Eterna Watches Review – Traditional Styling and Modern Innovation

Eterna Watches – Style and Innovation

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Eterna watches -men's Heritage 1938Everyone likes a nice looking watch, and while there are companies that have made their name by making odd-looking timepieces, most consumers still prefer traditional styling.  That doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in technology or innovation, and for those who like both style and substance, Eterna watches make a great choice.

The company has been in business since the 1850s, and while their styling is typical of older manufacturers’ work, their innovation is legendary and continues to the present day.  While the company currently has Chinese ownership, they continue to make fine timepieces in Switzerland using the same methods and high build quality that they’ve been using for more than a century.  If you like quality, style and innovation, Eterna watches might be a good choice for you.

Read on for the full Eterna watches review.


Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary

Eterna Watches Build Quality

The build quality ois quite good, with stainless steel and rose gold cases, sapphire crystal protecting the watch face, and leather, stainless steel and gold straps and bracelets.  Water resistance is good and most models are rated at 50 meters or better, though these are not timepieces that are designed for use in or near water.  With proper care, these watches should run well for many years, particularly if you own one of their automatic models with the Spherodrive.

Movements

These watches use both automatic and quartz movements, depending on the model.  As a rule, the lower end of the price range has quartz movements, while the more expensive models have automatic.  There are some exceptions to that; the ladies’ Contessa model, which comes with several hundred diamonds, and is therefore rather pricey, has a quartz movement.  Both the electronic and mechanical movements are Swiss-made and built in-house.

Innovation

The company has a long history of innovation; the company produced the first wristwatch with an alarm back in 1908.  Perhaps their best-known technical advance was the invention of the Eterna Spherodrive in 1948.  By incorporating five small ball bearings into the watch movement, friction was significantly reduced, producing a timepiece that was not only more accurate, but one that was likely to have a longer working life, as well.  The company became so well known for this particular innovation that the company now uses five spheres as their corporate logo.

Click here to see Eterna watches at Amazon.com

Styling and Features

Eterna watches - AdventicThe styling of Eterna watches leans to the traditional; many of these models would not look out of place in a mid-1950s boardroom.  That doesn’t mean that they are unattractive, but if you’re looking for bright colors, odd-shaped faces, or the outrageous, you’re not going to find it here.

These are austere, elegant timepieces that are well built and will look great for any occasion.  They do offer a number of models that feature gold, rose gold and diamonds, for those who like a little bling with their timepiece.  A few models offer mechanical complications such as moon phases, and a few models offer chronograph features.  All in all, these watches are suitable for most occasions, including daily wear, business wear and evening wear.  Models are available for both men and women, and displays, of course, are all analog, even with the quartz models.

Care and Maintenance

The care and maintenance will vary, depending on the model.  Quartz models will need to have the battery replaced every two years or so.  Automatic models should be checked annually by a qualified technician, and the company recommends that the watch be returned to them every four years for servicing.  This will involve disassembling the watch, checking for worn parts and replacing if necessary, and cleaning and lubrication.

The watch will then be tested for both accuracy and water resistance before being returned to you, good as new.  Aside from these considerations, your watch should be kept away from strong magnetic fields or extremes of temperature and automatic models should be stored in a watch winder if not being worn on a regular basis.  With proper care, these watches should run well for decades.

Eterna Watches Warranty

The warranty is good but not exceptional; the manufacturer warrants your purchase against defects in workmanship and materials for two years from the date of purchase.  This is a typical warranty; probably 90% of all manufacturers offer a warranty of similar duration.  As these watches are thoroughly tested before shipping, defects are quite rare.

Prices

Eterna watches - Contessa Two Hands diamondsAs luxury timepieces go,  prices range from moderate to expensive, with models having a typical list price ranging from about $1000 to nearly $20,000.  Some models are limited in production, so the prices on those models tend to be higher.

There’s a bit of collector interest in the brand, which isn’t surprising, since the company makes a quality product and is a long-established Swiss watchmaker.  While we cannot recommend buying  as an investment, it’s quite possible that some models may appreciate in value with time.

Where to Buy

As with most luxury brands, the company controls both their pricing and distribution in order to keep demand ahead of supply and to avoid the perception that the product is either ordinary or common.

As such, you can officially buy only from a select group of company-approved retailers, which are generally high-end jewelry stores located in major cities.  You cannot purchase Eterna watches at the official Website.

Authorized retailers are few; there are only about a half a dozen of them in the United States, for example.  On the other hand, it is possible to buy unofficially from a number of other retailers, including some on the Internet.

These retailers would offer your best opportunity to buy at a discount, as these retailers are not bound by company-enforced pricing agreements.  In fact, we have seen some models discounted to as little as $200 online.  Keep in mind that many of the company’s watches are limited editions and the product line is large, so no retailer, authorized or not, is likely to carry the entire product line.  Still, most companies that sell the brand should have a nice selection to offer.

Eterna Watches Summary

Eterna watches have a long history of beauty, precision and innovation. While the company has changed hands a few times in recent decades, they have never lost sight of their dedication to making beautiful, high quality watches.  Their styling is traditional, but they offer cutting-edge technology and the result is an attractive, accurate timepiece.  If you like old-school looks with modern functionality, Eterna watches might be a great choice for you.

Click here to see Eterna watches at Amazon.com