Comparison Timex T5K413 vs Casio W-43H-1A

The country of origin of the brand under which this watch brand is produced. Usually, the headquarters of the manufacturer is located in the same country. But production facilities may be located in another country, or even in several countries. Most of the brands under which modern watches are produced come from the following countries (in alphabetical order): Austria, England, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Korea, Russia, USA, France, Switzerland, Japan.

Note that in the modern world, the quality of a product is very weakly related to its country of origin (both claimed and actual). Much more it depends on how carefully one or another manufacturer controls the quality in their production. So when choosing, it makes sense to focus not so much on “nationality” as on the overall reputation of a particular brand.

The main colour of the watch case.

Modern watches are quite diverse in colour options. The most widespread models are in shades of " stainless steel ", golden and black ; however, in addition to this, on the market you can find, in particular, white, yellow, green, brown, red, orange, pink, silver, grey, blue and purple cases.

In general, the colour of the case is a fairly obvious parameter; Let's note only some of the nuances associated with marking:

— Multi-coloured models include models in which there is no clearly defined primary colour. If there is such a colour, it is indicated in the characteristics. And for two-tone cases, an additional colour can be specified, for example, "stainless steel with gold " or "black with blue "

— Silver, among other things, are plastic cases without additional coloring.

— "Stainless steel" in this case is a colour, not a material; other metals (e.g. alumin...ium and titanium) that are not complemented by PVD coating (see “Case Coating”) may have this shade. And the cases of gold watches, in turn, are not necessarily made of gold — red and white gold are also used in jewelry.

— Camouflage coloring is indicated separately — such watches are designated as "military", and here, again, the main shade of the coloring is given. However, not every military model has camouflage on the body; see below for details.

The material from which the bracelet/watch strap is made. Note that the division into bracelets and straps is rather arbitrary, the basis for it is precisely the material. In modern watches, there may be such options:

— Nylon strap. Nylon is a synthetic material that has a characteristic structure in the form of interwoven threads in watch straps. In most cases, these threads are quite large, due to which the nylon straps are similar in appearance and texture to the ties of tourist backpacks; this option is typical for sports watches. However, there is another variety — finely woven nylon, which is used mainly in women's watches (see "Gender"). Of the practical properties of this material, it is worth noting, first of all, unpretentiousness and resistance to water, including salty; in addition, it can be given almost any colour, and the combination of multi-coloured fibers allows you to create original and bright straps.

— Rubber strap. In this case, rubbers mean elastic materials that, in terms of properties, are a cross between plastic and rubber. Rubber is denser, harder and stronger than rubber, while noticeably softer and more flexible than plastic, which allows it to be used for watch straps. Of the advantages of this option, it is worth noting, first of all, high wear resistance and moisture resistance, which, combined with the appearance features, makes these straps a good option f...or watches in a sporty design. But among the classic models, rubber is usually used in inexpensive watches and has rather modest characteristics.

— Leather strap. Genuine leather straps are typical for quite expensive watches: this material is expensive, while it has a solid and rich appearance. In addition, it is notable for its high strength, moisture resistance and durability. Of the shortcomings of the skin, in addition to the price, it is worth noting a certain tendency to scratches, as well as increased care requirements — otherwise the product may lose its “presentation”.

— Leatherette strap. As the name suggests, leatherettes were created as an alternative to real leather. Their main advantage is a relatively low price: being practically indistinguishable from a leather bracelet, such a bracelet will cost much less. On the other hand, this material is less durable, wears out rather quickly and is generally not so reliable. Note that today different types of leather substitutes are used, and the quality of this material usually directly depends on its price.

— Steel bracelet. The watch bracelet consists of links connected to each other; in this case they are made of stainless steel. This material is strong, durable, practically not subject to corrosion, moreover, it has a solid appearance and is quite pleasant to the touch; at the same time, the cost of steel allows it to be used even in inexpensive watches. Such bracelets are quite “heavy”, however, some owners consider this moment to be a virtue, because. it gives a feeling of solidity and reliability. And of any significant shortcomings of steel, one can only note high thermal conductivity — the bracelet will noticeably “cool” the hand if the watch has lain in the cold for some time (though not for long — just a few minutes).

