Time and Trust
Time and timekeeping are a big part of Haltom’s Jewelers heritage; we’ve been dealing in time since G.W. Haltom made a living regulating railroad watches over a century ago. In today’s world, timepieces tell the time and also something about the wearer. Wrist watches dominant the business, overpowering their pocket watch ancestors. Haltom’s watch selection is a carefully curated collection of the finest brands, chosen for quality, value and performance.
Our sales staff constantly studies and trains with every brand we offer to provide caring and knowledgeable guidance at our counters. Our mission is to help each customer experience, understand and try on a wide range of timepieces until the perfect fit is found. We feel that the selection of a timepiece is one of the most personal in our store: the watch is a reflection of the wearer. From G.W. Haltom to Jack Miller, our Haltom’s customers have trusted us to be all about time.
Warranties
Because we are authorized and official jewelers for every brand we carry, each watch comes with a full factory warranty. While the length and some specifics differ from brand to brand, every watch is warrantied for timekeeping. Diving watches are also warrantied for water resistancy or water proofness. External parts such as crystals, crowns, cases, bracelets and straps are not included in factory warranties. These warranties are activated by us at the time of purchase and are a valuable asset that accompanies your new watch. Haltom’s is diligent in demonstrating, activating and record keeping for our brands’ warranties to provide ultimate consumer satisfaction.
Movements
Today’s timepieces have quartz, manual or automatic movements. The movement is the engine of the watch, providing and regulating time and transferring it to the hands for a constantly correct visual demonstration of the current time.
Different brands and movements have varying amounts of hours of power reserve. Let us demonstrate and guide you in the selection process so you can choose the best type movement for your lifestyle.
Quartz
A tiny quartz crystal hit with an electric charge from a battery vibrates thousands of times per second. These vibrations are sent to the movement’s integrated circuits and motors, ending at the dial train which advances the hands of the watch.
Manual
Unlike a quartz movement, the power source is the mainspring, which stores energy by being wound tighter and tighter. Energy is then transmitted through a series of gears, escapement, balance wheel and dial train, sending the regulated time to move the hands of the watch. These watches need daily winding.
Automatic
A twentieth century advancement of the manual movement, the automatic has a self-winding and free-swinging rotor that winds the mainspring. This rotor moves as the wrist moves, constantly providing power. Automatic movement watches can stay fully wind if worn every day. They can also be manually wound and set to provide full power and best timekeeping when the watch has not been worn.
Styles & Functions
Wrist watches come in a wide array of styles, each with specific features, functions and designs for many different types of wear.
Diving Watches
These watches have water resistant or waterproof cases and winding crowns allowing the wearer carefree time in and around the water. Some also have easily read dials and markers for underwater use, as well as time lapse rotating bezels to keep careful track of the length of a dive.
Aviator Watches
These watches aid the pilot and traveler by having additional features including a GMT with 12-hour and 24-hour displays, dial time zone displays, and world time zone displays. Some GMT watches also have an independently set hour hand for ease in changing the second time zone. Other watches have a circular slide rule used to calculate time/distance/fuel and unit conversions.
Timing Watches
One of today’s most popular features is the chronograph, which is a stopwatch built into a basic watch. These watches typically have two pushers, one for stopping and starting the stopwatch and one to reset. The dials have subdials to record length of time in seconds, minutes, hours and sometimes even split seconds. Used in all kinds of racing, the chronograph is an iconic sports watch design.
Dress Watches
Each wearer today has his or her own idea of “dress” styles. While the conservative traditional sees a slim, classic gold case on an alligator strap, others look for diamonds dials, diamond bezels and metal bracelets to complete the dress watch of their dreams. Personal preferences, clothing styles and lifestyles should be all be considered. One person’s sport watch can be the next one’s dress watch!
Other Considerations
Because choosing a timepiece is such a personal decision, we understand the need to review other features. Some of these choices include:
- Choice of metals
- Choice of bracelets and straps
- Choices of dials and dial colors
- Choice of complications – annual and perpetual calendars in addition to day, date, GMT, dual time, world time and chronograph functions
