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SAPPHIRE VS MINERAL

We see the importance of quality as a watchword, hence, our decision to uphold quality and nothing less in the use of Sapphire crystal glass for our watches over the less expensive and lesser quality mineral glass.

The surface cover of a watch which appears crystal clear, because it is actually made of crystal, which is the product of a variety of materials. These materials include: Sapphire crystals, Mineral crystals and Plexiglas or Hesalite crystals (also referred to as plastic and acrylic crystals respectively)

The choice of crystal used to cover a watch depends on its purpose. What conditions is it going to be used in, is it rugged or smooth? How much is it going to be sold? Whatever the answer is, the type of crystal used will determine the price of the watch. For example, when a Sapphire crystal is used to cover a watch, it would be more expensive than one with a Plexiglas cover.

What We Use

• Sapphire Crystal: Sapphire crystals are reliable materials used in watches and this is for a potent reason. Despite Sapphire crystal watches being expensive, they are also durable and have slim chances of scratching or shattering.
• Mineral Crystal: This crystal is the regular glass crystal which undergo treatment with either heat or chemicals, to make them scratch proof. These crystals are inferior, when compared to Sapphire crystals, in term of scratch resistance, but they are better than plastic. The only major disadvantage of this crystal is its likelihood to crack or shatter, at worst, when exposed to extreme temperatures, be it heat or cold.

Sapphire vs Mineral

Although machines exist which can measure the density, luminosity, hardness, and the index of refraction of the crystal of your watch, there are still things to note when comparing a sapphire crystal and a mineral crystal.

1. The appearance of sapphire crystals are slightly tinted pink or milk color, while that of mineral crystals are usually blue
2. Droplets of water on a sapphire crystal often attract to form a bead while the same droplets of water on a mineral crystal spread in different directions.
3. Sapphire crystals are cold and icy in appearance, while mineral crystals are not.

In our world today, the word “entrepreneur” is linked with owning a company and being self employed. While this isn’t entirely false, an entrepreneur does more than just work for himself, an entrepreneur works for people by helping solve their problems for profit.

To answer the question “why did we start LUXIANI Watches” the answer is simple. Mitesh and I “Sanjay” wanted to solve a problem that was much bigger then just selling a watch to make profit. We asked ourselves “would we rather solve a problem for a few or more people?” Solving a problem for few people would have entailed selling watches at a cheaper price, so customers could afford watches but to us it was much more important to solve more and bigger problems. We wanted to solve a massive number of peoples’ problems, that way reaching not just thousands, but millions of people.

We have always had one mission which is to feed thousands and millions of hungry children in poverty. We didn’t want to play small and just provide great watches, we wanted to make a difference and give these children hope. We wanted to have a unique purpose for why we started this and why it will always keep us going and striving to do better.

 The idea of the watch came up as these children had limited time and so we thought why not start a watch brand which represents us all, as the only thing we all have in common is time. We all have 24 hours in day.

A Luxiani watch is made from superior materials such as sapphire crystals, 316L Stainless Steel, and a genuine leather strap. Our goal was to create a “look good, feel good, everyday” luxury. Will you help us make a difference and save those who need us desperately? You can simply do this by purchasing a LUXIANI watch today! Let us achieve this mission together!

You can read Our Story here.

Valentine's Day, or St Valentine's Day, is celebrated every year on 14 February.

It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolate and watches :)

Who was St Valentine's?

The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are several stories of who he was.

The popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret.

When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death.

There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine".

How did Valentine's Day start?

Having a particular Valentine's Day is a very old tradition, thought to have originated from a Roman festival.

The Romans had a festival called Lupercalia in the middle of February - officially the start of their springtime. It's thought that as part of the celebrations, boys drew names of girls from a box. They'd be boyfriend and girlfriend during the festival and sometimes they'd get married.

Later on, the church wanted to turn this festival into a Christian celebration and decided to use it to remember St Valentine too.

Gradually, St Valentine's name started to be used by people to express their feelings to those they loved.

If you didn't know, now you do. Thank us later :)

Win this Valentines Day with a gift that they'll love (you for) forever, not just for a day. Enjoy $20 off with all our unisex watches. Gift code: VDAY14. 

Thanks, BBC UK for providing this valuable information for us. 

