<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1204737666323810&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1" alt="facebook">
Q Insights

Jewellery insurance info, helpful guides, resources and industry-leading insights.

 

Jewellery Insurance

Key Questions to Ask When Choosing Jewellery Insurance

When selecting jewellery insurance, asking the right questions can help you...

How To Solve Everyday Dilemmas With Jewellery Insurance

Welcome to our guide on navigating everyday jewellery dilemmas with the hel...

Is Watch & Jewellery Theft on the Rise in 2024?

Concerned about the rise in watch and jewellery theft in 2024? A surge in t...

Insurance Information

Luxury Watches

The Surprising Hidden Features of Luxury Watches

Luxury watches are all about style and prestige. But below the surface lies...

The Essential Guide To Longines Watches

For over a century and a half, Longines watches have captivated collectors ...

Professional vs. DIY Watch Repairs: When to Seek Expert Help

Is your luxury watch not working quite the way it should? No need to panic.

Jewellery Trends

The Ultimate Guide To Using an Ultrasonic Jewellery Cleaner

You've built a collection of luxury jewellery that reflects your unique sty...

The Enduring Appeal of Black Gemstone Jewellery

Black gemstone jewellery has an enigmatic allure that captivates the senses...

How To Create Stunning Looks With Pearls

Are you wondering "how do I style pearls?" Step into the world of timeless ...

Subscribe

Keep up to date with the latest jewellery trends, insights and inspiration from Q Report.

Engagement Rings

Should You Buy a Moissanite Engagement Ring?

Gone are the days when engagement rings were a one-size-fits-all affair! To...

20 of the Best Engagement Present Ideas

Planning a gift for an engaged couple can feel like a high-stakes treasure ...

How to Find the Perfect Australian Wedding Photographer

Picture this: the soft morning light filtering through the lace curtains as...

Diamonds

Live Your Life in Colour: Canary Diamond Engagement Rings

Do you know diamonds come in a wide range of colours?

Lab Grown vs Natural Diamonds (What's the Difference?)

When most people think of diamonds, they think of natural diamonds.

The Surprising Science Behind Diamond Cutting

A natural diamond is as rich in history as it is in beauty. From the moment...

General

Proposing at Home: Do’s and Don’ts

According to a 2019 survey of 20,000 newly-engaged couples, 21 percent of p...

Are Diamonds a Good Investment?

Most people don’t consider buying diamonds until it’s time to purchase an e...

Brisbane’s Top 10 Proposal Locations

Your heart’s all a-flutter and it’s hard to sit still. So you’ve decided to...

Helpful Resources

Featured Resource

The Complete Guide to Jewellery Insurance

Access the Guide
Featured Resource

The Ultimate Guide to Luxury Watches

Access the Guide
Featured Resource

Ring Size Guide & Sizer

Download Guide

Understanding Your Luxury Watch

Q Report Team
Updated on October 06, 2022
4 min read

A luxury watch does more than tell time. It reveals your personality, conveys an appreciation for technology and enhances your appearance. Today’s premier timepieces rely on the ingenious inventions of the past while incorporating space-age materials and eco-friendly manufacturing processes.

But do you understand your luxury watch as well as you’d like to? Timepiece enthusiasts agree that the more you learn, the more you love. From mechanics to complications, let’s look at the basics of your luxury watch.

 

Types of Luxury Watches

A day at Baselworld is enough to make your head spin. With so many intricate complications and designs, it seems as if there’s no end to the variety of luxury watches. But every watch can be categorised into one of the following categories:

 

  • Quartz - A battery powers the movement, prompting the second hand to move in individual ticks.
  • Mechanical - The watch must be manually wound to cause the second hand to move in a sweeping motion. 
  • Automatic - Kinetic energy from the wearer’s wrist powers the movement to drive the mechanism in the watch

 

As you might guess, mechanical movements have been around the longest, followed by automatic movements and then, more recently, quartz. Although quartz movements may seem most practical, automatic watches hold the spot for most popular in today’s market.

 

How do Quartz Watches Work?

In 1969, Japanese-based Seiko introduced the revolutionary quartz movement, which kick-started an era of battery-powered wristwatches. From utilitarian to luxury, battery-powered watches were everywhere in the 1970s and 80s.

