What to consider when buying a new watch

Hello everybody and welcome to my first post on Steemit. Back in 2003 my grandfather gave me his old watch as a birthday present and that moment marked the beginning of my love for watches. In fact, I became so passionate about watches that in 2010 I entered the watches industry and today I am still happy I did that. This being said, let's get down to the subject of this article.
Nowadays you can find a lot of watch brands to choose from - some of them with a lot of history and proven quality (such as Omega, Breitling, Tissot, Seiko, etc) and others that have just appeared, but are now important players in the market (such as Daniel Wellington, MVMT or Cluse). If you are a little confused what to choose, I hope the following ideas will help. So, here are the things you should consider when buying a watch:

1. Style
Think about the occasions you will wear the watch and also your personal style. This will help you choose between sport, casual or elegant watches.

2. Movement
There are two main movement types a watch can have: mechanical or quartz.
The mechanical movement is driven by a spring (or called mainspring) which has to be wound periodically. There are two types of mechanical movements: hand-wound (you have to manually wind the watch) and automatic (when worn, the watch automatically winds, so normally there will be no need to manually wind it. The advantage of the mechanical movement is that you wear a beating heart at your wrist, there is a certain level of craftsmanship and tradition in every mechanical watch that may just make you feel better by wearing it. On the other hand, mechanical movements are not very accurate, they need periodical maintenance and also are fragile, so don't expect to downhill with your MTB wearing a mechanical watch.
The quartz movement is actually electronic and is driven by a battery. Usually you have to change the battery every one to two years (there are some exceptions - solar/kinetik watches, but I will write about them in another article). They are very durable and extremely accurate. Also, they are a lot cheaper than the mechanical movements. However, I recommend you buy a mechanical watch and handle it with care :)
Some movement brands you can consider OK for buying: ETA, Ronda, Selita, Myiota, Epson, Seiko.

3. Case material and case back
The watch case can be made of different materials, such as titanium, stainless steel, brass, plastic or even wood. The case back is usually made of stainless steel.
Titanium is very light and also durable. It is also safe for people that have nickel or metal allergies. However, it is prone to scratches and it cannot be polished, so you will have to be extra careful with a titanium watch and avoid scratches.
Stainless steel is the most commonly used case material and offers great looks and is also long-lasting. You also don't have to worry about scratches, as it can be polished and will look like new after that.
Brass is mostly used in, let's say, affordable watches (30-100 USD retail price) and personally I don't recommend it. The natural color of brass is red-goldish and in order to look like stainless steel it is nickel coated. This means that in time the nickel coat will fade out and your watch will start to change its color to red. After it will get in contact with water it will start to get a blue-green color, making it impossible to wear. Some of the major watch brands that use brass for their cases are Cluse, Q&Q and some fashion watch brands such as Lambretta, Pepe Jeans, etc. If you buy such a watch, expect to wear it between six months and two years.

4. Glass material
I recommend, in this order:
Sapphire crystal: it is extremely clear, usually has an anti-reflexive coating, it is very durable and doesn't scratch. Under a lot of pressure, it can break.
Mineral glass: can be almost as clear as sapphire, it has medium durability, can break more easily that sapphire and it can also get scratches. It cannot be polished.
Plastic (affordable watches): less durable, scratches easily. The good thing is it can be polished, however you will need to do this about once a year. The best-known brand that has this kind of glass on their models is Swatch.

5. Strap / bracelet material
If you are looking for a sporty-casual style, you should definitely go for a silicone strap or a bracelet (make sure it is made from titanium / stainless steel / ceramic)
If you are looking for a more elegant look, you should go for a leather strap, as it will add a more traditional look to your watch. Make sure it is entirely made of genuine leather, as there are some straps that only have leather on the inside (only the part that touches the skin).

These are the five most important things you should consider when choosing a watch. I hope you found this article useful and would be very happy to receive some feedback.

Cheers!!