shows you important info like upcoming appointments, the caller’s ID and headers for the most recent messages.  Because they’ve learned from their mistake, no shipping date is being announced (they’ve already missed the February 2010 deadline), but you can pre-order the inPulse watch from their site for 149$, which is a bargain if you ask me.

Bits of pieces of inPulse watch phones

So why are sports watches so appealing? Well, they last longer than any other type of wrist watch and don’t say “handle with care of I will break“, because they are built to last. Now, the other thing is price, as most sports watches are cheap to purchase. Some models are very very expensive (think of collection watches from Porsche and Bugatti, real masterpieces, but expect to get a few grands from your pocket for the cheaper ones). Anyway, those are the exception to the rule, as sports watches are generally accessible.

What types of functions sports watches perform?

I’ve said earlier that sports watches have many functions besides time keeping, so let’s see as short list of what a watch built for sportsmen can do for you:

• date (with month and year display)
• chronograph with start/stop function and some to lap time measurement
• altimeter
• thermometer
• alarm clock
• atomic timekeeping (automatic sync through radiowaves that transmit time from an atomic watch)
• solar powered (no need to recharge)
• automatic movement (just move your hands a few times a day and the watch charges automatically from your kinetic energy)
• waterproof (the case is isolated so that the watch resists submerged in liquids). Maximum depth varies with model
• shock resistance (don’t worry to drop it off the ground from time to time)
• illuminated screen for night time functionality
• GPS function
• heart rate monitor
• pedometer

That’s a big list of things a sports watch can do for you, but don’t expect one with many of the functions listed above to be a thing of beauty, as it’s just too big to be considered beautiful. But that’s not the point of a sports watch, who’s meant to do a lot of things and be tough.

Want to get a sports watch? Take a look at Amazon.com, one of the biggest collection of sports watches out there, all at a click away.

The second type, the analog wrist watch chronograph, uses different gauges for minutes and hours, while the seconds are indicated by the big second hand, found on the same axe with the timekeeping hours and minutes hands. The timekeeping seconds are usually indicated by a smaller gauge inside the main ring.

Controlling the chronograph

…is pretty simple, all you need to know is to use the two buttons associated with this function: Start/Stop and Reset. The first one is used to start and stop the chronograph. If you press this button once it starts to count. Press it twice and it stops, press it the third time and it continues to count. The Reset button is used to reset the counter.

Tip: If you press Reset button once the counting is in progress it will usually stop the counter. Pressing the Reset button the second time will continue counting. At this point if you want to Reset the counter just hit the Start/Stop button. After that things will return to normal.

Analog chronograph watch indicators and buttons

Do you know other types of chronograph watches? If so let us know so we can update this article properly. Hope this will help you better understand how things work with chronograph watches and how you can use this function properly.

Is moisture bad for my wrist watch?

That’s the question most would ask: is it worth to care about moisture and wrist watches? Well, if you care about your watch then you should care, as moisture and metal always lead to rust, even if your watch is made from stainless steel. Eventually if will get damaged so you have to ensure that the moisture is taken out as fast as possible. Don’t leave your watch with moisture inside or you’ll find one day it doesn’t work any more.

How to prevent moisture from getting inside a watch?

This is the obvious caution step to do right after you buy a watch. It helps if you don’t want to read on to the chapter describing how to get rid of the water inside a watch. First, ensure that you are not carrying your watch when diving, washing, shaving or possibly when it rains outside (put it in your inside pocket for example). Take care of it by ensuring you’re not opening up the back plate to replace batteries. If you have to replace them take your watch to a specialized watch repair shop, where they will seal off the back again after replacing the batteries (this most be done every time the watch is opened and the mechanism inside comes in contact with the atmosphere).

Don’t smash your watch as any tight crack into the screen can let moisture or water inside. The general idea is to take care of your watch, no matter what the purpose.

How to get rid of the moisture once it entered the watch?

That’s the tricky part if you already got the problem. My first advice is to take the watch to a specialized repair shop where they can take care of the problem, especially if it’s an expensive watch. If you feel that your DIY (Do-It-Yourself) skills are up to the job here are a few things you could try (ON YOUR OWN RISK).

• Pop the back of the watch with a screwdriver or a small knife, careful not to scratch or damage the mechanism. Then use warm air from a hair drier to evaporate the water or, alternatively, you could put the watch into a LOW TEMPERATURE oven for a few hours. If you’re too afraid you could leave the watch on a desk for a few days so that the water evaporates naturally (with the back plate removed), but make sure no dust particles enters the case.
• This is an intelligent option that anyone can do: put the watch inside a closed case with a few packs of silica gel dessicant packages found usually inside the retail packages that come with electronic devices. If should work after a few days.

Hope those few tips help. If you know any other way you could take the moisture off a wrist watch let me know so I can update this article.