The history of quartz watches cannot be told without mentioning the quartz crisis. But we don’t necessarily feel that the introduction of the quartz timepiece was a crisis, but rather a way of making high quality watches affordable for everyone. Today we’ll share with you the history of quartz watches and trust us – it’s fascinating!

Exploring the History of Quartz Watches: The Quartz Crisis 

As mentioned in our article on the history of watchmaking, the first commercial quartz wristwatch was released in 1969 by manufacturer Seiko. Named the Astron, it was a limited edition of 100 gold case watches, which cost the equivalent as a Toyota Corolla! With an accuracy of within five seconds a day, this small timepiece made shockwaves around the world.

Having been the most well-regarded watch makers for generations, the Swiss were reluctant to enter the quartz race. With the success of their mechanical watches, embracing another wasn’t high on their priority list. This decision cost them dearly. Plunged into crisis due to its lack of keeping up with technological changes, the Swiss watch industry suffered dreadfully. Jobs in the industry dropped from 90,000 to 28,000 and the Swiss economy entered an economic crisis.

1983 saw the re-entry into the market by the Swiss with the launch of the Swatch. It is this brand which helped raise the Swiss out of their downturn and once again made them a household name. With an automated manufacturing process, the Swatch could be sold at a lower cost than a mechanical watch and in greater numbers.

The Swatch brand quickly became the world’s largest watch manufacturer with its plastic cased watch with only 51 moving parts. Compared with the 91 moving parts of a mechanical watch, the Swatch seemed to have been designed with disposability in mind, not repair and reuse. It was the beginning of a new era for the Swiss.

What Was the Quartz Revolution? 

This same period was not deemed a crisis by the Japanese or American watch industries. Instead, it was named the quartz revolution and businesses thrived as they grew their technological lead over their static Swiss competition. The Seiko and Citizen watch brands become worldwide household names. Often focusing on fashion, these manufacturers designed timepieces which were stylish and modern in appearance. James Bond was even seen wearing a quartz watch!

A collection of famous brands including Rolex, Patek and Omega participated in what was called the Beta 21 movement. These brands worked together to move away from manufacturing mechanical watches to quartz watches. While it was acknowledged that it was an essential move, it came at the cost of reducing the market share of mechanical watches around the world.

Where Is the Future of Quartz Watches Heading? 

It has been asked before if there is any future in the quartz watch. With the widespread use of mobile phones and other digital technologies, do we even need to wear a watch at all? Some would say that the smartwatch is where we are headed, while others see wristwatches quietly becoming a thing of the past.

We beg to differ. There is nothing quite like the feel of a great watch on your wrist and the knowledge that it has a wonderful story behind it. We invite you to learn more about our story and explore our two fine quartz watch collections today!

If you’ve ever been interested in collecting watches, or simply wonder why people do, then you’ve come to the right place! Here at Luxiani, we’re passionate about watches of all shapes and sizes. Our lovingly curated watch collections are stunning, but with the physical impossibility of wearing more than one per wrist, why do people like us collect watches? Let’s find out!

Why Do People Collect Watches?

What makes someone begin collecting watches? Do they simply love being surrounded with timepieces, or is it the history of watchmaking they are interested in? A watch collector is most likely someone who believes that watches tell a story, just like we do. They see the watch as a work of art, something to be enjoyed and a unique window to understanding who a person is, by the type of watch they have worn.

Generally, watch collectors are like other types of collectors. They may not have been present at every important moment in the past, but they feel they are a part of it with their collection.

Top Tips for Collecting Watches

As a beginner watch collector, it’s important to spend time understanding just what it is about watches makes you tick. Are you interested in watches of a specific brand, like the top five most famous watch designers? Or are you a fan of either a mechanical or quartz watch and only want to collect models with a specific movement? Your answers will help you shape the direction you want your collection to take. Here are five additional tips to help you get started.

1. Make your own choices – it’s easy to become influenced by others when starting your watch collection. While it’s perfectly fine to take inspiration from the collections of others, resist buying watches people suggest to you or purchase a specific model simply because someone else has one.

2. Collect what you love – it’s no use collecting watches that you would not like to wear yourself. Make sure that you place it on your wrist and check its appearance before adding it to your collection.

3. Document your collection – it’s well worth keeping a journal to record each new addition to your collection. The purchase price, history and reasons why you selected it are all good points to write down.

