Transparency is a core value of The Watch Correspondent. We review watches, and make recommendations to our readers, and we take that role seriously. For this reason, there must be objective guidelines for reviews. All reviews are of our own opinion, and solely of our opinion. Watches are an inherently romantic product- we don’t buy them solely for their specs and accuracy. Without objectiveness, it is too easy to be swayed by our own emotions and opinions, which may not be held by us all. In our reviews, we break down a series of 10 categories (10 possible points each), add up the totals for our final score out of 100, and give our final verdict. The summed score, or WatchScore, attempts to summarize our feelings.
Heritage (10 Pt.)
The brand of a watch has a lot to do with its perceived quality. The image of a brand like Hamilton, for instance, is vital to them. When you think of Hamilton, you think of all the famous brand ambassadors and movie characters that have sported them, which adds a romantic element that positively contributes to the product. It’s cool to wear the watch that Elvis Presley used during performances. On the other hand, brands can be despised. Perhaps they have terrible customer support, or warranties, or even have shady business practices, like artificially inflated MSRP’s. To some, brand and heritage are the single most important thing. To some, the opposite is true. One thing to remember is that no matter what, the brand makes a massive impact on value retention, if that is important to you.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. Heritage, Public Opinion, and Buying Experience are all unbeaten.
6-9: Great. Heritage, Public Opinion, and Buying Experience are all good, but not perfect.
5: Mediocre. Heritage, Public Opinion, and Buying Experience are all okay, but there is an obvious weak area.
1-4: Poor. Heritage, Public Opinion, and Buying Experience are all less than average, and multiple areas are weak.
0: Terrible. The brand exceeds in no area, and is potentially worth avoiding.
Value (10 Pt.)
The most obvious category, a watch must be priced appropriately. Note that the category is value, not price. If a watch is cheap, but terrible quality, it still has bad value. Similarly, an expensive watch which offers features and build quality that surpasses its peers would have good value.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The watch is extremely under-priced, and a must-buy for anyone.
6-9: Great. The watch is priced well, and is a better watch than others at its price.
5: Mediocre. The watch’s specs, looks, and brand are all on par with others in its price bracket.
1-4: Poor. The watch is overpriced, but not completely inadvisable. If you really want this specific model, it may still be worth it.
0: Terrible. The watch is laughably overpriced, and shouldn’t be purchased at its current price.
Case (10 Pt.)
Encapsulated in the case category is the design, build quality, and finish on the case. Visual appeal, exotic materials, well constructed bezels and crowns, are all positive factors. Important elements such as crystal material and coating, as well as the case back are judged here as well. The dimensions of the case are not yet considered.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The materials chosen, styling, and finishing are the peak of perfection and elegance.
6-9: Great. The case has small areas of improvement, but is still interesting and well-done.
5: Mediocre. It is basic but still functional. There may be some areas of improvement, but nothing is a glaring flaw.
1-4: Poor. There are areas of the case that obviously need improvement, but they each can be looked past by themselves.
0: Terrible. The case is defective or poorly made.
Dial and Hands (10 Pt.)
Similar to the previous category, much is considered in this subsection. The dial and hands score encapsulates how visually appealing, legible, well made, and designed the dial and handsets are. Is there a cohesive design? Is the colorway interesting? Is it too boring, too cluttered, or too strange? These are important factors. Lume quality is not considered here, but its usage and design will be. For example, if the color of the used lume doesn’t fit the design, it will be a drawback.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. A truly unique and perfect design matched with unparalleled finishing.
6-9: Great. A great design, but with less than perfect finishing or elements.
5: Mediocre. An average looking dial- work should have been done to elevate it, but was not done.
1-4: Poor. There are obvious design problems that take away from the aesthetic or functionality.
0: Terrible. There are intentional or unintentional flaws that make the dial non-functional.
Lume (10 Pt.)
The most self-explanatory category, marks will be rewarded based on how long-lasting and bright the luminescent material is. A watch with no lume, common in certain categories, will be awarded 0 points.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The lume is extremely bright and long-lasting, or it is tritium.
6-9: Great. The lume is relatively bright and long-lasting.
5: Mediocre. The lume will be visible through most of a night.
1-4: Poor. The lume is of poor quality.
0: Terrible. There is no lume.
Movement (10 Pt.)
