How to Wear a Watch: A Guide to Styling Timepieces

Regarding our dress sense, we know which shoes look best with our formal wear, which suits give us confidence, and which accessories we want to use to emphasise our outfits. However, this can sometimes be a little harder to nail when it comes to timepieces, so we’ve created a comprehensive guide to all things watchwear, allowing you never to commit a fashion faux pas, whether in the office or out to dinner. 

Which Wrist?

You may see articles and blogs telling you to wear your watch on your non-dominant hand’s wrist. However, at Watches and Crystals, we believe comfort is key in wristwear and feeling fantastic, so opt out of tradition and wear your designer watch on either side. 

Watch Styles

As the fashion industry inevitably changes time and time again, it’s essential to consider what your timepiece was initially manufactured for. Though smart-casual has come a long way in the modern world, we still don’t recommend wearing a chunky diver with a formal suit. 

Initially thought rude to wear a watch to a black tie event, wearing a simple formal timepiece is now accepted and can add a natural touch of class to your suit or dress.

However, there are a few simple rules to follow when getting the style right; while we’ve listed some recommendations below, read our blog post for a more in-depth glance into formal wristwear.

Our formal watch recommendations

For women, a dainty choice with a slight vintage feel is an option from Burberry; this classic British brand looks fabulous paired with your office or cocktail attire. 

Emporio Armani has some stunning options for gents with crocodile leather straps and suave three-hand time-keeping elements. 

Do Colours Matter?

Off the back of this, we recommend pairing strap colours with your clothing; for example, a light leather watch can look lost against dark denim and sharp eyewear. 

So we recommend more prominent faces with dark straps for casual wear on the darker side and elegant slimline bracelets if you’re wearing light silk dresses or neutral linen suits. 

Another rule of thumb is that more delicate watches look stunning for brunch or a day out at the golf course, whereas darker wristwear adds a sultry touch to your date night get-up if you opt for an LBD.

The same can be said for metallic finishes; depending on your jewellery, belt buckle and the trims around your designer eyewear, try to match these up for a seamless flow in your wardrobe. Match gold with gold and silver with silver to avoid too much clash; similarly, avoid a brown leather strap if you wear a black suit to achieve a crisp formal look that will turn heads. 

If you want to look elegant, our final style tip is to go light with bling— although it can be tempting, many crystal accents overwhelm any outfit. At the same time, a touch of sparkle never hurt anybody; try to achieve a simple balance between dazzling and sophisticated. 

Some excellent examples include wristwear from Michael Kors and Emporio Armani, who achieve a striking yet elegant look with their sparkle.

Social No-No’s 

Although flexing your wrist to show off your new timepieces can be tempting, try not to constantly check the time or look at your accessory, as this can carry negative social connotations. Avoid being mistaken for being in a hurry, and keep your watch tucked under the sleeve of your shirt. 

Also, try to avoid wearing the same watch daily. Your lifestyle will likely be busy and changing, and the chances of your timepiece perfectly matching what you do all the time are slim. Try to have a sports and formal option to swap when necessary.  

For sports, we love Casio G-Shock, with their chunky dials and large faces; however, these can be a little overwhelming for the office, so ensure you have a more minimalist option such as timepieces from Tag HEUER or Armand Nicolet in your gym bag!