Most watch owners don’t need a watch box, since they rarely own more than one watch at a time. But watch enthusiasts are always on the quest for the next watch.
A collection of half a dozen watches is par for the course—and these are watches that cost hundreds of dollars each, or even thousands. Given the premium placed on these possessions, it makes sense to get a box that displays them in their best light.
A strong and sturdy box is essential to keep your watches clean, protected, and organized.
Basic Functions and Features
Watch boxes are like any other jewel boxes. They’re designed to keep watches protected from scratching, and in many cases, conspicuously showcased.
Some owner’s aren’t interested in a glass top watch boxes to show off their collection, preferring a box with a lid whose materials are consistent with the other surfaces (e.g. leather).
One of the most important features of a watch box is easy to overlook: compartments with adequate space.
Many watch compartments are three inches deep and two inches wide, which is fine for most watches; but more than a few advanced models, like dive watches, are rather large, and need more clearance.
Adequate space is takes height into account.When looking for a box, consider the compartment size of the largest watch you plan to buy, not the largest watch you currently own.
Larger watches can be 3/4″, so make sure that there’s at least 1/2″ between the top of the watch cushion and the box lid when closed—especially if the lid is flat rather than domed.
Design and Materials
Watch boxes come in a vast array of design and material options. There are opaque, stainless steel cases that are ideal for travel. Others use some exotic wood like ebony or teakwood—these look great on a desktop, but they scratch easily when taken on the road.
When looking for a watch box, keep in mind that not all design considerations are strictly a matter of taste. As mentioned above, the choice of a domed lid over a flat lid affect how much clearance the watches will have. A glass top is particularly important if at least one of your watches is solar powered.
The cushions used in the compartments can very in the material as well. Cheaper watch cushions tend to be made of foam, and which doesn’t secure a watch as well as a watch pillow covered with vinyl, felt, or fleece.
Finally, consider the capacity of the box—the number watches the box holds. You can find watch boxes for any single-digit number capacity, but you’ll probably want to stick with a multiple of five (a 5-piece or 10-piece box, for example) to keep the number of boxes your collection outgrows to a minimum. Most watch collectors don’t do a good job at projecting how many watches they’ll eventually buy.
