Defining Features and Functions of a Luxury Watch

Man Wearing Gold Luxury Watch from Fink's Jewelers

Whether you’re shopping for a new timepiece to add to your collection or it’s your first luxury watch purchase, we know how exhilarating it is. We also know it can get a bit overwhelming for the watch novice. With a vast selection of features, functions, and styles to consider, it’s wise to have a better understanding of your options before making this investment.

With the help of our luxury watch experts, we’ll guide you through your designer watch journey and help you find the best men’s watch or women’s timepiece to fit your wants and needs.

Why Purchase a Luxury Timepiece?

Breitling Superocean Heritage Chronograph 44 Watch

Think of a designer watch as an extension of yourself. A fine watch should represent your style and personality. It can be the ultimate accessory for any occasion, from the boardroom to hiking trails. A fine timepiece is often seen as a symbol of status and sophistication, offering a glimpse into your keen fashion sense as it embraces your wrist. 

Is a Designer Watch Worth the Investment?

When you purchase a fine women’s or men’s timepiece, you are investing in a brand known for high-quality craftsmanship, materials, and longevity. Not to mention, your investment in a superior quality watch will last a lifetime, creating a keepsake you can hand down for generations. The sentimental value it will hold is priceless and makes your investment worth it all on its own. 

They also make the perfect keepsake gift for everything, from birthdays to graduations. From Breitling to Tudor, luxury watches offer:

  • Durability
  • Dependability
  • Accuracy
  • Exclusivity
  • Value

Finding the Ideal Women’s or Men’s Watch

TAG Heuer Ladies' Aquaracer Professional 300

Finding the watch that meets all your wants and needs is essential. As you consider your priorities, select models that help ensure your choice makes an unforgettable addition to your timepiece collection. While you may be inclined to purchase a designer watch for its brand name or modern aesthetic, we recommend not investing in a timepiece that catches your eye without a little research.

With all the various features and functions available with luxury timepieces today, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Making an informed decision when it comes time to make your purchase will help you feel confident about the investment you’re making while bringing you years of use from the complications you’ve chosen. 

What Are Watch Complications?

As you begin your search, you’ll notice most luxury timepiece brands offer an array of complications. Complications are the features on a watch other than time-telling. The assortment of functions and features you’ll find make each timepiece incredibly useful for a variety of activities. Of course, there are some complications that are desirable to have just because you can.

The most common complications include:

  • Date
  • Alarm 
  • Perpetual calendar
  • Time zones 
  • Chronometer
  • Tachymeter 
  • Power reserve indicator 
  • GMT complication
  • Moon phases
TUDOR Black Bay Fifty-Eight

While most of these features are commonly known, our luxury timepiece specialists have put together a quick-start list to educate you on some of your most common options. 

Watches with a Chronometer

A watch with a chronometer is particularly valuable for navigation. This feature is a mechanical movement that accurately measures the time of any known fixed location. A chronometer is a defining feature of luxury watches, as the timepiece must undergo a series of tests to ensure its precision. Both external and internal measurements in various situations are evaluated before being certified as a chronometer timepiece. 

Watches with a Tachymeter

Tachymeters are scales you may find inscribed along the bezel of analog watches with a chronometer. Watches with a tachymeter can measure a person or object’s speed based on the amount of time traveled over any fixed distance. 

Choosing Between Strap and Bracelet Band Watches

Tudor 1926 on Leather Display

While it may simply come down to preference, we encourage you to take a few additional considerations into mind. A luxury timepiece is an investment you’ll want to be happy with for years to come, so choose your band style wisely, ensuring both beauty and comfort.

While designer watches are remarkable, whether you select a nylon or leather band or opt for a bracelet link style, decide which one meets your needs best with a few suggestions from our watch experts.

Watches with a Bracelet Band Style

Watches with bracelet bands are quite appealing to some, but we highly recommend trying them on, as they can add to the weight of your timepiece. However, the metal is incredibly resilient, holding up against accidental scratches and bumps.  

You should also consider the conditions in which you may wear your watch. Will you keep it on for outdoor activities? Does your daily routine keep you near water or under humid conditions? Evaluating your daily routine can help you decide if a watch with a bracelet band is right for you.

Watches with a Strap Band Style

Leather, rubber, and nylon bands offer lightweight comfort and durability. With an array of colors and styles to select from, each has a different look and feel to accommodate everyone’s needs and tastes. From the rugged outdoors to life by the ocean, watches with a strap band may be ideal for you.

Selecting Your Watch Movement

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Women's Watch

What makes your timepiece tick is referred to as the movement or caliber. This mechanism within a luxury watch functions a lot like an engine.

The two types of watch movements include:

  • Mechanical
  • Quartz

Mechanical Watch Movement

The mechanical movement can be self-winding or automatic. These watches without a battery harness kinetic energy through your everyday movements. This type of movement tends to be preferred in luxury timepieces but may be slightly less accurate keeping time and carry a higher price tag. 

Quartz Watch Movements

Selecting a quartz movement does have its perks. A quartz movement requires a lithium battery, which, in turn, makes it impeccable at keeping time. You can also find higher-end quartz watches that recharge their batteries by the sunlight. This movement type is also easier to maintain but just as luxurious as a mechanical. 

Our Favorite Timepieces

While we have many favorite luxury watches, we’d like to highlight three brands in particular that offer exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and defining features our clients enjoy. From casual wear to black-tie events, these three luxury watch brands offer men’s and women’s watch styles that are sure to capture your attention and fulfill your needs.  

