THE JOURNAL
The idea of a dress watch might sound awfully highfalutin, but it should not necessarily bring white tie and tails to mind. If you are even remotely into watches, you will have one for every day and one for best. The latter is really the broadest definition of a dress watch.
Just as there are those who adhere to dictums such as “don’t wear brown in town”, when we introduce the humble watch to the more formal end of men’s style, there are certain conventions. How closely you follow them is up to you.
A dress watch should be a simple watch, following the logic that if one is dressed up for the evening, it is with the intention of going somewhere where it would be rude to check the time and uncouth to fiddle with your watch’s functions. Some take this to extremes and argue that a dress watch should display nothing more than the hours and minutes. Where the line is in terms of complexity is up for debate, but typically the more poetic complications – moon phase displays, in particular – are acceptable.
A dress watch should also be elegant. It is going to be worn with a suit of some description, so it should be small enough to fit comfortably under a shirt and jacket cuffs and be unadorned by excessive decoration.
Ideally, it should be worn on a leather strap and again, depending on how purist you want to be, a thin soft leather such as Horween or cordovan will work best. Any other fabric is too informal and metal bracelets too bulky and sporty.
It is also conventional, although much less controversial if ignored, to match the metal of your watch case to that of your cufflinks, dress studs and tie clip (and any other jewellery you may be wearing). With all that in mind, here are our top dress watches.
01. Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921
Vacheron Constantin’s Historiques watch owes its quirky design to the high spirits of the Roaring Twenties. A tribute to a century-old classic from this remarkable house’s archive, the distinctive, cushion-shaped timepiece is a formalwear staple. This particular model is clad in pink gold with a signature slanted dial for an elegant, modern feel to complement a stylish wardrobe.
02. H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual
When seeking out the finest that haute horology has to offer, you may wish to investigate a contemporary classic. H. Moser & Cie.’s Endeavour Perpetual caused quite a stir when it premiered in 2005. Its unexpected take on the classic complication and funky fumé dial proved a smash hit with lovers of all things bold and radical. This limited model of just 50 pieces is a ticker with style and substance, designed for every special occasion we can think of.
03. Chopard LUC XPS Twist QF
Chopard has a knack for creating trail-blazing wristwear with cutting-edge design and refined, understated appeal. One of the purest alternatives to the traditional dress watch, Chopard puts its LUC watches on the agenda with this killer timepiece cast from ethically certified Fairmined white gold. Whether you dress it up for date night or down with after-dark denim, it is a real conversation starter to take you from day to night with ease.
04. Gerald Charles Maestro 2.0
Gerald Charles offers a wide collection of effortlessly stylish watches that can upgrade your wrist game in an instant. The Maestro 2.0, an evolution of the maison’s emblematic Maestro case, is all about refinement and finesse. It has just the right amount of opulence to team with soft tailoring and enough versatility to smarten up your favourite casual alternative.
05. Cartier Tank Louis Cartier
With a graphic, shapeshifting dial that nods to its Art Deco roots, but is still resolutely contemporary, this Cartier Tank offers a new spin on arguably the most famous dress watch of all time. The rose gold case brings warmth, but the watch is still understated, even bordering on stealthy. Elegance is assured, and thanks to the modest case size and versatile, classic lines, it can serve as a glamorous everyday option as well as a perfect black-tie number.
06. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
If you have a penchant for classic pieces that are individual in every sense, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, whose distinctive flip-around face was originally developed for polo players in 1931, is one of the heaviest hitters in fine watchmaking with A-list approval. Everyone from King Charles III to actors Messrs Pierce Brosnan and Christian Bale has worn this trusty icon. Our pick, a rose-gold variation powered by Jaeger’s calibre 854A/2 hand-wound movement, will elevate your watch collection from novice enthusiast to established connoisseur.
07. Bovet Monsieur Hand-Wound
Sometimes your formalwear errs on the side of incredibly fancy, and you need a watch for that. If velvet jackets are your thing, maybe with a few frills and embellishments in the shirt department, this Bovet will fit right in. Hand-engraved around the case, with a glorious guilloché dial coated in blue lacquer, it flips over to reveal an even more showstopping dial with power reserve indicator and a view of the hand-finished movement.