4. Enjoy yourself – there’s limited fun in knowing you want a specific watch and then finding it instantly. Rather the fun is in the thrill of the chase and the hunt. All the effort you make to procure your timepiece is what collecting is all about.

5. Don’t rely on your collection as an investment – while it’s true that some watches will rise in value over time, it’s not something you should rely upon. Instead you are best adding watches to your collection which you value on a personal level, not monetary. Hoping you would make a profit selling pieces in the future, is not something to aim for.

To begin your personal watch collection, we invite you to see ours! Our Stone, Virtues and Weekend Collections contain some of the most attractive watches available online. We’re certain you’ll love our collections as much as we do!

For the Dad who has everything, it can be a struggle to choose a Father’s Day gift. But by far, giving him a functional and stylish present is your best option. That’s where giving him a watch is a great choice! We’d like to share a few of our best tips with you, to make selecting his new watch easy.

Top 6 Tips on Choosing a Watch as a Father’s Day Present 

Watches are like jewellery in a way. Everyone has their own personal tastes, some preferring large bold designs, with others choosing simple and discreet models. To select the right watch for your father, here are six pointers to consider:

• Understand the kind of person your father is. A fashion conscious Dad would prefer a modern watch, while a technologically minded Dad would like a watch with all the bells and whistles! However, the type of watch he prefers can vary according to where he wears it too.

• Think about where he wears his watch. Does your father only wear a watch to work? Perhaps only for special occasions? This will help you identify the type of watch he would most prefer. A dress watch fulfils a different purpose to that of a sports watch and as such, you will need to also consider which features he feels are important in his watch.

• Consider his hand and arm proportions. Choosing a watch which has the correct sized face is important. Too big and as well as looking awkward, it can also be uncomfortable to wear. Too small and it looks seriously out of place.

• Know your budget. While you’d love to purchase the most expensive watch you can find for your Dad, set a budget and stick with it. But that doesn’t mean you are limited to only low quality mass produced models. At Luxiani, we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality men’s watches at an affordable price, such as those in our Stone Collection.

• Learn his watch type preferences. Often you are guided as to the best watch type for your father based upon where he primarily wears a watch. For instance, a dress watch is mostly for indoors activities, while a waterproof watch is required should he spend most of his time outdoors. However, it’s also necessary to know if he prefers a digital or analogue model. Then there’s whether you feel he’d prefer a mechanical, automatic or quartz watch. Other than observing the type of watch he currently wears, asking him may be your only option!

• Consider the type of strap he would prefer. Does he like a leather strap or a metal strap? A leather strap is comfortable to wear but can stretch over time. A meta watch strap can capture hairs, so if Dad has a lot of body hair, this is an important consideration. However, a metal strap will often last longer than a leather strap, in terms of durability.

A watch really is the best Father’s Day gift a guy could ever hope for. If you’d like some more assistance in selecting the right one for your Dad, we can help. Please contact us today and we’ll be more than happy to assist you.

We share the pros and cons of both, plus tips on how to choose the right watch for you! In the wonderful world of watches, there are so many options to consider. Mechanical or quartz movement? Leather or metal strap? Digital or analogue watch? How do you even know where to begin looking for the perfect watch, let alone which one it is?! Today we’ll share with you the differences between analogue and digital watches and some tips on how to choose the right watch for you.

 Differences Between a Digital & an Analogue Watch

An analogue watch is what is often referred to as a traditional watch. It displays the time using a dial with a minute hand, an hour hand and a second hand. The dial has either Roman numerals or numbers around it, divided into 12 equal parts. A digital watch also displays the time but uses an LCD or LED screen to do so. On the screen, the time is displayed in digits.

 How to Choose Between a Digital & an Analogue Watch

When it comes time to decide between an analogue and a digital watch, personal choice is what matters here. An analogue watch has a more traditional appearance, while a digital is more modern in style. But this is not the only factor to consider when selecting your watch type. The pros and cons of both are also important.

The pros of analogue watches include its elegant appearance, professionality, unlimited design options and potential to become an heirloom. Cons include a gentle ticking noise and the need to replace the battery every 12 to 24 months if it has a quartz movement.

The pros of digital watches are that they are of a modern design, use new technology and often have a light activated by a button to allow you to see the time in the dark. The cons include that they are often clunky looking, need frequent battery changes and just don’t look as attractive on as an analogue watch does. A further con for a digital smartwatch is that it may offer plenty of features,but often these features are of a poor quality.

