Here we go again – invitations are flooding in, the bubbly is flowing and we are engaging in our annual struggle of dressing ourselves to the nines. You may already have invested in a suitable-for-every-occasion-and-invite velvet jacket, but have you thought about a watch to pair with it?

It should go without saying, but what happens beneath your cuff is as important as the perfect knot of your bow tie or the surgically sharp lines of your lapels with grosgrain facings. A dress watch should make a statement, but should never be too loud or showy. It should be able to slide beneath the cuff of your dress shirt, if you’re wearing one, and always come on a leather strap. Horological fanatics will insist that a dress watch is a time-only timepiece, but that’s a rule from a bygone era. In other words, your watch, your rules.

So, with time still on your side, here are a few watches that will make the right kind of statement.

Find out more at MR PORTER’s Luxury Watch Guide

Jaegar-LeCoultre’s Reverso gives you two watches for the price of one. When flipped, it gives you the opportunity to keep track of things in another time zone. In terms of the design, a rectangular case is certainly smarter than its round relation – small, but punchy – which is why it’s a firm favourite for evening attire. Pair it with Saman Amel’s subtle yet sophisticated black wool and mohair jacket for a faultless look.

Dress watches don’t need to be simple in their design. On the contrary, if one can elegantly showcase a complication, such as a perpetual calendar, it can be a real conversation starter. This one is produced, like all IWC Schaffhausen’s movements, in house and just so happens to be one of the most complicated movements to create. Needing an adjustment every 575.5 years, this watch features three subdials punctuated by 18-carat red gold. Have some fun with it by slipping on a teal velvet jacket from Paul Smith.

Despite being the youngest watchmaker in this edit, Parmigiani Fleurier still knows how to make a statement. The Toric is perhaps its most recognisable model, but we can’t get beyond the hands with luminous inlays that make their way around the circumference of the dial. The bezel and guilloché detail on the case are also special and demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship. The rose-gold case and Hermès strap will look particularly handsome beneath the cuff of this rust velvet jacket from TOM FORD.

A good party watch should always be able to slide beneath the cuff of your dress shirt. Anything too clunky is a big no-no. Wear the Drive De Cartier and that movement will be effortless because it is only 6.6mm thick. In rose gold with a silver satin dial and a smoky, sun ray effect, Cartier’s use of Roman numerals brings the dial to life. Maximilian Mogg’s midnight-blue dinner suit will complement the blue hands of the watch to great effect.