Buying a Watch in Australia

Quick Note: this section doesn’t consider smartwatches, as consumers typically align themselves with their smartphone brand (usually Apple or Samsung).

A quality traditional watch in Australia is the sum of its parts. Despite the marketing hype, most watch brands buy components from the same manufacturers and factories in Switzerland, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Once you know this, buying a quality watch at a sensible price becomes easier.

Watch Movement

Most of the mainstream watch movements in the world are made by Seiko, Casio, Miyota (Citizen), ETA (part of The Swatch Group), Ronda (Swiss), Seagull (Chinese), and Sellita (Swiss). These movement manufacturers are renowned for their reliability and cost-effectiveness in most cases. Other reputable mainstream movement manufacturers include STP (Swiss), Soprod (Citizen), La Joux-Perret (Citizen), and ISA (Swiss).

Tip: Look for a watch with a movement from one of the above manufacturers (if necessary, search Google to find the information).

Glass / Crystal

Sapphire glass is harder (hence more scratch-resistant) than mineral glass and smartphone glass (Corning Gorilla, Dragontrail). Expect to pay an additional $50 – $150 for sapphire glass. Interestingly, some serious divers prefer mineral glass on their watches, as it’s less likely to shatter on heavy impact.

Tip: For everyday use, sapphire glass is best for scratch resistance.

Watch Case

Most mainstream watch cases found in Australia are made from 316L stainless steel or heavy plastic / resin (both are cost-effective materials). Brass, bronze, titanium, and 304L stainless steel watch cases are less common in Australia. Rolex is renowned for its 904L stainless steel watch cases, which are highly resistant to corrosion but priced accordingly.

Tip: For overall value and durability, it’s hard to beat 316L stainless steel. However, Casio’s G-Shock watch cases (usually made from heavy plastic / resin) enjoy legendary status.

Lug Width

Lug width refers to the distance between the two case lugs (on the same side) that secure the strap or bracelet. Most lug widths are either 18mm, 20mm, or 22mm, which explains why aftermarket straps and bracelets in these sizes are plentiful.

Tip: Buy a watch with a standard lug width (18mm, 20mm, or 22mm), as you’ll have more strap and bracelet choices going forward. Think carefully about watches with unusual lug widths, such as 19mm and 21mm, as you’re more likely to be locked into the watch manufacturer for a replacement strap or bracelet.

Watch Strap

A wide range of watch straps and bracelets are available in Australia. Popular materials include leather, rubber / silicone, stainless steel, canvas, sail cloth, and stretch nylon. The quality of a watch strap can be determined by its feel, thickness, and stitching. Good quality stainless steel watch bracelets will have solid links and end links (rather than folded links and hollow end links).

Many watch straps and bracelets sold in Australia are now “quick release” – meaning that a spring bar tool (and by extension a jeweller) isn’t required for strap changes.

Tip: Buy what you like (preferably a strap or bracelet with “quick release” functionality). If your watch is likely to get wet, leather isn’t a good strap choice.

Water Resistance

Proper dive watches are ISO 6425 certified – meaning they’re built (and tested) to a strict pressure standard. Conversely, watches that claim a certain level of water resistance on their dial are usually ISO 22810 certified (a less stringent standard than ISO 6425). For example, a watch that states 200-metres water resistance on its dial (but isn’t ISO 6425 certified) isn’t a proper dive watch, though it’s probably suitable for swimming and shallow-water snorkelling.

Put simply, the water resistance rating on a watch dial has nothing to do with depth (and the ability to withstand pressure) in the real world. As a rule, watches with a water resistance rating of 100 metres (or more) are usually suitable for swimming; nonetheless, always check water resistance capabilities with the manufacturer. Many watches suitable for swimming have a screw-down (threaded) crown and caseback.

Tip: A watch with a screw-down (threaded) crown and caseback, along with a minimum of 100-metres water resistance, is usually a sensible choice for everyday use and occasional swimming.

Ease of Battery Changes

A traditional quartz watch needs its battery changed every few years. To accomplish this, the watch's caseback needs to be removed. Casebacks can be screw-down, snap-on, or secured by screws. A jeweller or watch technician has the necessary tools to remove a watch caseback in Australia.

PS – Timex (Timex Q) and Swatch have watches with battery compartments that can be opened with a coin.

Tip: Besides the Timex and Swatch battery compartments, screw-down casebacks are probably the easiest to remove.

Hacking and Hand Winding (Mechanical Watches)

Ideally, a mechanical watch in Australia should “hack” and “hand wind.” Hacking means that the second hand stops when the time is set (it ensures a more accurate setting). An automatic watch with hand winding doesn’t require shaking or movement of the wearer’s wrist to get started.

Tip: For the sake of convenience, buy a mechanical watch in Australia that hacks and hand winds.

Do you like the watch?

This is ultimately the most important consideration. A traditional wrist watch is a high-tech piece of jewellery that should be worn with pride (regardless of its financial value). Whether you own a Rolex or a Casio, you should enjoy wearing your watch in Australia (or overseas).

Tip: Buy what you like and can afford.