Best Quality & Cool Watches for Men Under $500 Dollars

There are many different types of wrist watches to choose from.

Maybe you are in the market for your first watch, or perhaps you are buying one to add to your collection.

You need to decide where you will be wearing your watch the most.

A sports watch will not accessorize as well with a business suit, just like you wouldn't wear a formal watch to go swimming.

Cases

The case of the watch can be made of many different things. The case is what protects the movement and the dials, and most cases are made of metal.

Stainless steel is probably the most widely used and you will find them most often in higher ended watches. Stainless steel is attractive and timeless; it also resists tarnishing and discoloration.

Titanium is a popular choice because it weighs less than stainless steel; it is also just as durable. Then you have gold cases which are the pinnacle of class. These are typically made in 14 karat, 18 karat, or 22 karat gold that ranges from yellow, to rose, and even white.

Bands

Watch bands also vary greatly. However, there are two types of bands to choose from. Some feature a band that is more like a bracelet, and then others are like a strap. The bracelet type consists of interlocking metal links which most often make it easy to add or remove links to get a better fit.

Strap bands are made from materials such as leather, fabric, rubber, synthetic materials, nylon, or fabric. I personally like leather and fabric straps because they are very comfortable and look nice as well.

Believe it or not, not all watches get their power in the same way. Quartz watches are probably the most popular and are powered by a vibrating quartz crystal that moves the motor and hands.

An electric current passes through the crystal and keeps it oscillating over 32,000 vibrations per second. Quartz watches are the most accurate timekeepers. Batteries typically need to be changed about every year and a half or so. If you're lucky, you can find some solar powered rechargeable batteries.

Mechanical movements consist of gears and springs and they must be wound by hand. These are not quite as accurate as quartz powered watches, but these can last for many years, even generations.

Automatic moving watches use mechanical movements that do not require you to manually wind a watch every day. It is recommended that you adjust the time about once a month since these watches can sometimes gain or lose a few minutes every 30 days.

Since you are investing a good amount of money into your watch, it is wise to store them in watch boxes when you are not wearing them.

Most manufacturers will send you a beautifully crafted wood or leather box for presentation purposes.

However, these can easily be used for storage. The interiors are padded which will help protect your watch from getting scratched.

Also, many boxes feature automatic watch winders. This feature will keep your watch movement ticking even when you haven't worn it for a few days.

Features to Look For

Most watches feature a chronograph and the date, but you can often find watches that have lots of other varied features. Most watches are also water resistant up to a certain amount of feet.

Most common is 330 feet, but there are some that are not water resistant at all, or for more shallow depths. It is still recommended that you don't go swimming with a watch that is not rated for swimming, but you won't need to worry about ruining it while washing your hands, or being out in the rain.

Common features also include a window that shows the moon phases, and some have a continual calendar that does not ever need adjustment. A tourbillon is a device that is used to counter the effect of gravity and it is said to improve accuracy in a watch.

Sports watches often have very handy features such as a heart rate monitor, and even a GPS System. There are some watches on the market that even have a digital camera in them.

Make sure to note how large the watch face is that you are considering for purchase. The size of watch faces can vary greatly, and if you are more of a thin boned man, you will not want a watch with an overly large face. Also, if you have larger wrists, a small based watch would look a bit silly.