The Swiss watch is known for its good reputation in terms of quality and durability. Switzerland is therefore the most famous watch country. Well-known Swiss brands are Tag Heuer, Glycine, Cornavin and also Swiss Kubik that produces watch winders. The label 'Swiss made' stands for a guaranteed high quality and that has been worked with great precision according to tradition. But when can a watch wear this label? Because only the fact that a watch comes from Switzerland is not enough to provide the watch with this famous predicate. There are different requirements for this. Although it does not mean that every watch with the label 'Swiss made' is of the best quality. These requirements have not always been written in a law and, apart from that, these standards have been adjusted over the years. Older watches with the label 'Swiss made' do not necessarily meet these requirements. However, it is also possible that these watches are of even higher quality.

The current law applicable to the 'Swiss made' label was codified on December 23, 1971, followed by a further revision in 1995. But the conditions in this law are a minimum standard, which means that a 'Swiss made' watch must comply to this minimum. So other than this the label, the quality of the different brands that carry this label depends in particular on the brand, production, philosophy and its reputation. Where one brand goes for the highest quality, the other goes for cheaper parts from other countries as long as this is possible within the norms of the law.

In short, a Swiss-made watch must at least have the movement come from Switzerland and also be built into the watch case. Beyond that, the last inspections of the watch in Switzerland must be carried out and at least 60% of the development costs of the watch must be made in Switzerland. However, some of these standards are open to interpretation and there is discussion about them.

The Swiss watch now gets serious competition from both the German and the French watch. The stamp 'made in Germany' is now a firm predicate as well in the watch market and the difference with the Swiss brands is getting smaller and smaller. The German watchmakers have developed considerably over the years in the field of technology, quality and design. The German watches are also provided with high-quality movements, whether they are of Swiss origin or not, and they are made by watchmakers who understand their profession.

To conclude, Swiss watches with the predicate 'Swiss made' are still very respectable and the most famous watch brands (such as Tag Heuer, Rolex, IWC, Breitling etc etc) are from Switzerland. However, this does not alter the fact that countries such as Germany and France also have very good watch brands, such as Fortis, Junkers, Zeppelin and Davosa. Often these brands are also a bit cheaper while offering comparable quality.

The most pure form of watches is the automatic watch. Your motion ensures that the watch receives energy and continues to "run". But what if you're not always wearing your watch (or logically you won't wear all your watches at the same time)? The solution is simple and practical; a watch winder. A watch winder ensures that your automatic watch (s) is always provided with sufficient energy, so that it keeps running. This has a few big advantages. First advantage is convenience. You do not have to set your watch every time (time, date, moon phase, GMT etc etc). Secondly, it is also good for automatic watches, better than standing still. Because of the motion, the oil is well distributed over the movement so that the operation parts remain smooth. Finally, we would like to mention the aesthetic element. Rotating watches in a watch winder are simply a beautiful sight. A watch winder is a real "eye catcher" for many people and besides being functional, it is also very nice to have a watch winder in your office, bedroom in your living room.

Choosing a good watch winder is easy. We would like to give you the following tips; choose quality, determine how many watches you want to use in the watch winder, choose a watch winder that offers certain functionality and buy from a good seller.

Cheap is often expensive and that also applies to watch winders. Do you want to buy a watch winder on Ebay or Alibaba? Fine, but keep in mind that these watch winders mostly have Chinese motors and/or gearbox. This technique is not sustainable and can make noise over time. Not exactly what you want in your bedroom.

Which watches would you like to wind in your watch winder? Choose a for a certain capacity for your watch collection and consider any new watches coming in. After all, it would be a pity when you don't have enough capacity to wind your latest automatic watch.

With a good watch winder, the direction of rotation and the number of revolutions per day can be set. This ensures that you can set an individual program for each automatic watch. This is flexible, especially for the future.

A good seller has a large collection of watch winders from different brands that you can compare easily. It is important that the supplier of an official dealer/reseller so that you can be sure that it is an original product and for service/warranty. 

Do you have questions and/or comments regarding a watch winder? Please contact us for advice on tips.

The choice of an ideal watch is not easy. Factors such as design, color, price and size play an important role. In addition, it is important what type of movement, inside the watch, you choose. In this blog we discuss the pros and cons of automatic watches and quartz watches. Of course, a watch with automatic movement is more nostalgic and an ode to watch technology. In the past there were not even quartz watches, these became really popular in the 70s when Japanese watch brands such as Seiko and Citizen presented their watches with battery and the Swiss watch brands were in crisis.