The quality of movement will decide this score. Is it a cheap quartz? Is it mechanical? What complications are present? Is it finished? Is it designed to be seen? How accurate is it? The aesthetics and functionality are both considered here.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The movement is extremely well-engineered, and luxuriously finished.
6-9: Great. The movement has high specs, and is finished well.
5: Mediocre. There is a basic, but reliable movement.
1-4: Poor. The movement is either unreliable or has poor specs.
0: Terrible. There is a flawed movement inside.
Bracelet or Strap (10 Pt.)
In this category, the bracelet or strap included with the watch is assessed. If a unit comes with multiple options, like a metal bracelet and a suede strap both coming in the box, the option with the higher quality will be used for the score. On a bracelet, features like the finishing, material, adjustment method, width, tapering, clasp material, micro-adjust levels and sharpness will be used. On a strap, features like the chosen material, stitching quality (if applicable), thickness, tapering, and clasp type will be used. Even though certain lug widths come with the benefit of being common for third party options, the lug width will not be a criteria.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The bracelet/strap is finished perfectly, looks interesting, and has a great clasp.
6-9: Great. There finishing, looks, and clasp are all good.
5: Mediocre. There is basic finishing, looks, and clasp, but it is all still done well.
1-4: Poor. The bracelet/strap is missing in an area.
0: Terrible. The bracelet/strap is poorly made- the finishing is poor and it will be uncomfortable.
Fit (10 Pt.)
In this category, the watch and bracelet / strap will be judged as a whole based on how they fit on-wrist. Does it conform to the shape of a wrist, or is it unwieldy? An outlying weight will also make an impact on this score. An extremely heavy watch may lower a score, just as an unusually light one.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The dimensions and design will fit the majority of wrists perfectly and comfortably.
6-9: Great. The design will fit the majority of wrists well.
5: Mediocre. The design fits well, but it will be slightly too small or big for many.
1-4: Poor. The design is uncomfortable.
0: Terrible. The model is fatiguing in some way, and will be very unwieldy or uncomfortable.
Versatility (10 Pt.)
The most abstract category, versatility refers to how many scenarios this watch could be worn in. A score of 10 would be awarded to a watch that would feel natural to wear everywhere from a pool party to a wedding. A score of 0 would be a watch that fits no scenario. For example, if a Timex Ironman, meant to be worn for exercise, was encrusted with diamonds, you wouldn’t really be able to wear it exercising, or at a formal event, or even really a casual event.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. The watch can be worn in any situation and look at home.
6-9: Great. The watch looks good in most environments.
5: Mediocre. The watch is able to be worn in multiple scenarios.
1-4: Poor. The watch is specifically for one or two scenarios.
0: Terrible. The design of the watch is confused. It is designed for 1 specific thing, and can’t do it.
Originality (10 Pt.)
In this last category, a watch is judged on whether it is a new or borrowed design. If a new brand copies the popular Rolex Submariner, for example, there is a certain “rip-off” effect that lowers its perceived quality. But a watch doesn’t have to be a 1:1 copy to lack originality. Perhaps a watch is simply a mashup of one popular watch’s hands onto another popular watch’s case. Now, most watch brands, even in the “unaffordable zone,” borrow elements: it’s part of the industry, so scores will be rated on how much is borrowed. For example, a Tudor Pelagos borrows a lot from the Rolex Submariner, but it has its own style of hands, markers that definitely separates itself from its inspiration.
Our scale is calibrated to:
10: Excellent. Everything from the dial to the clasp is original, iconic and well-executed.
6-9: Great. The design is fresh and new, but hasn’t defined a segment of the market.
5: Mediocre. The watch is a new take on an old idea.
1-4: Poor. The watch closely resembles another brand’s, or is a mash-up of other designs.
0: Terrible. The watch is a fake replica.
Conclusion
So what is a good score? Well, it is not that easy. The first step is to identify watches that you are interested in and can afford, and then you can compare WatchScores apples-to-apples style. This scale shows a trend of increasing with price, so a “good” score is more about relative scoring inside a price range.
It’s as simple as that. While this score may not tell the whole story, it will give a good summary. Of course, a review will include other details and information important to the purchasing decision.
Feel free to use this as a guide for your own opinions as well. We can’t possibly review every watch, so when shopping, keep these criteria in mind.
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