Learn how to wear a watch and always look your absolute best with this quick guide.
For many discerning watch collectors, a luxury timepiece is considered a purchase. It’s not something decided at the drop of a hat. No doubt, you’ve looked at different brands, debated styles, and “ummed” and “ahhed” about how much to spend on one.
Soon, you’ll be ready to part with your hard-earned cash and acquire your dream watch. When that time comes, you’ll want to know how best to show it off. You’ll want to learn the rules on how to style it out!
Think about it. Would you wear trainers with a suit? How about winklepickers with a business suit? (I’m sure it’s happened.) There are some unwritten rules regarding how to wear a wristwatch. You should consider them carefully to look your best.
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Where To Wear a Watch? (The Best Watch Types for You)
Many believe the key to wearing a watch properly is matching it adequately with your outfit. Let’s take a look at some common watch styles and answer the first dilemma: “Where to wear a watch?”
There are luxury watches out there for every style, every taste, and very eventually. These include pilot’s watches, GMT watches, sports watches, dive watches, and dress watches. Some look contemporary, others vintage-inspired, and some even vintage.
Then, there are gender-defining characteristics like small case dimensions, masculine colors, and lady-like diamond decoration. We are seeing the gap between men’s watches and women’s watches slowly close over time.
That’s a great thing for women who wear men’s watches and vice versa. Cases are getting smaller, and there are now more unisex options to choose from than ever before.
1. The Dress Watch
Dress watches are probably the most common style. Pretty much every manufacturer has a collection dedicated to this genre.
If you want to know how to utilize your dress watch as best you can, wear it with something smart. Smart-casual works, too, as does a formal outfit, a professional suit, and a dinner jacket.
You can even switch a dress watch up by swapping its bracelet or leather strap for a nylon or rubber band. This gives the timepiece a more relaxed feel, enabling it to complement a jeans and sweater ensemble.
2. The Chronograph Watch
Chronographs are the next step up from a dress watch, particularly simple, classic ones. You can also buy chronographs in precious metals, enabling you to pair them with formal attire.
That said, chronographs can be super masculine, chunky, and bold. These designs tend to work well with sportswear, which you can utilize on the race track if combined with a tachymeter scale.
My advice would be to wear a chronograph with a racing suit or a leather jacket. Also, avoid pairing busy dials with anything too formal.
If you like vintage watches, you may enjoy the single-pusher designs. Although these are rare, they do pair better with a semi-formal wardrobe.
3. The Pilot’s Watch
A pilot’s watch and a bomber jacket — do it! These two accessories are a match made in heaven.
Pilot’s watches have become a particularly popular collectible over recent decades. They have a distinct aesthetic, with legible hour markers (usually Arabic numerals) and a classic leather or metal bracelet.
Pilot’s watches are popular with aviation enthusiasts and lovers of vintage timepieces. They often bring an old-worldly vibe to the wrist, bringing back the styles of a bygone era.
But pilot watch styles vary drastically. The Cartier Santos, for example, is a particularly dressy interpretation.
Likewise, Hamilton’s range of field watches can fall into the pilot’s watch category, while others feature chronograph complications. The Breitling Navitimer is perhaps one of the most popular pilot’s watch designs of all. It’s equipped with the iconic slide rule bezel.
Because the pilot watch is so broad in design, the more classic models can complement a smart jeans and shirt ensemble. Failing that, goggles and a flight jacket will complete an aviator look perfectly.
4. The Sports Watch
Sports Watches define a very important era in watchmaking. With their integrated bracelets and (sometimes) chiseled octagonal or dodecagonal bezels, they capture the spirit of the 1970s.
Many modern sports watches today take inspiration from the iconic designs innovated by the legendary Gerald Genta. Leaders in the field at the time were Audemars Piguet, with the Royal Oak watch, and Patek Philippe, with the Nautilus.
High water-resistant ratings and reliable automatic movements are other “must-haves” in a luxury sports watch.
This style of watch pairs well with anything casual or sporty. In fact, you could even wear a luxury sports watch like the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo with a suit. Thanks to its slim build, it will effortlessly slip under a shirt cuff.
5. The Dive Watch
Should you wear a dive watch to the boardroom? Probably not. This style of watch looks great with sports gear and casual attire. But it won’t fit under the cuff of a suit very well.
Generally speaking, dive watches are rugged, bulky tools for underwater pursuits. That means they often come in hefty sizes with thick dimensions that don’t do a suit any favors. Remember, always go classic (preferably understated) with formal attire.
Dive watches are no longer restricted to the sole purpose of diving. In fact, most people wear dive watches for anything other than, well, diving.
While we may stop short of a DOXA SUB with a tux, wearing a dive watch to dinner is doable. Dub it down with a leather band, or dress it up with a metal bracelet to get the balance just right.
Where Should a Watch Sit on Your Wrist?
Let’s clarify one thing: There aren’t many places you can wear a watch other than a little past the wrist bone. Anywhere else is uncomfortable for most people.
A common question is, “Which wrist should you wear a watch on?” Many people wear the watch on the opposite hand to their dominant one. Society dictates that this is “the norm.” But we live in a world where the norm is less normal, and that’s okay.
The theory behind wearing a watch on the non-dominant hand is that there’s less risk you’ll ding it up. While this is true, it might not work for you.
Perhaps when manual-winding watches were in abundance, the logical thing was to wind the crown with your “doing hand”. But today, many high-end watches are either automatic or quartz. We’re also inclined to take the watch off the wrist before winding it anyway.
So, the answer to “Where should a watch sit on your wrist?” is left, right, or “switcharoo”. It doesn’t matter. Your watch is still yours, and so is your opinion. Place it however you want, and you’ll be sure to get the most out of your beloved timepiece.
The Proper Way To Wear a Watch
Maybe the proper way to wear a watch is to enjoy it for what it is. An intricate mechanical engine that expresses an art form that goes far beyond the skill of just tracking time.
For many, the enjoyment of wearing a watch has a much deeper meaning. Watches can be symbols of success and status or serve as an extension of one’s personality. You may wear one in memory of a loved one or utilize one as a functional tool for a particular profession.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that many people share a similar experience. Many a collector has found a new-found love for the watches they had stored away in their drawer. Why? They stopped seeing themselves as discerning collectors and actually started wearing their timepieces.
The biggest disservice to a watch is not to wear it because it’s “just too nice”.
Don’t wait for a special date in your diary to wear your favorite watch or to refresh your wardrobe first. Wear the watch you love now.
As I mentioned earlier, wear your watch however it feels comfortable whether you’re a lefty or not. And, if you’re lucky enough to own multiple watches, make picking out a different timepiece a daily thing. Switch things up a bit!
Wearing a Watch in the Modern World
There are still some rules we follow when wearing watches (such as the left wrist tradition and matching metals and materials). Some traditions are less important, however.
Does Size Matter?
Proportions are less of an issue these days. Oversized watches became fashionable a little over a decade ago. Men were wearing oversized watches and rocking them.
Take, for example, the U-boats and Panerai watches of the horological world (both Italian, by the way!). These were hefty watches for their time, creating a huge wrist presence with their oversized, over-engineered look.
Today, fashion trends are showing that watches are downsizing once more. Still, there is no rule of thumb for wearing any one correct size. It all depends on the look you want to achieve. However, if you are looking for a watch proportionate to your wrist size, you’ll have plenty of options.
Watches come in all sizes, with anything under around 38mm considered adequate for females. Anything over that, you can class as a men’s watch.
The 36-38mm mark is the middle ground, reserved for unisex options. However, unisex designs are much more about style than size alone.
Some larger watches with diamond decorations appeal to a female demographic. Likewise, a simple, understated women’s Omega De Ville or AP Royal Oak can double up as a timepiece for men with small wrists.
Some smaller watches, too, appeal to many a man — the small-sized Cartier tank, for instance.
Status Means Nothing
Old-fashioned views may have you believe that if you’re turning up for an interview or business meeting, there are rules. Rules like you shouldn’t wear an expensive watch to an important meeting for risk of outshining them. Today’s society disregards that theory.
It matters less about your status and more about your taste when it comes to wearing a watch. If you found a great deal on a grail watch, wear it with pride. No one deserves that watch more than you do.
After all, your client could come in wearing the most expensive watch in the world. That, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that he knows anything about style (or business, in fact!).
So, if you’ve reached some level of success in your life and you want to mark the milestone, treat yourself to your dream watch. At the end of the day, a good watch reflects a man with good taste and someone who takes pride in their appearance.
If you want to make a good impression at an interview, wear your best watch and cross your fingers.
Rounding Up How To Wear a Watch
Now that you know the etiquette for wearing a watch, you can start building up your collection. You can be sure the type of watch you choose is appropriate for the event in question.
The advice I’d give to anyone wanting to know how to wear a watch is to branch out. Expand your watch collection so that you have a timepiece to suit every eventuality.
Alternatively, look for something versatile enough to bridge those gaps for you. And don’t get heated up about the little things.
Don’t overthink wearing a watch. Just enjoy it for what it is — a reflection of your identity and good taste.
Good luck, and be sure to let us know what your favorite way to wear a watch is. How do you create your look? Comment below!
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