Tips on Choosing Your New Watch

Once you have decided on whether you want an analogue or a digital watch, it’s time to start shopping! Here are some tips to help with your decision making process:

• Look within your budget
• Choose an appropriate watch face size
• Consider the type of strap you want
• Research the brand
• Think about if you need it to be water resistant or not
• Pick your colours
• Check the feel of the watch on your wrist

Here at Luxiani, we offer three distinct analogue watch collections: The Stone, Virtues and Weekend

Collections. We invite you to explore our online watch shop and view our watches today! For assistance in selecting a watch for you, or as a gift for a colleague, friend or loved one, we’re here to help! Feel free to contact us and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can. We share the pros and cons of both, plus tips on how to choose the right watch for you!

Labelled a dying profession, a watchmaker is often surrounded with an aura of mystique. With most watches now being factory manufactured, long gone are the days of the High Street watchmaker. But here at Luxiani, we want to encourage people to learn what a watchmaker does and inspire others to join us in our quest to create the world’s most desirable watches by becoming a watchmaker!

Understanding the Role of a Watchmaker 

A watchmaker is an artisan, someone who devotes their care and attention towards the manufacture and repair of watches. Watchmakers have been handcrafting watches under the names of famous watch brands such as Rolex, Seiko and Vacheron Constantin for centuries. While it’s true that most watches are now mass produced, there do remain a few traditional watchmakers who bring joy to others with their timepieces. They are few and far between though, with nowadays most watchmakers only repairing, not manufacturing watches. Often, they are associated with a large brand whom retailers send watches to for repair work. Consequently, it is not a profession many people enter, with low job opportunities, remuneration and many years of training required before you can give yourself the title of ‘professional watchmaker.’

Exploring the Role of Watchmakers in the Past 

In today’s world, time is money. Watch designers will often create a new model and then send it to the factory to be manufactured. This results in the availability of multiple units for sale within a short period of time. Labour costs are also low, with technological advances in the manufacturing process requiring little if no human input.

In the past though, watchmaking was highly regarded profession. Young men were often taken on as apprentices to a master watchmaker and taught the secrets of the trade for many years. They would then either take over the business or start up their own.

In England, the apprenticeship would last seven years and membership to a watchmaker’s guild was required before they could sell even their first watch. In more modern times, America and Denmark established schools where attendees were able to learn this beautiful craft. Today though, those pursuing this industry as a career are more likely to take on an apprenticeship than attend formal schooling.

What Exactly Can a Watchmaker Do?

As mentioned, watchmakers of today are more likely to repair rather than build watches. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t do it. In fact, you’ll be surprised at the tasks they can do, including:

• Designing watches
• Constructing watches
• Repairing watches
• Identifying issues and problem solving
• Engraving
• Servicing of watches
• Replace batteries

They also have a solid understanding of the history of watchmaking, excellent knowledge of the mechanical and technical workings of watches and may even be able to construct replacement parts for them.

It’s said that if you love your job, you’ll never have to work a day in your life! Here at Luxiani, we love spending time chatting with others, who like us, have a passion for lovingly crafted and high quality watches. We’d love to hear from you and invite you to explore our luxury watch collections today.

The importance of caring for your watch cannot be overemphasised as far as we are concerned. Often worn and purchased for sentimental reasons, a great watch tells a story and deserves to be looked after. We’ve put together a collection of eight of our best tips to help you care for your watch and keep it in prime condition.

Caring for Your Watch Made Easy 

Regardless of how much your watch cost to buy, you like it and find it useful. You want to ensure it remains in the best condition possible and prolong its lifespan. As owners of the luxury watch brand Luxiani, we’re passionate not only about providing you with the best watches, but also caring for them too. Here are our top eight tips on watch care:

1. Read your watch manual first – it is here that you will see clear instructions on how to care for your watch. The dos and don’ts are important to follow, as not doing so can void any warranty it may come with.

2. Clean your watch often – like everything, a watch can get dirty. If dust and dirt manage to get inside the watch case, they can cause serious damage. Wipe gently with a soft cloth to remove any dirt from both the strap and the watch case itself. Watches with leather straps can produce an odour over time. Check with the watch manufacturer first, but it may be possible to use a small amount of warm water and soap to clean the strap once it has been removed from the watch case.

