subject: Choosing The Best Types Of Watches [print this page] There are plenty of different materials that watches can be made of, and it is this material make up that significantly has an impact on the retail value of the timepiece. If you are buying a high quality piece from a reputable dealer, you will be able to find out everything that is included in the construction. If you are buying a watch on the Internet, the information should always be included in the product description.
Gold is one metal that is used only for luxury timepieces, for obvious reasons. Gold is of course an expensive material, and it is also a very soft metal. Pieces made of gold are usually worn with formal wear, and are purchased for special occasions and not usually everyday wear. One advantage to having a piece made of gold is that it has a high intrinsic value. Even if that piece no longer functions and is broken, beat up and scratched up, it is still worth its weight in gold. An alternative to gold is gold plated. Unlike early gold plating, where the gold was layered on top of a base metal, today it is infused into it for durability.
Silver watches also are luxury items, although not as expensive or soft as gold is. They are more durable than gold but are also prone to tarnishing. Titanium is a lightweight and very durable metal that has the highest strength to weight ratio of metals. Titanium can handle a lot of damage, however it is very expensive when compared to stainless steel.
Speaking of stainless steel, it is the most common metal for watches because it resists a lot of corrosion, it does not stain, it is strong and easy to take care of, not to mention much cheaper. It is for these reasons as well as it having a distinctive bright color that makes it the most commonly used metal for watches. It is used frequently for watch cases as well as for the strap.
Rubber pieces are usually designed for heavy use outdoors. They are tough, rugged, lightweight and water resistant. This is why many childrens pieces are made of rubber or resin. Leather is used for watch straps because it is inexpensive, it can be adjusted and can be different colors. However, they do not last as long as metal straps and stain easily. they also are not water resistant and often ruin with sweat. They are comfortable for most people to wear though, since the strap is softer than metal, but some people might find that they are actually allergic to leather watches and go for imitation leather instead.