— Milanese bracelet. Milanese are called metal bracelets made of links of very fine weaving (about 1 mm in size, or even less). The material of such a bracelet may be different; most often it is steel, but more expensive metals are also found. Anyway, such a bracelet has an original appearance, and also provides good air access, allowing the skin to breathe. Among the shortcomings of Milan, it can be noted that the links can “bite” the hair on the arm, creating discomfort. Thus, and also to keep the cost down, some watches do not use Milanese weave on the entire bracelet, but only on part of it (usually it is about half of the entire bracelet).

— Titanium bracelet. Bracelets made of titanium alloy are much stronger than steel, with less weight. They also conduct heat less well, making them better suited for cold weather. At the same time, titanium is characterized by almost all the same advantages: high strength and reliability, solid appearance, resistance to corrosion. Its main disadvantage is the high price, due to which this type of bracelet is found mainly in premium watches.

— Gold bracelet. Jewelery gold bracelets are mainly used with cases made of the same material (see the relevant paragraph). A watch with a gold bracelet is not so much a device for measuring time as a status accessory, or even a piece of jewelry; the latter is especially characteristic of female models.

— Silver bracelet. Silver bracelets are found exclusively in watches with cases made of the same material. Like the gold described above, this material is used not so much for practical as for fashion reasons — in order to give the watch a rich appearance and emphasize the status of its owner. At the same time, for a number of reasons, silver bracelets are extremely rare.

— Ceramic bracelet. A premium material found predominantly in women's watches (although there are also men's models with ceramic bracelets). Ceramic not only looks good, but also retains its original appearance for a long time — thanks to its excellent resistance to scratches, dirt and stains. In addition, this material has a relatively small weight; and the high cost in this case is more of a virtue — it emphasizes the high level of watches. Among the shortcomings of ceramic bracelets, some fragility can be noted — a strong blow can split the links.

— Plastic bracelet. This category includes both the actual bracelets, woven from individual links, and straps made of flexible plastic. The second variety is similar to rubber straps, see the relevant paragraph for more details. As for the bracelets, they are usually combined with cases made of similar materials (plastic or carbon), and can be used in different categories of watches — both relatively inexpensive and quite advanced. The quality of plastic in this case, usually, is directly related to the price category of the device.

— Tungsten bracelet. Bracelets made of tungsten alloy are highly durable and reliable; these properties are further emphasized by the fact that tungsten has a very high melting point. And yes, it does look good. At the same time, it does not have key advantages over other premium alloys (titanium, see above) and is noticeably more expensive due to the complexity of production. As a result, such bracelets are extremely rare, mainly in combination with cases made of the same material (see "Case Material").

— Aluminium bracelet. Quite a rare option, found in single watch models. Bracelets made of aluminium are lighter than steel, they are not inferior to them in terms of strength and reliability, however, they are more expensive.

The type of clasp used on the original watch band/bracelet.

In modern times, either fasteners of the classical design with a buckle or clip -on earrings are used. Hook-and-loop is extremely rare, and in some women's models (the so-called bracelet watches), there is no clasp at all. Here is a more detailed description of each of these options:

– Classic (with buckle). Clasp similar in design to a belt buckle. When it is fastened, one of the halves of the strap, which has holes, is threaded through the buckle and fixed with a pin placed in one of the holes, as well as with special loops. This procedure is somewhat less convenient than fastening the clip; in addition, the pin protrudes slightly above the strap and, in case of an unfortunate set of circumstances, can catch on something (the probability of this is extremely small, but still there). On the other hand, buckles are perfect for straps made from leather, rubber, and other soft materials. And compared to clips, such fasteners are much easier to adjust in size — when fastening, it is enough to choose a hole corresponding to the coverage of the hand.

— Clip (unfolds). A type of clasp used primarily on metal bracelets. The most widespread type of clip, consisting of two curved plates connected by an axis. When unfastened, they open like a book, increasing the...overall length of the bracelet and allowing you to easily remove the watch from your hand, and when fastened, they fold close to each other and are fixed, securing the bracelet on your wrist. The second popular type of clip is "butterfly": it uses two movable plates attached to the base with the help of rotary axes and opens like butterfly wings (hence the name). Note that there are also straps with clips on the market, most often leather ones; they are more expensive than buckle straps and somewhat more difficult to adjust in length, but are more secure and do not have a protruding pin that can cause inconvenience.

