The Wristwatch Buying Guide - Choose a Watch That Fits Your Style

What is a wristwatch?

In all its simplicity, a wristwatch is a timepiece worn on the wrist. Watches come in many varieties, much like us humans. A watch can be a device that simply displays the time and date, functions as a GPS on your walk, and even calculates your heart rate for you. It can have all the same features as a modern sports heart rate monitor.

Then there are watches. A watch tells something about you. It speaks of your appreciation for tradition, craftsmanship, and forms refined over the course of history. Such watches - true wristwatches - are rare to see nowadays. Even before the internet and the widespread adoption of global online shopping, gentlemen's (and ladies') wristwatches were made in Switzerland, as nowhere else could one get a beautiful watch with a quality movement. With the spread of quartz watches, the situation changed. Watches produced from craft traditions and classic materials, affordable for the average person, became more common. Nowadays, anyone willing to invest a few extra bucks can get a truly fine and functional watch on their wrist.

A watch tells a story about its wearer

Each of us is an individual. We have our own personalities and characteristics, which we want to express, either consciously or unconsciously, in our style. A watch is an important part of many people's identities. It tells whether we appreciate beautiful shapes, understated minimalism, or durable construction and functionality.

The materials used in a watch can easily set you apart for the better in both everyday and formal wear. Wood as a material is a durable and environmentally friendly choice. Fortunately, a sustainable choice is also incredibly comfortable to wear, so you don't have to compromise between responsibility, style, and comfort.

Choosing the perfect wristwatch for you

We have created this buying guide to make it easier for you to choose your watch. We want to make things so that you can easily find the right watch for you. That's why we've invested in the quality of our images in HAVU's online store. We want you to get exactly what you order, so you see our watches as stylish images just as they appear in reality. Details make the difference, as each of our watches is unique in its surface pattern due to the liveliness of the wood material. If you want to learn more about our watches, you can check out our Instagram account @havuwatches, where you'll find more stylish photos and presentation videos.

We have photographed the watches so that the first product image on our website gives an indication of the watch's actual size. This way, you can easily find a watch that is comfortable to wear. A good rule of thumb is that a 40-42 mm watch fits almost every man, and 36-40 mm watches fit women. A man with a thicker wrist looks stylish with a 44 mm watch, which is already a sizable watch. Smaller watches are suitable for those who prefer classic dress watch style or have slender wrists.

Watch Features

Water Resistance of Watches

Each of our watches' product pages has an indication of waterproofing ability with an ATM rating. The level of how waterproof a watch can be is indicated in many different ways – for example, 10 ATM, 10 bar, and 100 m markings are equivalent to each other.

The water resistance of a watch may weaken over time. Seals can become brittle, dry out, and harden. We recommend taking this into account when using a wristwatch.

We do not recommend deliberately making the watches wet. Wooden parts may swell slightly when wet, but we have noticed that they return to their original shape well. We have indicated the water resistance in our watches so that you know how well your wooden wristwatch can withstand water.

Water resistance markings:

3 ATM = splash proof. Should not be immersed in water.

5 ATM = Withstands moist conditions. Not recommended for immersion in water.

10 ATM = Suitable for swimming. Should not be used for deep-sea diving.

20 ATM = Can be immersed in water and used for scuba diving. Should not be used at depths where mixed gases such as helium are used.

30 ATM = Suitable for immersion in water and professional diving use.

The watch Movements

Our wooden wristwatches are equipped with high-quality quartz or automatic movements. Our watches show you the time, and some of them also show the date. Our watches do not have the features of a smartwatch or a sports heart rate monitor, such as alarms and notifications. We believe that phone notifications are sufficient, allowing you to enjoy your watch as a timepiece. What could be more pleasant than watching time pass by from a stylish wooden wristwatch?

Watch Descriptions on Product Pages

We believe that the watch description provides the essential information for choosing a wristwatch. We have tried to create the most accurate descriptions for each watch without unnecessary chatter. The description also tells about the technical features of the watch, such as the movement, the width and color of the dial, the strap, and the strap size.

Getting Started with Your Watch

Starting your watch and adjusting the strap

Starting a quartz watch is as follows: Remove the plastic cover from the time-setting knob and adjust the time correctly. Press the button on the watch to start it. The batteries are already installed in the watches. Isn't it easy?

An automatic watch can be wound up by turning the time-setting knob in the normal position clockwise. Turn the knob several times, after which the watch will start running normally. We provide instructions with all watches so that you can easily start using your watch.

You will receive your HAVU watch in a beautiful, wooden watch box where you can store your accessory when you take it off your wrist. A quartz-powered watch will not stop until the battery in the movement runs out. Battery replacement can be done by your local watchmaker in a few minutes and is usually a very affordable procedure. The charm and uniqueness of an automatic movement lie in how the watch's operation is based on kinetic energy. Energy is stored in the watch when it is in normal use. When the watch has not been used for a while, an automatic movement watch is wound up again and set to the correct time.

If your new HAVU watch has a wooden strap, you will receive a strap adjustment tool with your watch box, allowing you to shorten the strap to fit you. We have also mentioned this on each watch's product pages.

A tutorial video for shortening the strap can be found here.

Strap and Strap Replacement

Although wood is a very pleasant and lightweight material, you can replace the strap with a different one if you wish. A metal strap can bring a nice contrast, or a leather strap can add classic elegance to a wooden watch face. From our selection, you can find metal mesh straps as well as leather and textile straps in different colors. Strap replacement is facilitated by a strap tool, which is available among the accessories in our online store.