Glass material
The material of the transparent coating covering the dial.
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Plastic. Transparent plastic (also known as "plexiglass", also known as "organic glass") is considered the simplest option and is found mainly in models of the initial and middle price range, mainly sports and tourist specialization. This material is lightweight, inexpensive, and also tolerates shocks and falls well: with a strong impact, it will crack rather than break, and plastic fragments are much safer than glass ones. These properties are indispensable for
shockproof watches. On the other hand, plastic is very sensitive to scratches and tends to become cloudy quickly due to scratches; and in general it gets dirty more easily than glass.
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Mineral. Mineral in this case means ordinary, widespread glass — like the one used in windows. It favorably differs from plastic in high hardness: to scratch such material, you need to make considerable efforts. As a result, mineral glass varieties do not become cloudy and remain transparent for almost the entire life of the watch. Among the shortcomings, brittleness can be noted: upon impact, the glass surface can shatter into fragments. On the other hand, even for ordinary glass, such a blow should be quite strong; in addition, manufacturers often use various design solutions (“dial” recessed into the case, tempered glass, etc.) in order to reduce the ri
...sk of such an accident to an absolute minimum. Thanks to all this, mineral glass has become widespread today in all types and price categories of watches.
— Sapphire. Glass made of artificially grown sapphire (transparent corundum — aluminium oxide). The main advantage of this material is the highest scratch resistance: such a surface can only be scratched with a diamond or a material similar in hardness to it. On the other hand, sapphire crystals are not cheap, but they do not withstand shocks well and are relatively unsuitable for "protected" watches. As a result, this material is found mainly in rather expensive models designed for everyday use (although there are exceptions).Crown protection
A safety plate in the area of the crown ensures that this weak spot is protected from damage and leaks.
The crown protection systems are the guarantors of shock resistance and water resistance of watches.
Waterproof
As the name suggests, this parameter determines the degree of resistance of the watch to moisture. It is traditionally stated as the maximum depth under water at which the watch is able to remain watertight; however, it must be borne in mind that this number is very arbitrary. The fact is that when calculating the maximum immersion depth, only the static pressure of water is taken into account, that is, the pressure at complete immobility; at the same time, any movement creates dynamic pressure, which significantly increases the load on the body. In practice, this means that a mark of, for example, 50 m does not mean that you can dive to a depth of 50 m with a watch.
Modern water protection markings correspond to the following practical possibilities:
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30 m(same as “Water Resistant” without any numbers). Entry level, drops of water are allowed, but not strong splashes. For example, such a watch can be left on in the rain or when washing, but when showering or washing a car, it should be left in a safe place. Of course, there is no talk of immersion in water.
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50 m. Minimum water resistance, allowing the watch to be immersed in water. These watches can usually be used for swimming, and in some cases even jumping into the water (but not from towers), but they are not suitable for more serious tasks like surfing, snorkeling or scuba diving. As a rule, buttons are not allowed to be
...used underwater.
- 100 m. This degree of water protection allows not only swimming, but also diving to shallow depths, however, it is still considered insufficient for surfing, jumping from towers and scuba diving.
- 200 m. Watches with such water protection are classified as “divers”; models and can withstand scuba diving to depths of up to 20 m.
- 300 m or more. Professional diving models suitable for diving to significant depths.
Please note that the characteristics described are approximate. Specific indicators of water resistance and the possibility of using the watch with water should be clarified according to the official data of the manufacturer.Diameter (width)
The nominal size of a watch case in diameter (for round cases) or width (for other options, see "Case Shape"). In the most miniature modern models, this size is
21 – 25 mm or even
less, among the largest there are cases of
46 – 50 mm and even
larger.
Larger watches are more convenient in the sense that the dial readings are better visible on them, and it is easier to provide various additional functions in the design. On the other hand, small watches look neater and create less discomfort directly when worn. In addition, female models (see "Gender") are traditionally made more miniature than male ones. So the choice for this indicator depends mainly on the intended specifics of the application: for example, large cases are best suited for outdoor activities and tourism, about
41 – 45 mm in size, for household wear (regardless of gender) — about
31 – 35 mm, and as an accessory to an evening dress, a small watch of
30 mm or less would be more appropriate.
Also note that the size of a compatible strap/bracelet is associated with this indicator — see "Strap Width" for details.
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.
