All wound up with watch queries? Time n Style helps you unwind

Why are some watches associated with certain sports or activities? For example, why do pilots prefer Breitling? Does it really help in navigation?
Gurbinder Singh, Chandigarh
“Some brands have deliberately associated themselves with certain sports and for others the progression has been natural due to the kind of innovations they have made in their watches. For example, TAG Heuer has always been seen as a watch that measures time accurately in parts of seconds. It was the first watch to measure one hundredth of a second. Hence, the close association with car racing. Some of the most famous names in the Formula One circuit like Ayrton Senna and David Coulthard have been associated with TAG. Omega, for instance, is associated with excellence in professional sports, be it mountaineering or sailing. Omega symbolises accuracy and precision, which is the hallmark of a successful astronaut. As for pilots and Breitlings, the connection is a mere romance of the brand. There are many sophisticated equipments inside the cockpit of an aircraft. A watch can never replace or give answers that are required to fly, navigate or land a flying machine. In fact, a Casio digital will have more information than a Breitling but it is just the mystique and romantic alliance that people have. True, the Navitimer has many functions that help, but I doubt if many pilots use it to land 747s or F18s.”

I have a watch that says 30m water-resistant. Last week the watch fell on a stone and the cover glass broke. I have repaired it and had the glass replaced. Can I still swim or dive with the watch?
Deepak, Pune
“Don’t even try to shower with the watch on unless you have had the glass replaced from an authorised service center of the brand of your watch (which you haven’t mentioned). Also, have the watch checked for the water-resistant feature.”

I want to gift my mother a watch. I have selected two watches of the same type, only one has a silver dial and the other has a pearl-finish on the dial. The latter is more expensive but I really like it. Is it worth paying Rs 2,000 more for it? Please advise.
Neha, Mumbai
“Mother-of- pearl finish on a watch dial is very popular. The mother- of- pearl is a natural material, which is sliced off in thin layers from shells and then cut into required shapes and sizes and pasted on watch dials to give the desired look. The shells are found in the sea and are much larger than the small shells found on the beach. Mother- of - pearl is the shell of mollusks such as mussels and oysters as well as of pseudopods (such as snails). While your shopkeeper may be right in saying that the pearl finish is a little more expensive, a difference of Rs 2,000 is unreasonable. Perhaps he knows that the watch has caught your fancy and is charging a high price. The difference of a couple of hundred rupees is justified but anything beyond that is unjust. So try another shop!”

Which is the most popular shape among women’s watches in the luxury watch segment?
Andrea, Mumbai
“If we look at fashionable watches, there are plenty of shapes that are in vogue. What happens in the fashion watch segment is that certain shapes and colours become the rage for a particular period of time and they vanish soon after. Fashion watches are also not particularly expensive and one can own more than one. Round or oval remain the most popular shapes. You can safely buy either shape safe in the knowledge that this is not going out of fashion.”

Need to know your watch? Or do you have some timely queries? Send your questions to timenstyle@indiatimes.com