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Today's Newsletter

• Watch Traits

• Watches and Booze

• Learn Something

The Main Thing

Watch Traits

For this article, let's stick to automatic movements. Sure, one could call a quartz movement a "feature." Hell, with a quartz watch, you may not even need to worry about some of these things.

I'm a practical person. My wife says that I'm sometimes practical to a fault. Today, we'll talk about three basic and practical features. These features are important to me when shopping for a watch and you too should consider them.

Let's do it!

Water Resistance 100 m

A practical watch is one that you wear and don't worry about. So why would you want to be on edge about getting the thing wet? Poor water resistance is a no-go for me.

When watch shopping, I require at least 100 meters of water resistance. In many situations, anything less than 100 meters is only considered "splash-proof." Some amazing watches that are not water-resistant-enough for me (only 50 meters) include:

• Hamilton Mechanical

• Omega Speedmaster (Moon Watch)

I often wear my watches for days at a time; work, exercise, shower, and other things. I need to know that my watch can handle living my life so I can worry about other things.

If a watch is resistant to 100 meters, it can handle showers and the occasional tub soaking. (see above)

Power reserve 48 hours

Automatic watches are powered by your body's movement. Sure, you can hand-wind them, but that defeats the purpose. At a full charge, the watch can maintain powering itself for a period of time. I'm not sure who coined the term "weekend-proof," but that's what I want in my watches.

My watches should have at least a 48-hour power reserve; enough for two days. The weekend is two days, duh. Hence "weekend-proof." So I can take off my watch after work on Friday and put it back on Monday with it still keeping time.

Again, a minimum of 48 hours. More is better here. My Hamilton Khaki Field Auto has a power reserve of 80 hours. Want to nerd out? Make a spreadsheet based on your collection and watches' power reserves to create a "wearing schedule."

What's the nerdiest thing you do with watches?

Accuracy COSC

Watches should keep accurate time. This sounds like a no-brainer. In the watch-world, there are different levels of accuracy. Remember the Hamilton Khaki Field Auto that we mentioned earlier? It has the H-10 movement with accuracy claims of +/- 2-3 seconds per day to +/- 15 seconds per day. Mine is around the -15 mark.

In the scheme of life, 15 seconds per day is not significant.

For most people…

If you have repressed childhood trauma from being late for things (and likely some other undiagnosed things) you may need a more accurate watch. This is where COSC certification comes in.

Before we talk about COSC certification, there are accurate watches without it. We're not going down that rabbit hole today. COSC certification is a big deal. It involves watches being subjected to all sorts of tests and maintaining accuracy. The time variance for the basic COSC-certified watch is - 6 to +4 seconds per day. There are additional certifications that are more accurate.

If you want a super-accurate watch, look for COSC. Brands who undergo the certification often openly advertise it. And, it's expensive to do. One of my favorite, unknown brands with COSC certification is Serica. More specifically, their Travel Chronometer.

While it's COSC-certified, it only has a 40-hour power reserve. I let it slide because it's a GMT watch. You should check them out.

To Summarize

I want a few things in watches: water resistance, a decent power reserve, and accuracy.

More specifically:

• 100 meters of water resistance

• 48-hour power reserve

• COSC certification

What do YOU require for your watches?

Reply to this email and let me know!

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Shoutout Of the Week

Watches & Booze

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Trivia

Did You Know?

Many US Presidents love watches! Check out a few from President Joe Biden.

Rolex Datejust 41mm 126200

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 311.30.42.30.01.006

Omega Seamaster 300M Mid-size 2561.80

Seiko 7T32-6M90

And For Good Measure ;-)

Looking To Buy A Watch?
You’re in luck

I spend almost all my free time researching watches. In fact, I've become pretty knowledgeable in them. So let me help you.

For only $20, I’ll be your personal watch concierge. We chat and you tell me your criteria. I do the research and email you what I find. Three watches that you'll love, guaranteed.

Out Of Time

Signing Off

Thank you for joining me in this edition where we explored the essential features to consider when selecting the perfect watch.

We took a glimpse into President Biden's watch collection, shedding light on the diverse tastes of world leaders.

As always, I appreciate your readership and hope you found this newsletter both informative and engaging.

Stay tuned for our next edition, where we'll delve into more captivating topics in the world of timepieces.

Until then, keep ticking along with style and sophistication.

Timelessly Yours,

—

Ian

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