Luxury watches are the ultimate accessories. But finding the perfect timepiece for you among countless amazing options can be a little overwhelming. There’s no need to worry, though. To help you with that, here is everything you need to know about luxury watches to make an informed decision and get the right timepiece for you.

How are Luxury Watches Made?

While there are many aesthetic differences between watch brands and models, there’s one thing that every luxury watch has in common: they’re all made by expert watchmakers using exceptional materials.

With that, luxury watches have complex movements and many also have unique features, such as tourbillons, chronographs, tachymeters, moon phase complications, and much more.

Even though there’s a lot more to the art of watchmaking, the two most important things to know before you decide on the perfect watch are the different movements and designs. Let’s take a look at movements first.

The essence of every watch comes from its movements, which is the mechanism that allows the timepiece to accurately track time. When deciding on the perfect watch for you, there are three main movements to choose from: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.

Mechanical watches

Mechanical watches rely on a series of interconnected gears to keep time, and they need to be manually wound. As a result, these watches have a timekeeping process that’s solely mechanical, as their name suggests. These intricate timepieces are nothing short of wearable works of art.

Automatic watches

Automatic watches are similar to mechanical watches in that their movement also relies on a series of interconnected gears. However, automatic watches are self-winding, so you don’t need to manually wound them.

Quartz Watches

As for quartz watches, they rely on a battery to keep ticking, so they also don’t need to be wound. These watches substitute those intricate gears that make up the movement for quartz crystals that vibrate with the electric current that’s generated by the battery.

Dive Watches

It’s nearly impossible to think about these iconic watches and not picture James Bond wearing one of his stylish diver watches and a tuxedo. Some of these watches’ defining features include their metal case and band, unidirectional bezel, and high water resistance ratings, of course! Diver watches are perfect for everyday wear and they will leave you looking as elegant as 007 no matter where you’re headed.

Dress Watches

Dress watches are usually time-only models, so they don’t typically have any additional features. These minimalist timepieces boast either leather or metal straps, and their cases can be made of stainless steel or precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. Their sleek design makes dress watches effortlessly elegant and perfect for every occasion.

Pilot’s Watches

Originally designed to be worn during flights, pilot’s watches feature chronographs and easy-to-read dials, which are usually oversized. Some pilot’s watches also include GMT complications to track multiple time zones around the world. These elegant watches have a timeless design that’s perfect for both everyday wear and formal occasions, which is why they’re such a staple to have in your collection.

Field Watches

Descendant of WWI trench watches, field watches are minimalist military watches and are usually time-only models. Most field watches are made of stainless steel or titanium, and feature an easy-to-read dial. Thanks to their iconic style and sleek silhouette, field watches are not only incredibly versatile but also timeless pieces you can wear from the office to the bar and even out on a hike.

Racing Watches

Race cars and high-precision luxury watches have always walked hand-in-hand. Designed to track the speed of cars on the track, these watches’ two defining features are chronographs and tachymeters. For easy reading, most racing watches also display a large dial featuring bright, clear Arabic numerals. Thanks to their bold design, racing watches always make a statement. Racing Watch

Where to buy luxury watches in the Bay Area

Now that you’re basically a watch expert, here comes the fun part: choosing the perfect timepiece for you! At Shreve & Co., you’ll find a curated timepiece selection featuring watches by the world’s best brands, such as Breitling, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, TUDOR, and much more.

Visit us on Post Street in San Francisco or in Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto. And, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with our latest news and get some stunning jewelry inspiration!