Before you consider purchasing a fine timepiece, it’s critical to understand certain terms that explain the features of your watch.
Some of the more basic terms, used to describe how a watch works, are ‘quartz’ and ‘automatic.’
A quartz watch is powered by a battery, while an automatic watch is self-powered by the movement of your wrist.
Since no battery is required for an automatic, and it runs based on the movement of your wrist, these timepieces will stop if not worn for a few days. You’ll then need to manually wind and set the watch when you next want to wear it. Generally speaking, these automatic timepieces are considered a higher quality than battery run timepieces. They require more workmanship to ensure the watch can run on its own.
Arguably the highest quality timepiece you’ll come across is one labeled a ‘Chronometer.’
These timepieces have been certified by an independent Swiss organization after undergoing rigorous testing. The organization, Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, or COSC for short, individually tests timepieces that are submitted by various watch companies.
If each individual watch meets technical requirements, it receives “Chronometer” status, certifying it as a precision timekeeping instrument.
This “Chronometer” designation should not be confused with “Chronograph”, which is a timepiece that has special timekeeping abilities.
Many of the highest quality watch companies, like Rolex and Frederique Constant, submit timepieces to COSC for certification.
If you’d like to browse our collection of Chronometer timepieces, available from Frederique Constant in its Highlife Automatic collection, click here or stop by our store.