Why are similar, at first glance, the watch has a different price? One of the most important factors determining the cost of watches - the material from which made their case.
Contrary to popular belief, the price depends not only watch and not so much from their "heart" of the mechanism, but on the "shell" case and bracelet. If the mechanism is not a unique, very complex, it is the watch case is strongest impact on their price.
Housing is not only the appearance of watches for which, along with some kind of legend about them (including the history and image of the brand, the assurances of the seller in the accuracy and reliability of machinery, etc.), and pays money to the buyer. The material of the watch case, determine how long these will last for watches. After a faulty mechanism almost always amenable to repair, but the erased "to hole" housing can only throw it away.
The choice of material for the watch is always a compromise between price and quality. What you need to watch the buyer? Attractive appearance, ability to save watches of this kind for many years, health safety (although this is still rarely think customers).
But that, in terms of the manufacturer, means the ability to maintain long watches of the appearance, not covered with scratches and abrasions? More solid material of the body, usually having a higher price, the use of more expensive tools, and additional time required to process it. As a consequence of the higher price watches.
Cases of the bulk of modern watches are made of four kinds of materials. The most common and traditional brass is. The popularity of brass due to its relative cheapness and ease of handling. However, the brass has its drawbacks. It is oxidized in the air quickly corrode in contact with a person then, leaving black stains on the arm. Therefore, a body made of brass, requires protective decorative coating. Coating solves some problems but adds new ones.
Sooner or later, it is erased, sometimes it begins to emerge through the metal casing, and watches become quite unsightly. To restore the old beauty is no longer possible. In addition, some surfaces, giving the watches of beautiful appearance, are not safe: used in many types of coatings nickel can cause allergies and various skin diseases.
Because of these shortcomings, detail, having a constant direct contact with human skin at the back cover of these watches do not of brass and steel. Any clock in a brass housing, regardless of the type and quality of coverage, are able to maintain its original appearance no more than five years.
Nevertheless, the majority of clock produced in the world made it out of brass, especially the watches with a retail price of 20,100 dollars. Sometimes on the case of brass manufacturer makes a note "base metal case" or "brass". Made of brass shell almost all domestic watches.
In recent decades, serious competition in the cheap brass clock is tsinkovoalyuminievy alloy Alloy. "Alloy", translated to English means "fusion" that is, the alloy in general rather than specific material. We, at the current time in the circles of tradition, we use the word "Alloy" to describe the material used for the manufacture of shells.
Corps of allogeneic differ from the brass, not only by the material itself, but also the production technology. When the housings of brass billets which are produced by hot pressing, a high proportion of machining operations (milling, boring, drilling, turning), which are quite labor intensive and in which up to 50% of the metal goes to waste.
Casting method used for the housings of hello, making them significantly cheaper than the brass, as it not only reduces waste, but also greatly simplifies the production: at once cast a few dozen pieces, requiring only a little fine-tuning and polishing to become a body clock . This technology allows you to quickly master the production of new models of buildings: it is enough to just make a new casting mold.
Naturally, the cheapness has a downside. Alloy fairly soft material, clocks easily scratched and wear out quickly. Made by casting body contains many tiny air bubbles, pores, and polish the surface to such qualities as brass or steel, is impossible. Alloy housing necessarily requires the use of protective decorative coating, about the pros and cons mentioned above.
Disadvantages allo do not alloy him out of expensive high-quality stuff, but are not essential in the manufacture of cheap mass production-oriented rather poor and undemanding customers. Today, almost all watches of the body with a retail price to 1520 dollars made from Hello. Casing of alloy possible in two ways - it is somewhat easier to brass and usually has a little "wavy" surface.
The increasing popularity in recent years become watch in stainless steel housings. This is not surprising from the standpoint of the buyer is steel case has an optimal ratio tsenakachestvo. Steel is enough solid material to scratch it a lot harder than brass or Alloy.
Brushed or polished stainless steel case looks great, does not require any protective or decorative coatings. Grade of steel used for the manufacture of watches, hypoallergenic, these watches do not cause skin diseases. Even an old scratched watches of steel can be returned to an attractive appearance enough to polish the body.
Steel watch a few more brass. Steel is much harder than brass and harder to process. Although the buildings are special clock, relatively soft alloys are expensive and the materials themselves, and their treatment.
The retail price of steel clock are very rarely drops below 40 dollars. As a rule, on the back of the steel clock put the inscription "All stainless steel" (not to be confused with the words "stainless steel back" steel rear cover). The vast majority of "white" Swiss clock made in Japan and made of steel.
Approximately one-price niche occupied for watches with steel watches with cases made of titanium. This metal is called a "winged", because He is actively used in aviation and rocket thanks to low weight and high strength.
Titanium itself is rather fragile, and for the manufacture of clock used titanium alloys, which are more malleable. Titan, like steel, does not require a coating, it is hypoallergenic, does not cause skin diseases. Hours of titanium have two advantages over steel: they are very light and as a "warm" to the touch. The last sensation occurs due to the fact that titanium has a low thermal conductivity.
Most clock of titanium have a specific matte gray color, but some manufacturers make a polished titanium, and then get an interesting mix: the clock looks like a steel, but weigh almost nothing.
Perhaps the only drawback of clock of titanium in the fact that they readily appear minor surface scratches.
In addition to low weight and low thermal conductivity of titanium and has another interesting feature - when you squeeze together two pieces of titanium, they can "boil". So watch with a titanium body and titanium back cover must be open at times, otherwise the cover may be "increment" to the body.
Contrary to popular belief, the price depends not only watch and not so much from their "heart" of the mechanism, but on the "shell" case and bracelet. If the mechanism is not a unique, very complex, it is the watch case is strongest impact on their price.