— Hook-and-loop. A traditional Hook-and-loop fastener consisting of two parts — a felt lining and a retainer with a set of microscopic hooks that, when fastened, cling to the fibers of the felt and hold the fastener in place. Such devices are used in straps made of soft materials, mainly nylon, and are very rare in modern watches. This is mainly due to the fact that as the felt part of the Hook-and-loop wears out, it quickly loses its working properties. Of the advantages of such clamps, one can note the simplicity and speed of fastening and unfastening.

— Is absent. This option is typical mainly for the so-called bracelet watches, designed mainly for a female audience. Such products, in accordance with the name, are not so much traditional watches as jewelry, complemented by watches; they are made in the appropriate design, often with the use of precious metals and stones.
It is also worth mentioning that not all bracelet watches are devoid of clasps — there are models that have such devices. However, the design of fasteners in such cases is usually quite far from the buckles, clips and Hook-and-loop used in conventional watches, so the characteristics for them also indicate the option "Clasp — no".

As the name suggests, this parameter determines the degree of resistance of the watch to moisture. It is traditionally stated as the maximum depth under water at which the watch is able to remain watertight; however, it must be borne in mind that this number is very arbitrary. The fact is that when calculating the maximum immersion depth, only the static pressure of water is taken into account, that is, the pressure at complete immobility; at the same time, any movement creates dynamic pressure, which significantly increases the load on the body. In practice, this means that a mark of, for example, 50 m does not mean that you can dive to a depth of 50 m with a watch.

Modern water protection markings correspond to the following practical possibilities:

— 30 m(same as “Water Resistant” without any numbers). Entry level, drops of water are allowed, but not strong splashes. For example, such a watch can be left on in the rain or when washing, but when showering or washing a car, it should be left in a safe place. Of course, there is no talk of immersion in water.

- 50 m. Minimum water resistance, allowing the watch to be immersed in water. These watches can usually be used for swimming, and in some cases even jumping into the water (but not from towers), but they are not suitable for more serious tasks like surfing, snorkeling or scuba diving. As a rule, buttons are not allowed to be...used underwater.

- 100 m. This degree of water protection allows not only swimming, but also diving to shallow depths, however, it is still considered insufficient for surfing, jumping from towers and scuba diving.

- 200 m. Watches with such water protection are classified as “divers”; models and can withstand scuba diving to depths of up to 20 m.

- 300 m or more. Professional diving models suitable for diving to significant depths.

Please note that the characteristics described are approximate. Specific indicators of water resistance and the possibility of using the watch with water should be clarified according to the official data of the manufacturer.

The nominal size of a watch case in diameter (for round cases) or width (for other options, see "Case Shape"). In the most miniature modern models, this size is 21 – 25 mm or even less, among the largest there are cases of 46 – 50 mm and even larger.

Larger watches are more convenient in the sense that the dial readings are better visible on them, and it is easier to provide various additional functions in the design. On the other hand, small watches look neater and create less discomfort directly when worn. In addition, female models (see "Gender") are traditionally made more miniature than male ones. So the choice for this indicator depends mainly on the intended specifics of the application: for example, large cases are best suited for outdoor activities and tourism, about 41 – 45 mm in size, for household wear (regardless of gender) — about 31 – 35 mm, and as an accessory to an evening dress, a small watch of 30 mm or less would be more appropriate.

Also note that the size of a compatible strap/bracelet is associated with this indicator — see "Strap Width" for details.

The thickness of the watch case. A fairly obvious parameter; we only note that nowadays it is customary to attribute watches with a thickness of less than 7 mm to ultra-thin models. This design has both aesthetic and quite practical meaning — a thin watch will be useful for those who wear narrow sleeves with tight-fitting cuffs.

Total weight of the watch. As a rule, it is indicated taking into account the complete strap/bracelet.

The lightest modern watch weighs no more than 50 g. The most popular models weigh 50 - 100 g, and weight more than 150 g most often means not only a large, but also a fairly advanced device, usually for sports and tourism purposes.

Both light and heavy weight have their advantages: light watches create minimal inconvenience when worn, while massive watches are subconsciously perceived as a solid and reliable device.