Many days have passed since Adam and Eve first appeared with aprons made of sewed fig leaves and today’s purpose and ethics of clothes are shaped in a form of self-expression and autonomy.
Talking fashion can soon get complicated as it is different from applied sciences, in fashion you have to be more personalized and open-minded and sometimes also avoid principles that are connected with design, style, methodology, and trends. I will, however, keep it as simple as possible, and transmit to you, everything I know about the topic: What makes a watch stylish?
What makes a stylish watch for everyday wear
To me, a stylish watch is a well-built durable tool watch. A timepiece that not only helps me keep track of time but also performs other functions like GMT Watches (keeping track of a second-time zone), Anti-magnetic Watches (featuring a soft-iron clasp that prevents movement from being damaged by magnetic fields), Dive Watches (perform well in both: land and ocean depths), and Pilot Watches (my favorite). With these types of watches, you can never miss them. First, it takes some technical know-how to manufacture tool watches and that means a reputable brand with extensive experience in watchmaking will show first wherever you’re searching. That also means, at least 90% of the time, that these brands will take care of the watch’s overall aesthetics and ensure that adorning your wrist is not left in the shadows of functionality.
Stylish watches for special occasions
This is different. For special occasions, I would love to spoil myself a bit and opt for a less function-wise and more attention-seeking watch. Something that matches my outfit, sits well on my wrist, and why not, serves as a conversation starter. Your watch says more about your status than you think and that is a good concept to think about when looking for a stylish watch. See, if you are going to adorn your wrist, better do it with class and style.
3 Unwritten rules to entering the world of watches with style
Accurate timekeeping
That’s a low bar but the watch has to keep time reliably. More than just an extension of your outfit, a watch is worn to keep you punctual and create a relationship with time. Wearing a watch will help you better spend your 24 hours. Yes, it has to be stylish but accuracy comes first. Due to this reason, opt only for reliable watches made from reputable manufacturers. And that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to have an accurate well-made watch. You only need to search in the right place. Check some of our most relevant articles:
Best Simple Watches Under 100 Dollars
7 Best Minimalist Watches Under 500 dollars
Best Automatic Watches under 500 dollars
Make sure the watch fits perfectly
It shouldn’t be that hard! Seriously, make an effort and read this paragraph to the end to avoid purchasing a watch that simply doesn’t fit your wrist. See, if the case size is too small and you have a relatively above-the-average wrist, your watch can be mistaken for a woman’s watch (although it is not). On the other hand, a sizable watch (44mm and above) will not sit well on a small round wrist. Although the current watch trends are extending case diameters by 2 up to 4 mm, you should still stick with what makes your watch feel like an extension of your wrist. It is a matter of comfort thus you don’t want your watch to be too tight or too loose. As for the band size, the standard band size for women is from 165mm up to 180mm and for men from 184mm up to 197mm. A rule of thumb is that your watch should not slide more than one inch up or down when your wrist is on the move.
Luxury or simplicity is a matter of choice
One thing is for sure. One has to have some deep pockets to afford a luxury watch. The best thing about a luxury watch is its accuracy: It tells you exactly how rich you are! With accuracy, also comes a decent brand name on the dial, its heritage, and the watchmaking craftsmanship. As Patek Philippe stated in one of their advertisements: You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation. With that said, this is the beauty that relies on a well-made timepiece. It becomes a family heirloom that can be passed down for generations along with the wearer’s history. Although it has nothing to do with the style of the watch, a luxury timepiece
The watch must match the occasion
Well, to a watch enthusiast that’s a no-brainer. You should match your watch with your outfit otherwise you will be making an error in style. To avoid that from happening, keep in mind that there are several watch types/styles that fit with different attires.
Dress watches
These are those minimalist, classic-looking watches that by the name, you have already understood what combination suits best. A dress watch is only combined with formal, semi-formal, or business casual attire.
Diver Watches
At the mid-range case sizes, dive watches can be perfectly paired with a sport, casual, or business casual outfit. As you may understand, you can almost always adorn your wrist with a dive watch without worrying about breaking the dress code.
Digital and Smartwatches
Tech brings us to a whole new discussion. If you’re a fan of the ultimate wrist technology, you probably already own an Apple Watch or a badass durable model from Garmin. Either way, it is best to combine digital watches or smartwatches with a sports outfit. You can, however, combine your smartwatch with every wear excluding black/white tie. The same thing can not be said about analog-digital/digital watches as their combatant design would ruin your dress code and move all of the attention to your wrist.
Pilot, Field, and Big Chronograph Watches
These watch types come with more humble designs, but the case size is what ruins the part where “you don’t have to worry about pairing your watch with your outfit” because you should. The relatively large case size, and the usually complicated dials, exclude pilot, field, and chronographs from the classic and minimalist realms to fit a more vigorous and casual lifestyle.
Current trends determine what makes a watch stylish
The charming world of watches is loaded with innovations, endless designs and there is always room for more. Watchmakers from Geneva to Tokyo strive to bring the next best thing in the watch industry therefore new trends and concepts are introduced yearly. You would reasonably ask: What is currently trending in the watch industry?
Larger Case Diameters
With the Japanese quartz revolution taking off in the 70s and 80s, the case size was also affected. The norm for a men’s watch case was between 30 to 35mm while today you would expect the norm to be at 40 up to 44mm. A more substantial presence that also attends to better exhibit the watch’s design.
High-Tech Ceramic Material
The uninterrupted efforts from Rado, Seiko, Omega, and IWC to come up with the next best thing in watchmaking were finalized with the development of high-tech ceramic. A material that is today refined and provides an unmatched hardness and comfort unlike any metal used for watches.
Increased Liking for Badass Durable Watches
These watches have nothing to do with your grandpa’s old pocket watch. They are built to resist everything from mud, dust, water, extreme temperatures, and shocks. What’s more, these types of watches usually come with added functions like alarms, built-in GPS, sport modes, and more.
Smartwatches are Here to Stay
It is hard to see how the transitioning process is affecting even the most conventional Swiss manufacturers like Tag Heuer with their newest Connected Smartwatch let alone the tech pioneer Casio who recently decided to officially enter the smartwatch game with their G-Shock GSWH1000 Wear OS Smartwatch. Smartwatches are here to stay with their health monitoring sensors, everyday smart features, and stylish designs.
Quality and Stylish Watch Checklist
Quality Materials
Leather straps, stainless steel cases, and bracelets, ceramic, titanium, gold, sapphire crystal glass. PVD coating ensures the watch’s color won’t peel off. Sapphire crystal is more resistant to scratches and stainless steel 316L grade is corrosion resistant. Titanium is lightweight and also biocompatible. Each has its superpower.
Accurate Movements
Swiss Made or Accurate Japanese Quartz and everything in between, it is important to know what ticks underneath your watch. In search of a stylish watch? Yes, the design is the first affection but the movement is priceless.
Water Resistance
Although it depends on the use, it is good to have a water-resistant watch you can shower, swim or even dive with. Most dress watches, even the ones you’ll have to pay $50.000 for, usually come with minor resistance to water as they simply are not made for that intention. Same as you will find some of the world’s most professional dive watches under $500.
Features/Complications
Luminous hands, helium escape valve, rotating bezel, GMT hand, chronograph, date display, just to name a few, are some of the many functions and features a well-made stylish watch can deliver.
In Final Words
In the end, a stylish watch is defined mostly by your personal preferences. What feels interesting to you, moves your heart, is the best stylish watch you can find. It does however matter to keep an eye open for accuracy and always remember to match your watch with your outfit. And for as long as the watch’s case size matches your wrist, you should be okay.