3. Avoid getting it wet – unless your watch specifically says it is waterproof, keep it out of the water! This means take it off when showering, swimming or even washing the dishes.

4. Stay away from magnets – magnets can play havoc with the time keeping mechanisms of your watch, so are best avoided.

5. Keep your watch out of the sun – extreme heat (and cold) can negatively affect the mechanisms of your watch, including the gears, hands and battery.

6. Store it safely – it’s best to place your watch into it’s original case when not being worn. Leaving it on a table top or dresser can lead it to be accidently scratched or broken.

7. Have it serviced regularly – as a general guideline, a mechanical watch should be checked every two to three years by a watchmaker. For a quartz watch, you can stretch that to every three to four years. A service will involve a professional clean and lubrication to keep the mechanisms dirt, dust and moisture free.

8. Beware of shock damage – while a watch can absorb the small daily shocks it is exposed to safely, large ones can significantly damage its mechanism and casing. For extreme sports or leisure activities, you are best to remove it until you have finished.

Caring for your watch is not a strenuous job, but one which pay dividends for you in the future. If you’d like more information on how to care for your Luxiani watch, we’re here to help. Please contact us today and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.

Have you ever found yourself wondering what’s the difference between a mechanical and a quartz watch? With a similar appearance to the watch face, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were the same thing. The answer though, lies in the type of movement the watch has, and today we’re going to discuss the specific differences between them and how to pick the right one for you.

What is a Mechanical Watch?

A mechanical watch has a smooth sweeping seconds motion, a result of the second hand ticking multiple times per second. Because of this, mechanical watches also tend to have a higher level of quality and craftsmanship, compared with quartz watches.  It is this reason that many luxury watch designers only craft watches with this movement type.

Consisting of many very small moving parts, mechanical watches must be wound up to work. Instead of using a battery to power itself, a mechanical watch uses the energy from a small spring. When wound up, the spring uses its stored energy, passing current through the gears and springs to power the watch. Due to the amount of labour required, they also come with a higher price tag. But they are also built to last, with many wonderful watch masterpieces being passed down between generations due to their longevity.

Many mechanical timepieces can last for 30-40 hours on a single wind. With no batteries required, they are also an eco-friendlier option. The downside is, they do require winding and if you forget to do this, your watch stops!

What is a Quartz Watch?

A quartz watch has a second hand which moves only once per second. Instead of a smooth movement like on a mechanical watch, the second hand does look like it is jumping and often will have an audible tick.

Keeping very accurate time, a quartz watch requires minimal maintenance and is battery operated. The battery sends an electrical current through a small quartz crystal, which then creates vibrations. These vibrations keep the movement going and makes the motor move the watch hand.

Quartz watches are generally preferred over mechanical watches for their accuracy and reliability. Even though it has a shorter lifespan than its mechanical counterpart, a quartz watch does have the advantage of being cheaper to manufacture and consequently purchase. Other than a battery change around every 12 months, a quartz watch requires little maintenance.

Choosing Between Watch Movements

We all know the Swiss make great watches and it’s true they’re regarded as one of the world’s best. But there are plenty of other famous watch designers, who are worth keeping an eye on for upcoming watch trends. Today we share with you, who we feel as watch manufacturers ourselves, are five of the world’s top watch designers.

We’re mightily proud of the Luxiani watch brand we’ve created and while it’s not in the top five yet, we’re certain it will be incredibly popular! Here are five famous watch designers we love and are inspired by:

1. Rolex - founded in London by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in 1905, Rolex is now based in Geneva, technically making it a Swiss company. One of the famous and popular watch brands, Rolex is the largest manufacturer of luxury brand watches in the world. It is also one of the most copied watch brands, with plenty of knock offs being sold illegally around the world. Rolex’s strength lies in its value and brand history, and it is renowned for its high quality mechanisms and focus on the creation of precise, robust, accurate, and maintenance free watches.

2. Seiko - established in 1881 by Kintaro Hattori, the Seiko company is world famous for creating the first quartz watch: the Seiko Quartz Astron in 1969. This milestone marked a major shift in watchmaking from mechanical to quartz models. Then in 2012, Seiko created the Seiko Astron, the first GPS Solar Watch. The Seiko company has been official timekeepers of many Olympic Games and World Cup tournaments, which has only increased their brand awareness. Seiko’s luxury watch brands are still made in house, as it’s important to ensure their quality control levels remain high.

