The Best Watch for Every Occasion
It might be obvious that you shouldn’t wear a Patek Philippe to the gym, but it’s not always clear cut which watch you should wear to a business meeting or wedding. Knowing how to pair a watch to an occasion is a crucial skill that every watch owner should master.
For our purposes, we’ll be looking at five different occasions: black tie events, business formal, business casual, casual, and sport wear. In this article we’ll identify how to match your watch to the occasion.
Still unsure which watch to wear? Match your watch to your shoes. If your shoes are formal, i.e. black or brown dress shoes, then your watch should match. If you’re wearing boat shoes, sneakers, or boots, then you can wear a more casual watch.
Another tip is to match leather with leather. If you’re wearing brown shoes and a brown belt, then it’s hard to go wrong with a watch with a brown leather strap. That being said, make sure you match the shades of brown.
Table of Contents
Black Tie
For a black tie event, you should wear an evening watch or a dress watch. An evening watch is slightly more formal than a dress watch. If you do not own a formal watch, then it is better to go without a watch than to try and dress up a casual watch.
1. Match the color of your watch with your suit.
2. The dial should be simple, yet elegant. It should also be a dark color.
3. Choose a slim watch that will fit easily under your jacket sleeve.
4. Avoid glow-in-the-dark watches.
5. Choose a simple, black leather strap.
Business Formal
Business formal events require a formal, classic watch. However, the rules are less strict than when choosing a black tie watch.
1. Match the color of your watch with your suit.
2. The dial should be simple, yet classic.
3. Make sure your watch fits comfortably under your jacket sleeve.
4. Avoid glow-in-the-dark watches.
5. A leather strap looks best.
Business Casual
Business casual watches can be your everyday watch, but they can also be worn to the office. These watches are ideal when the office dress code isn't exceptionally strict.
1. This watch should transition from work to everyday easily.
2. A leather strap or metal bracelet looks best. The leather strap should match your outfit, but it can be black, brown, or another neutral color.
3. A high-end chronograph, a pilot, or a field watch are great options.
Casual
A casual-style watch can be your everyday watch.
1. Choose a watch that is comfortable, durable, and practical.
2. A neutral watch would be ideal since it would complement many outfits.
3. Depending on your day-to-day activities, you can wear a chronograph, pilot, diver, sport, or field watch.
Sport Wear
If you live an active lifestyle, then you should consider purchasing a sport watch.
1. These watches should be water-resistant and shock-resistant.
2. Purchase a sport watch that is comfortable and durable.
3. The strap should be either nylon or rubber. In some cases, you can wear a metal bracelet. Ideally the strap or bracelet that you choose can be washed or easily replaced.
4. High-end sport watches often include many complications, for instance a chronograph is a practical complication for sport watches because you’d be able to time events or races.
Looking for even more information about watches and watch styles? We recommend checking out "A Guide to Investing in a Luxury Watch" from Articles of Style.
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KathrynAllison
Jan 19, 2018
I love the idea of a watch style guide. With so many different styles to choose from, it can be difficult to know which piece is most appropriate for certain occasions. Now, there's no need to guess!
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