My aunt put it best when she noted that men should spend a little “extra” on their watches because it is a man’s only true fashion accessory. This is especially the case in the business setting. However, unlike practically every guide to men’s watches I’ve ever read, I am not going to run through a list of watches that range in price from a “modest” $3,000 to a $30,000 (and up) Patek Philippe. If you can afford watches in this range, you certainly don’t need my advice.
To men in the rest of society, I offer some simple tips.
You don’t need a watch for every day of the week, or for every month of the year. Aside from fashion writers, I don’t know anyone who actually believes this — or worse yet — does it.
At a minimum, two (2) watches are all you need:
- One watch should be worn for your formal affairs or with business attire. It should be slim and have a leather band (or similar material). Think Pierce Brosnan as Thomas Crown in the fim The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 version). It should not be the size of your cup of coffee, spin freely like a wheel, or contain more diamonds that an engagement ring.
- Your other watch should be worn with casual outfits or on weekends. This type of watch is usually bigger (“chunkier”) and has a metal band. Again — and this might be my own personal style talking here — it should not be the size of your cup of coffee, spin freely like a wheel, or contain more diamonds that an engagement ring. But hey, it’s the weekend — you’re free to do as you please.
And while I appreciate that James Bond’s Omega watch (with a metal band) is frequently worn with a tuxedo, I would generally suggest that it is best to have a leather strap for formal attire, and a metal band for a more casual look. (Of course, if you are James Bond — or look like Daniel Craig — you can perhaps get away with anything.)
In closing, I would like to stress that watches are not to be worn upside down, or over the cuff of your shirt. It should be worn on your wrist, right side up (I can’t believe I typed that), and should be somewhat/slightly visible under the cuff of your shirt. It should also not be loose — i.e. it should not rattle when you shake someone’s hand. Adding a hole to a leather strap, or removing links on a metal band costs no more than $20, even on expensive watches.
And oh, in case you wondered where my usual pun was, a “complication” is any function of a watch that goes beyond mere timekeeping. Ask any horologist (seriously, it’s a fairly old profession).
Emir Aly Crowne is a Law Professor at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. He always knows what time it is.
Photo by Alex Kerhead