Comparison Citizen BM8470-03AE vs Citizen BM8476-23E

A caliber can be described as the type of movement used in a watch. It is expensive and impractical to design a unique movement for each watch model, so most manufacturers often use the same movement in different watch models, sometimes with significantly different designs. The term "caliber" is due to the fact that initially the type of movement was designated by a number (in inch lines) corresponding to its largest size; however, today unique names or alphanumeric indices that are not directly related to sizes are widely used.

Knowing the name of the caliber on which the watch you are interested in is built, you can, if desired, find more detailed information about the mechanism and determine how its characteristics meet your requirements.

Clock face background colour. Indicated for models with pointer or combination dials (see "Dial type"); in purely electronic models, usually, either a grey substrate (for conventional LCDs) or a dark base (for LEDs) is used.

The most popular in modern watches are black, white, silver and blue dials. However, in addition to this, other shades can be found on the market — in particular, beige, yellow, green, golden, brown, red, orange, pink, grey and purple. A special case are watches with chameleon glasses (see below).

Some models are available in several colour options, in such cases these options are listed separated by commas — for example, "white, red, silver." If the dial is painted simultaneously in 2 or 3 colours, they are indicated as a combination — for example, "white with red" or "white with yellow and red". And multi-coloured models include models in which more than 3 colours are used for the dial.

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 main colour of the watch strap/bracelet.

The most popular shades nowadays are stainless steel(the colour of most metal bracelets, not necessarily steel ones), golden(bracelets made of gold and "gold"), black(strap made of different materials, including rubber and nylon, as well as separate bracelets) and brown(mostly leather straps). Other colour options include beige, white, yellow, green, camouflage ( military style), red, orange, pink, silver, grey, blue, and purple.

In addition, some models of watches are equipped with two-tone straps. Most often, white, gold and black are used as secondary colours, and this colour is specified after the main one — for example, “blue with white” or “stainless steel with gold”. If this paragraph lists several colours separated by commas — for example, "black, red, blue" — this means...that the watch is either sold in several versions that differ in the colour of the strap, or comes with several interchangeable straps / bracelets of the corresponding colours at once. This nuance should be clarified separately.