Test drive at least six watches before deciding to buy.

A quality wristwatch can be the ultimate marriage of form and function, as most buyers want something that looks beautiful and also keeps perfect time. To find a watch that you'll be proud to wear every day and will never make you late for appointments, spend a little time shopping around.

Peter Generales, the co-owner of California watch store Generales & Generales, knows the importance of a quality timepiece. He suggests starting with the basic considerations of durability, comfort, and ease-of-reading, and offers these further suggestions:

• Quartz accuracy.
  As a first timepiece, Peter recommends a quartz watch. They're water-resistant, very accurate, and simple to use. And who doesn't need a little more simplicity in life?
  
• Test drive.
  Peter suggests shopping for watches like you would shop for a car. Take a half-dozen or so for "test drives" in the shop. See how each watch looks and feels on your wrist before you make up your mind.
  
• Choose quality.
  Peter sees a high quality timepiece as a much better bargain than something that's less expensive and of lower quality. After all, a really good watch will outlast up to four or five cheaper ones, proving the old maxim "you get what you pay for."

For more information on watches, contact a jeweler or watch shop in your area, or check out the following organizations and websites:

The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors
1-717-684-8261
www.nawcc.org

The International Watch & Jewelry Guild
1-800-554-4992
www.iwij.com

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