Here’s how the quartz movement works. The battery sends an electrical signal through a piece of crystal quartz, causing it to vibrate 32,768 times per second. The vibrations create a precise frequency, which is measured by the circuit and converted into a single pulse each second. This pulse moves the watch hands with precision.

 

How do Mechanical (and Automatic) Watches Work?

The mechanical movement seems incredibly intricate. Still, if you strip away the complications, you’ll find the same basic structure in every mechanical watch: a mainspring powering a going gear train, which is regulated by an escapement.

Instead of being powered by a battery, mechanical watches use energy from the wound mainspring. As it slowly unwinds, the spring transfers energy to various gears and springs, powering functions such as the watch hands and complications.

Automatic watches work much like mechanical watches, but they have a metal part called a rotor, which rotates freely and is connected to the movement. With every action of the wearer’s wrist, the rotor spins and transfers energy to the mainspring. As a result, the mainspring is automatically wound.

 

Important Terminology

As you learn about luxury watches, you may encounter new terms. Here are a few of the most common and helpful.

Watch-Illustration_Post-image-4

 

Bezel - The bezel holds the dial-side crystal in place. It may be screwed or snapped onto the watch’s case. Some luxury watches feature bezels that rotate to record elapsed time.

 

Bracelet - A bracelet is a flexible metal band that keeps the watch strapped to the wearer’s wrist.

 

Chronometer - Today, this term applies to watches that satisfy the requirements of the international standard ISO 3159/DIN 8319. Most enthusiasts agree that the name is only used for watches that have been evaluated by independent testing organisations, such as the Swiss Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC).

 

Crown - The crown protrudes from the side of the case and is used to wind the watch, set complications and protect the movement.  

 

Crystal - The crystal is the clear covering over the dial. Crystals are often made from scratch-resistant sapphire, but they may also be made from mineral glass or even plastic.

 

Dial - The dial is the visual interface to the watch. It may display a variety of information, including time and date.

 

Lugs - These metal bars connect the case to the bracelet or strap.

 

Strap - A strap is a thin band of leather, rubber or fabric that keeps the watch strapped to the wearer’s wrist.

 

Subdial - A subdial is a smaller dial on the main dial that displays additional information, such as a chronograph’s recorded time.

 

Connecting with Your Jeweller or WatchMaker

When you purchase your first luxury watch, ask plenty of questions. Your jeweller or watchmaker should be happy to answer queries and help you find the perfect watch for you. 

Like any mechanical object, a luxury watch requires maintenance from time to time. Ask your jeweller about the specific needs of your timepiece. As a general rule, take your watch in for a check-up every three to five years for upkeep. If you notice something wrong at any time, don’t hesitate to get it checked. In many cases, a simple adjustment can return it to its former glory.

 

Insure Your Luxury Watch

Protect your luxury watches with Q Report watch insurance. If the unexpected happens, you’ll be able to repair or replace it, even if you were travelling outside the country when the incident occurred.

We love luxury watches as you do, and we aim to keep yours safe.

 

New call-to-action

Jewellery Insurance Instant Quote

Global-Calculator-Background_resized

Jewellery Insurance Instant Quote

PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR DETAILS AND SELECT THE BEST TIME FOR US TO CALL YOU

BACK TO YOUR QUOTE

SEE WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY ABOUT US

Related Articles

Key Questions to Ask When Choosing Jewel...

When selecting jewellery insurance, asking the right questions can help you...

Should You Buy a Moissanite Engagement R...

Gone are the days when engagement rings were a one-size-fits-all affair! To...

The Surprising Hidden Features of Luxury...

Luxury watches are all about style and prestige. But below the surface lies...

Read what's next

Vector (25)

Engagement Ring Budget Calculator

What you need to save to meet your timeframe and budget is:

This has not taken cut, colour, clarity or carat, your financial situation or your partners taste into account. There are many factors that can reduce or increase the value of an engagement ring.


Not sure where to start?

Speak with one of our Q Certified Jewellers to find out what you can afford, what your partner is looking for and what will financially work best for you.

Find your local jeweller
How much would insurance cost?
Get an instant quote