1. Breitling Watches

Man Wearing Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 Watch

Breitling’s collection of luxury watches includes some of the world’s most sought-after pieces. From its Superocean and Navitimer models to the stunning Chronomat line, Breitling watches offer men and women elegance, style, and undeniable quality.

Breitling accommodates every taste with its incredible selection of band styles. No matter your material preference or lifestyle needs, you’ll find choices ranging from gold and leather to rubber and alligator. With timeless designs and bold diamond accent faces to choose from, you’re sure to find a watch to wear with your everyday looks and for special occasions.

Breitling Men’s Watches

Known for its historical excellence in cockpit clocks and flight instruments, Breitling brings the aesthetic to many of its men’s watches. Fine, rugged, and versatile, the Chronomat collection boasts a vintage look with all the useful complications any traveler will love. Experience classic features with modern refinements that make Breitling timepieces works of art.

Breitling Women’s Watches

We’ll dare to say you haven’t experienced a luxury woman’s watch quite like a diamond-accented Chronomat. Designed for both outdoor weekend excursions and a night out on the town, the collection boasts beauty, power, and playfulness in one. Offering a lovely variety of face colors, embellishments, and band styles, Breitling offers one of the most versatile luxury women’s watch collections. 

2. TAG Heuer Watches

TAG Heuer Men's Monaco X Gulf Iconic Watch

Always a favorite among men and women, TAG Heuer timepieces have remained unparalleled in mechanical accuracy since 1860. From sleek lines to timeless faces, TAG Heuer Swiss timepieces are works of excellence.

TAG’s collection of watches offers an array of luxury features, including watches with diamonds and mother-of-pearl accents. Its versatile designs allow you to transition any look from day to night. Enjoy watches with metal straps, nylon, alligator, and more. Rated one of the most accurate timepieces made, the TAG Heuer watch collection is a must-see.

TAG Heuer Men’s Watches

At Fink’s, you’ll find an extensive collection of TAG men’s watches to enhance your wardrobe. From sporty watches to classic designs, you’ll have no problem finding a TAG to start or add to your collection. Accessorize with a versatile watch with quartz chronograph movement, one of many from the TAG Heuer and Gulf Formula 1 watch partnership. Designed with precision and perfection, the legendary timepiece brand synchronizes modern, edgy, and sophisticated styles so every man can look good and play hard.

TAG Heuer Women’s Watches

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Ladies' Quartz Movement White Mother-of-Pearl Dial Watch

TAG offers something special for every woman’s wrist with its incredible selection of women’s watches. Combining a sporty aesthetic accented with diamonds is just one way TAG Heuer merges versatility with beauty. Be bold and pretty in pink, wearing a brushed steel bracelet watch with a pink dial. Or celebrate with a watch with two-tone metals for a special anniversary gift to pair with all her 14k yellow and white gold jewelry. No matter what your taste in luxury accessories may be, there’s a timeless TAG women’s watch meant for you.

3. Tudor Watches

Experience luxury, sophistication, and reliability with a timeless Tudor timepiece. Designed for versatility, Tudor offers the ideal accessory for any occasion. From adventurous trips to black-tie events, you’ll find stylish options built to perfection.

Known for its attention to detail, Tudor tests each timepiece component under extreme conditions, ensuring the highest quality materials, durability, and longevity. The Tudor collection offers men and women a vast selection of watches with metal bands, leather, and more. From impeccable performance to luxurious aesthetic, the Tudor timepiece collection checks all the boxes.

Tudor Men’s Watches

Black Bay GMT S&G

Whether you’re shopping for yourself or the special man in your life, Tudor boasts a vast collection of stunning men’s timepieces. Tudor men’s luxury watches offer something extraordinary for every gentleman’s wrist for every occasion.

Choose from the rich aesthetic of a multi-metal wristwatch or the meticulous fabric strap Tudor timepieces that make any casual look sophisticated. From watches with self-winding mechanical movements to handsome luxury watches with leather straps, Tudor knows how to impress.

Tudor Women’s Watches

Sleek, timeless, and luxurious, our Tudor women’s watch collection combines versatility and style. Pamper yourself or the special lady in your life with a luxury timepiece that knows no limits. Explore our selection of watches with gem-set mother-of-pearl or gift her with a beautiful steel and rose gold bracelet wristwatch to pair with her bangle or bracelet collection.

Caring for Your Luxury Timepiece

Watchmaker Repairs Luxury Watch

At Fink's Jewelers, we offer expert watch repairs and services for all your timepiece needs. Many of our stores have a highly skilled watch repair specialist on-site to answer your questions and address your needs. You can trust that our knowledgeable watch repair teams are certified to provide routine and preventative repairs and services, even on Swiss timepieces.

The care and maintenance of your investment is important to us. It’s our pleasure to offer you routine cleanings, inspections, and needed repairs. In fact, regardless of where you may have purchased your designer watch, we’re happy to provide our services.

Our luxury watch services include: 

  • Battery replacement
  • Adding, removing, and inspecting timepiece links and hinges
  • Certified manufacturer's warranty repairs for luxury brand watches
  • Polishing, cleaning, and lubricating
  • Repair and replacement of faulty or worn-down clasps

Our highly trained watch expert teams stand behind our guarantee of all watch repair services. In fact, in the unlikely event you’re not 100% satisfied with your cleaning or repairs, even within a year of services, we’ll gladly handle your concerns.

As you search for the perfect timepiece to grace your wrist, we invite you to stop by a Fink’s Jewelers location near you. Our watch specialists are here to answer all your questions and help you select the wristwatch that meets all your wants and needs. Whether you’re treating yourself or shopping for a special gift, you’ll find the accessory of a lifetime at Fink’s.