With all our tips on how to select watches, or gift ideas for different occasions covered thus far, we thought that it’s time we get right down to the fundamentals of timepiece purchases. And it all begins with knowing your movement.

The movement or calibre is the complex engine that powers each watch. Two predominant classes of movement in modern watchmaking are the quartz and automatic movements. Quartz movements utilise an oscillator that is regulated by a piece of quartz, with timekeeping being battery-powered. Quartz watches are extremely accurate and economical in terms of production cost.

However, watch aficionados swear by mechanical movements as the “right” way to power their timepieces. The majority of mechanical movements are now considered automatics, and they work by using the movement of the wearer's wrist to wind the mainspring, delivering power to the watch.

After factoring in the type of movement you’re after, it’ll be time to ask yourself what kind of watch suits your lifestyle best, especially if you’re under a budgetary constraint. Minimalist watches are becoming increasingly popular and are usually quartz-powered, delivering nice aesthetics and unbeatable accuracy. On the other hand, driving watches offer masculine glamour as well as complications like chronograph and tachymeter – which of course come in the form of a price premium.

All in all, buying a watch online comes down to price, taste, need, and merchant reliability. And that’s why H2 Hub needs no introduction as the place to get your favourite timepieces at wallet-friendly prices, coupled with industry-leading warranty services.