If you ask us, an automatic (or mechanical) watch is the purest form of watchmaking technology. However, a watch with battery is great for everyday use and a quartz movement is often more reliable in terms of time measurement. Advantages of automatic watches are the historical and technical aspect. In addition, looking at a watch with automatic movement (the back often has a glass window) is a wonderful spectacle. The most prestigious watch brands, mostly from Switzerland, often build automatic movements in their (more expensive) watches. The technique is quite complex so it is actually very special that this technique indicates the right time by means of a combination of wheels and a spring that is tensioned (and relaxes, making the hands "move" or "run"). An important advantage of an automatic watch is that you never have to replace the battery.

An automatic movement immediately ensures that the watch will function (excitement through the crown is also possible with many automatic watches) when the watch is in motion. A disadvantage is at the same time that when the watch does not get enough movement it comes to a standstill. The solution to overcome this problem is a watch winder. A watch winder ensures that wrist movement is simulated in a device (the watch winder), so that the watch never stops. Another disadvantage is that almost all automatic watches are not 100% accurate and in other words have a deviation to a greater or lesser extent. However, this is also the charm of an automatic watch. The vulnerability of an automatic watch must also be mentioned as a disadvantage. The technique is quite complex and when the combination of technology is disturbed the watch can be damaged; stops functioning or get a deviation in time measurement.

Benefits of quartz watches are countless. The battery does the job and when it is empty you place a new battery. The technique is relatively simple and easy to repair. In addition, quartz watches are often more resistant to external influences; shocks, water and dust. If you are very active, a quartz watch is often the better choice. Also in terms of use in water (diving and swimming) a quartz watch often offers better features. An important advantage is that quartz watches are often considerably cheaper than automatic watches. Disadvantages of quartz watches are hardly there. It might be less stylish and original, but that is a matter of taste. We would advise everyone to choose the technique, automatic or quartz, that suits him/her best. Look at the use and your personal taste. Choose quality as well, because this rule will certainly apply to watches; a cheap watches results in an expensive watch.

Should you have questions or comments about the above blog? We are happy to help you and help you.

Choosing a good dive watch is not easy. There are so many brands, models and different prices. What do you have to pay attention to when you want to purchase a dive watch?

Our tips at a glance:

1) Determine which functionalities you find important. Would you like to swim, snorkel or dive with the watch? Or would you like to wear a diving watch because you like the design? When you are active and want to dive at a large(er) depth we recommend a watch with a water resistance of at least 300 meters / 30 ATM. This is enough to easily take the watch to great depths. Also make sure that it gives good light in the dark, otherwise it is difficult to see the time in the water. As a final tip we would like to say that a rotatable bezel (ring) is important so you can measure exactly how much oxygen you have left in your tank/bottle.

2) Determine your budget for the dive watch. There are dive watches in different price ranges. From cheap to extremely expensive. The price can affect the quality, so always pay attention to the type of movement, the brand of the movement, the materials, functions and finish. There are several good dive watches on the market for modest amounts, think of Van Speyk, Davosa and NauticFish. When you look in a slightly higher segment than are interesting watch brands Damasko, Glycine and Fortis.

3) Determine what you like. A watch is increasingly becoming a jewel instead of a timekeeper. It is a shame when you are loosing interest in the looks of the watch within a year. Look at what you think is beautiful now, but what you still like in 5 years. Timeless design is an important concept here. Damasko is a brand that is very strong in this. Contemporary, timeless and qualitatively very strong.

4) Buy the watch at a good shop that gives clear information and has enough choice to compare. Dive watches are not cheap and you can only spend the money once. Therefore choose a shop that has expertise and offers a clear guarantee. You better e-mail or call too many times to ask questions than to be disappointed later. BensonTrade is official dealer of all her watch brands and we have mentioned several brands of dive watches in this article. Each and every one of them is 100% in terms of quality, functionality and design. Although this last aspect is of course taste sensitive.

Good luck with your choice for a beautiful dive watch!

Quality is very important when you're looking for a new watch. After all, you want the watch to last for years and to function as it should. In that case you will soon end up with a German or Swiss watch. Swiss watches are generally more well known and therefore more expensive. In Germany there are several watch brands active that combine quality with a very interesting price. Brands such as Junkers, Zeppelin, Davosa and Elysee. Perhaps watch brands that you have never heard of but brands that make very nice watches. Junkers, for example, produces watches with an appealing design based on aviation, just like Zeppelin. Davosa has a very large collection from sporty to classic and from quartz to mechanical. Elysee has mainly classic watches that are stylish and elegant. For each brand it is important that the price must be affordable for the consumer. As official dealer of these brands we have more than 8 years experience with their watches and aftersales.

If you do not have a budget for a Swiss watch then a German watch is a great alternative. Qualitatively they are certainly comparable, but the price is much more favorable. View our collections of Swiss and German watches so that you can see the differences yourself, not only in terms of brand name but also price.