The last time I was out at a wedding reception, and I was up on stage to wish the newly weds, I noticed the groom in all his wedding finery wearing a sports watch. I almost felt like telling him, but then it was his day, and I wasn’t going to spoil it for him. The rest of the time we were at the function, I was keenly looking at the wrists of the other men around. While some of them had got it right, there were some who didn’t, and the rest didn’t care, I guess.
So, how many accessories does a man wear? A wristwatch, for men, can make or break the entire look of their outfit. It is an expression of their personality. Some of the best ones are versatile, sophisticated and classic. Before we get into the rules for matching watches, it’s good to know their categories. There are broadly five categories that watches fall under.
The dress watch: The classic white dial with a leather strap and nothing complex is as formal as it can get. The most formal dress watches show only the date and time.
The sporty watch: When you think sports watches, think of digits and plastic. Some of the high-end sports watches can pass for dress watches. Sports watches display anything from compasses, GPS, heart rate to altimeters and odometers.
The flyer watch: Worn by pilots usually, they have a large diameter (more than 50mm) and were designed to be worn over their jackets/gloves for easy readability.
The diver watch: These watches were designed to be worn under water with a minimum resistance of up to 100m. Large dials and digital displays are typical of a diver watch.
The field watch: Field watches are versatile and meant for active duty. They work on a winding mechanism and have a simple design with bold, legible numerals.
Once you know the type of watch, all you have to do is follow the rules.
Rule 1: The style of the watch you choose must match the formality of the outfit. Each watch category was designed keeping in mind the terrain it’s worn in. Each terrain demands a different outfit too. So, if you’re at a black/white tie event, a simple, classic dress watch is all you need. For business casuals, where you would wear a light-coloured suit without a tie, a sports or field watch is good. A high-end chrono is also a good option. With casual wear, choose a watch with a metal strap. Metal is always considered less formal than a leather band. Digital watches should be worn only with casual clothes or gym wear. For any other outfit, it is okay to choose a sports watch.
Rule 2: Match leather with leather. When in doubt, look at your shoes. Pick a leather band that matches your shoes, and the shoes to match with the belt. So, black with black and brown with brown. If it’s not the exact same colour, look for a similar tone. For silver and gold bands, either works.
Rule 3: The metal case of the watch should match the metal accents of the other accessories you wear (read ring, chain). Other accessories that need attention include your cuff links, shoe buckles, belt buckle or any other metal on your outfit. Cases come in different shapes — round, square, rectangular — and have shiny, matte or patterned finish, with/without jewels. A gold-plated watch matches clothes in earthy tones. Silver is suited for grey, black and blue.
Rule 4: There are no rules for heirloom. Wear it with just about anything. They are strictly not meant to keep time, but to be passed down generations and cherished as memories.
Always choose a watch according to the size of the wrist. A proportionate watch will look better on your wrist, as compared to one that is either too big or too small. If you’re thin, wear slim; big goes with robust. The bottomline is to strike a balance between your clothes and your watch.
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