Beginner's Guide to Choosing the Perfect Watch

This is the first question most buyers face and the one most commonly overcomplicated. The honest answer is that both are excellent, and the choice depends on how you intend to wear the watch rather than on any objective quality difference.

Quartz runs on a battery. It is more accurate than any mechanical watch (typically within 15 seconds per month versus 15 seconds per day for a well-regulated automatic), requires virtually no maintenance, and enables slimmer cases because the movement is compact. The Söner Nostalgia uses the Swiss ETA 901.001 quartz calibre with an 11-year battery you will change it once in a decade. For a dress watch worn on formal and professional occasions, quartz is often the more practical choice.

Automatic winds itself from the motion of your wrist and requires no battery. Wearing an automatic watch daily means it almost never needs attention. The mechanical movement its visible complexity through an exhibition caseback, its smooth sweeping seconds hand connects the wearer to the craft of watchmaking in a way a battery-powered watch cannot. The Söner Amorous uses a Swiss Sellita SW100A automatic. For a watch you will wear every day and want to engage with mechanically, automatic is worth the slightly larger case thickness. For the full comparison, see our automatic vs quartz rectangular watches guide.

Over 98% of watches sold are round. That is not because round is better. It is because round is the default the choice that requires no awareness of design history and no willingness to stand apart. For most first-time buyers, the round watch is the assumed option rather than a considered one.

The rectangular case has been in continuous production since Louis Cartier drew the Tank in 1917. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso followed in 1931. The TAG Heuer Monaco in 1969. These are among the most culturally significant watch designs ever made and they are all rectangular. The rectangular case follows the natural geometry of the wrist more closely than a round one, sits flatter under a shirt cuff, and communicates something specific about the wearer that they have thought about what they wear rather than reaching for the default.

For a first watch, the rectangular case is worth serious consideration. It is the choice with the richer design history, the better wrist ergonomics, and the stronger visual distinction. For the full argument, see our seven reasons why square watches are the best choice. For the head-to-head comparison, see our square watch vs round watch guide.

Case size is the most commonly overlooked factor in online watch purchases and the one most responsible for buyer regret. A watch that overhangs your wrist or sits too thick under a cuff will undermine the effect regardless of how well it is made.

The first step is to measure your wrist. The watch should sit within the wrist width without overhanging either side. For rectangular watches, both the case width and the lug-to-lug measurement matter the lug-to-lug determines how much of the wrist the case spans from top to bottom. The Söner Nostalgia and Amorous at 28x40mm is designed as a proportion that works across most wrist sizes for both men and women. The Söner Legacy and Momentum at 35x45mm suits larger wrists and more active wear contexts.

For the complete sizing framework, see our rectangular watch size guide.

There are three crystal types used in watches: acrylic (plastic), mineral glass, and sapphire. For any watch above $150, the only acceptable crystal is sapphire.

Acrylic crystals scratch from contact with a fingernail. Mineral glass scratches from a steel key. Sapphire rated at Mohs 9, second only to diamond in hardness scratches from almost nothing in everyday use. The visual difference between a scratched mineral crystal and a pristine sapphire crystal on the same watch face after 18 months of daily wear is dramatic. Sapphire is more expensive to produce, but any watch brand worth buying from uses it as standard above entry level. All Söner watches use sapphire with multi-layer anti-reflective coating. For the full explanation, see our sapphire glass guide.

The brand determines three things: the quality of the movement, the standard of case finishing and materials, and the warranty and after-sales support. Here is an honest overview of the landscape by price tier.

Söner occupies a specific position in this landscape: the only brand in the world dedicated exclusively to rectangular watches. That singular focus means every design decision, from case proportions to dial layout to movement selection, is made for the rectangular format rather than adapted from a round-case line. The result is a rectangular watch that is more considered in its format than anything produced as a line extension of a predominantly round catalogue. From $385, with Swiss movements from $520, 800HV hardened steel, sapphire crystal, and a 10-year international warranty. For the full brand and price tier overview, see our watch brand pyramid guide.

Case shape. Most first-time buyers never ask "should this be round?" because round is so dominant that it never feels like a choice. But it is a choice, and it is the most visible one you make when buying a watch.

If you are buying a watch to be worn in professional and formal contexts, to last for decades, and to say something specific about your relationship to design and quality, the rectangular case deserves serious consideration. Under 2% of watches are rectangular. Wearing one immediately communicates that you chose deliberately rather than defaulted. That signal is clear to anyone who notices watches and it is quiet enough to go unnoticed by everyone else. For the complete rectangular watch buying guide, see our best rectangular watches in 2026.