Choosing the Right Watch for Every Occasion
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For many men a watch is the only accessory they wear every single day. It is noticed in handshakes, at dinner, in meetings. Choosing well is worth a little thought.
The three watches every wardrobe needs
The dress watch
Slim, simple, on a leather strap. A white, cream or black dial with clean markers. It should slide under a shirt cuff without effort. This is the watch for weddings, dinners and evenings in a suit.
The everyday steel watch
A steel bracelet, a versatile dial in black, blue, white or green, and enough presence to work with a blazer or a sweater. If you can only own one watch, own this one.
The weekend watch
A chronograph or a sportier piece on a bracelet or a fabric strap. Made for travel, the boat, the long lunch. Relaxed, but still refined.
Size and proportion
The watch should sit within the width of your wrist. As a guide, slimmer wrists suit cases around 36 to 40 mm, broader wrists 40 to 42 mm. When in doubt, choose smaller: classic watches age better than oversized ones.
Matching metals and leathers
- Steel and silver tones work with almost everything, especially grey, navy and black.
- Gold tones pair beautifully with camel, brown, cream and bottle green.
- A brown leather strap goes with brown shoes and belt; a black strap with black shoes.
Which watch, when
- Office: the everyday steel watch.
- Black-tie or wedding: the dress watch on leather.
- Weekend and travel: the chronograph or sports watch.
- Dinner date: the dress watch, always.
A watch should feel like part of you. Choose one you will still love to look at in ten years.