3. Patek Philippe - founded in Switzerland in 1851 by Antoni Patek and Adrien Philippe, Patek Philippe has been a firm favourite among royalty and other celebrities. Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert, and even celebrities like Picasso and Albert Einstein have all worn Patek Philippe watches. As one of the world’s most famous watch designers, Patek Philippe is known for its classic, traditional and understated look and highly functional mechanics. Patek Philippe has set the standard for luxury watches too, simply by having many features including the phases of the moon, perpetual calendars and star charts.

4. Vacheron Constantin – established in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron in Switzerland, this is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world. Vacheron Constantin is well known for providing very complicated designs, exquisite detailing and craftsmanship, mostly owing to its longevity in the watch making industry.

5. Casio – created in 1946 in Tokyo, Japan. Casio was not primarily a watch maker, being famous for their electronic devices in the 1970s and 80s before they moved into the manufacture of digital watches. Today they are best known for their shock resistant range G-shock range, often marketed at their young and active customers.

Who are your favourite famous watch designers? We’d love to know! Make certain to view our Virtues Collection of watches too. Ideal for the man or woman who does not waver in the pursuit of excellence, we’re certain it will quickly become one of your firm favourites! As always, we’re here to help you however we can. Contact us today - look forward to hearing from you.

Unless you have a serious passion for watches, a lesson in the history of watchmaking may not be high on your priorities list. But here at Luxiani, we firmly believe that everything has a story worth telling! The Luxiani brand itself was built upon a story and in fact, history itself is simply one giant story.  We’re excited to share with you today the history of watchmaking.

Welcome to the History of Watchmaking 

Since time began, humans have used various methods to tell the time. Sundials, moon dials, obelisks, water clocks, incense clocks, time balls, church bells and hourglasses are all technologies invented to help us keep track of the time. The issue was, they weren’t portable. People began wanting something they could carry with them and that regardless of where they went, they knew what the time was.

Around the 1540’s, the Swiss making watch industry began. Traditional jewellers had been banned from making jewellery by Protestant reformer John Calvin. So instead, they turned their skills to making watches. 1574 saw the first pocket watch created and marks the beginning of the history of watchmaking.

From the 17^th Century onwards, pocket watches became more widely accepted amongst society. This was indirectly assisted by the reigning English monarch at the time, Charles II. He required all men to wear waistcoats, which led to watch designers crafting their watches in such a way they fitted snuggly into a waistcoat and not cause any harm to clothing or to the wearer.

The 17^th Century also saw the addition of new features to watches. This included glass being used to cover the face of the pocket watch to prevent the hands becoming damaged, the addition of the minute hand in 1680 and the appearance of the second hand 1690. However, it took many years before these features were standard on all watches.

Abraham-Louis Perrelet invented the first self winding mechanism in 1770, and a thinner movement was created by Jean-Antoine Lepire in 1770, allowing watchmakers the ability to create smaller, thinner watches.

Mass production in the 19^th Century changed everything. Cheaper materials meant that pocket watches could be produced on a scale never seen before and were no longer only for the elite. It was also around this time, that the way the watch was wound was changed, moving from key winding to keyless.

The first official wristwatch was created for the Queen of Naples in 1812. Wristwatches were normally worn by women at this stage as they were prone to wear and tear, while men used hardier pocket watches. Wristwatches did become more popular in the military though, especially among the officer classes.

During World War One, soldiers could no longer use a pocket watch as they had to keep their hands free. Soldiers instead used wristwatches called trench watches. They had many of the same components as a pocket watch, but with a leather strap to go around the wrist.

The 1950’s saw the creation of the first electric watches, which saw the hands of the watch being moved mechanically. The balance wheel though was instead powered by a solenoid, and and was the forerunner of the quartz watch.

In 1969 the watch industry was changed forever thanks to the introduction of the quartz watch. Not having the moving parts of a mechanical watch, it didn’t need to be wound up, ran on a battery, was more shock resistant, significantly cheaper than mechanical watches, and kept very accurate time. Non quartz watches did not disappear though, instead becoming the preferred movement type of luxury watchmakers.

The history of watchmaking continues to evolve, even today. However, there will always be a place for a classic watch, one which you’re proud to wear and tells a story. Come and read about the Luxiani story, plus the individual stories of our Weekend, Virtues and Stone Collections too.