If you’re new to the world of wristwatch timepieces you will ask yourself the question “what watch should I wear?”, well, you’re in luck, as our handy guide will help you decide what to adorn on your wrist.
The Details
The right watch must be subtle enough to not to distract whilst still being noticeable, which can be a very fine line. The right watch will show off the wearers personality and will ooze confidence.
The options today for wristwatches are basically unlimited with factors such as budget, taste and the different styles such as modern, antique, vintage or classic men’s watches being just some of details that will contribute towards your final selection. It can make for a stressful occasion when you have limited watch knowledge.
One Watch or Multiple Watches?
If you’re looking to purchase a single watch you must take into consideration that you will be wearing this watch with multiple styles of outfit, so it must go with most items in your wardrobe, which means it must be very neutral in style.
If you’re looking at starting a small collection of 2-3 watches, your options are larger, you can match one with formal wear, one for day time use, such as work, and a third watch that you can push the boat out with and have as a conversation piece.
Leather strap or metal band?
The age-old watch debate of metal or leather has divided watch connoisseurs for a long time.
Metal watch bands have the advantage of neutrality, but only if the metals match the rest of your outfit. There’s no point splurging on a beautiful silver watch if the rest of your jewellery is gold.
This rule applies to leather straps as well, it needs to match your other leathers such as your shoes and belt.
Interestingly, at the highest levels of formality, a plain black leather band is preferred to even a very sleek metal one strap. Yet even in less formal situations, leather exudes a more comfortable attitude.
To be honest, there is no right answer, metal is smooth, practical, and sturdy while leather is suave, sophisticated, softer and more personal. Once again, it comes down to personal preference, choose the one that suits your wardrobe and your personality to the fullest.
Dial and case style
The dial of the watch is the round, visible face on which the hands move and varies in colour and design, with a contrast between the dial and the numbers which aids readability, and can range from red-on-white, light blue-on-dark blue and the most common, white-on-black.
The case is the metal that encloses the dial and the movement behind it and range from white gold, silver, platinum, titanium and everything in between, with them usually falling into either a silver-tone or gold-tone colour family or are coloured black or white.
The standard agreement is that the more contrast the watch has, the more noticeable and less formal it is.
The shape of the case and dial are purely aesthetic choices but there is a small preference for rectangular dials and cases.
The movement of the watch hands
This is the part where most people start to get flummoxed, keeping it straight forward, the movement is what keeps the actual time
There are three types of movement, although sub-categories exist in each:
Mechanical movements
These are wound internally and keep time via the unwinding and winding of springs inside the watch. This means they need periodic winding which is often done through an external cap or knob, this style can lose accuracy over time if not cared for correctly.
Automatic movements
These are also mechanical in nature, using the motion of the watch itself to power the movements. This type of movement does not require winding, and are more accurate if they are regularly worn.
Electronic movements
Electronic movements are often referred to as quartz movements because of their common construction, though not all of them use real quartz. They keep the most accurate time if they have power, as they need a battery or another source of electricity on the dial.
Which watch do you buy?
This ultimately comes down to taste, but try to keep the following points in mind when selecting a watch:
