If you enjoy changing your watch to fit your activity, fashionable less-expensive yet highly accurate watches are available from Hanson Jewelers in a variety of styles and price ranges. If you can afford the most extravagantly designed, precious metal watch encrusted with gemstones, Hanson Jewelers can offer you a wide selection to choose from.

Types of Watches

MECHANICALS are the traditional "wind-up" watches. They work because of a mainspring inside the watch which the wearer winds by turning the crown on the side of the watch. The spring gradually unwinds and turns tiny interlocking wheels which move the watch hands to measure seconds, minutes and hours.

AUTOMATIC or SELF-WINDING watches wind themselves as the wearer moves their wrist. The wearer's arm actions cause a weight behind the movement to rotate, winding the mainspring. They can also be wound manually.

Mechanical and automatic watches are very seldom offered by most watch manufacturers. Quartz watches comprise over 99% of the watch market today.

QUARTZ watches are powered by batteries, rather than a mechanical spring. The batteries send electronic impulses through a small bar of synthetic quartz crystal which vibrates more than 32,000 times per second. Those vibrations are channeled through a series of gears that result in one impulse per second.

The terms ANALOG and DIGITAL refer to the way time is displayed on the dial. Analog simply refers to a watch with traditional time-telling "hands." Quartz analogs are watches in which the hands are moved by the electronic impulses passing from the battery through the quartz crystal to a step motor which moves the hands. Digital watches display the time with digits - numbers -instead of hands. The numerals are created by either light-emitting diodes (LED) or liquid crystal displays (LCD). Quartz watches are generally more accurate than mechanical watches, for two reasons. One, mechanical watches have many moving parts. That means more friction and less accuracy as the parts interact. Digitals have no moving parts. Two, the quartz crystal's constant and amazingly frequent vibrations per second enable watches to measure the second with unprecedented accuracy. A quartz watch should function properly for years with a battery life of one to up to five years.

SPECIAL FEATURE watches perform a variety of tasks. Besides telling the hours, minutes and seconds, many watches reveal the month, day and year. Some also give the phases of the moon or the time in other countries or time zones.

CHRONOGRAPH watches measure small fractions of a second. Some are used to calculate speeds, distances and altitudes. There are specialized watches for astronauts, pilots, parachutists and skin divers-even timepieces that meet the special needs of blind persons. Also, most fine watches today are specially made to resist water, dust, wind, shock and magnetic fields.

Price & style Watch prices range from around $20 to more than $10,000. The most expensive watches are those made with precious metals such as gold or platinum and decorated with precious gemstones. They also require the labor of skilled craftspeople. Some of the finest watches are handmade by master watchmakers who have spent a lifetime developing their craft.

Selecting a watch, like selecting any piece of jewelry, should be based on personal taste. Today's watches are not only timekeepers, but are considered important fashion accessories. Men and women make a definite fashion statement by the watch they choose - sporty, dressy, youthful, tailored or sophisticated.

Gold or platinum bracelets with or without precious gemstone accents - for men and women - provide an excellent way to show off your fashion panache. To achieve the expensive luxury look without the expense, watches of gold overlay are also available.

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CARE

Although many watches are equipped with shock-resistant devices, it's not wise to subject it to overly vigorous treatment.

Replace broken or scratched crystals immediately: even a hairline crack can let dust or moisture into the mechanism, threatening its accuracy.

Unless the degree of water-resistance was clearly specified when you bought your watch, don't risk wearing it into the shower or pool, or on a moist wrist.

No matter how handy you are, don't attempt any "do-it-yourself" watch repairs. Only an expert watchmaker should be trusted to put your watch back into working condition if there is a problem.

It's best to replace a battery in a quartz watch before it runs out. Dead batteries left in the watch can leak or corrode and ruin it. Also, don't attempt to change the battery in a watch yourself. Take it to a specially trained jeweler or manufacturer's authorized watchmaker or watch repair person. (Batteries can run for one to five years, depending on the watch.) Finally, if you have any questions, ask Hanson Jewelers. We value you as a customer, and you can trust our judgment.

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