What we compare
Every watch in a guide starts with the maker's own published details: the movement (quartz, automatic, solar, mechanical), case size and thickness, water resistance, the crystal, the lume, the strap or bracelet, and the warranty. We compare those side by side with today's UK prices, and say plainly who each watch suits and who should skip it.
What we don't do
We don't have every watch in hand. A buying guide is a comparison of published specs and real prices, not a hands-on test, unless the page says we have worn that watch. We never invent measurements, timekeeping results or wear impressions.
Prices and price history
The price beside a watch comes from the UK shop selling it for least that we can show, with when it was checked. Where we can track a shop automatically we check it through the day, and an old price is hidden rather than shown as current.
A price drop is worked out against that shop's typical price over the last 60 days, from our own price history. We keep history only from shops whose terms allow it, so Amazon prices are never stored or used to work out a drop.
Official list prices
The price index records official UK list prices, as published by each brand, with the date we recorded the change and a link to the source. Brands that don't sell new watches online in the UK (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet) are listed for information only, never with a link to buy.
Drops and export figures
Each entry on the drops calendar links to the brand's or shop's own announcement. The Swiss export figures are the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry's monthly statistics, with a source for every month.
Commission
We earn from some links. It never decides a pick, the order of a list or which shop we show: that is always the lowest price we can show. More on affiliate links.