Few things say more about a man than his watch. Its character, look, and style give others a peek into a man’s background (and priorities) without having to ask a single question.”
Picture this:A stranger comes up to you and asks, “Excuse me, do you have the time?”
“Yeah sure, one sec.”
Checks cell phone*
Has this ever happened to you?
We live in a world where cell phones can almost be called extra appendages; rarely do we look at a watch to keep the time anymore.
When cell phones weren’t so easily obtainable, watches used to be highly convenient for time keeping. I feel that less people are wearing watches because of this; let’s not forget that more than just telling time, watches have a lot of value to offer.
Why Should I Wear A Watch?
I meet a lot of guys who say, “I don’t wear watches, I’m not really a watch guy.”
We all want to make a lasting first impression, and if you’re not going to display your personality through something that speaks as loud as a watch, you’re really missing out.
Men are limited to their choice of jewelry; an eye-catching watch is the only piece of jewelry that is acceptable for a man to splurge on. Even if you wear other types of jewelry, your watch should be the most noticeable accessory you own.
A man’s watch is just as important as his shoes to a women, and we all know how important shoes are.
If a man was naked besides having on amazing shoes and a quality watch, women will know more about that man than a clothed man without any shoes and a watch. Well, she’ll definitely know more than she probably wants to (I apologize for that picture) but you get the point.
The right watch will accentuate your outfits and make you look more confident. Women will look at what kind of watch you are wearing, and how it matches your outfit - gaining clues to your attention to style and detail.
If you take care of yourself, women will trust that you will take care of them.
Finding The Right Watch For You
Choosing a watch is very personal, so explore the community of watch connoisseurs and aficionados before you make a big purchase. Some of these guys are crazy, but it’s pretty darn fun talking to them about it.
A quality watch will last you a lifetime, so it can become well worth your investment. If you take care of your watch really well, you may be able to sell it for a good price later on - if you decide to.
A watch gives you one of the greatest ways of showcasing your personality. It can say that you’re a diver, a sailor, a pilot. It can show how successful, stylish, and refined you are. It can even show that you don’t care much about anything, and that you’re just out to have fun - for example, I used to wear a Tazmanian Devil watch with a hologram on it, and if you pressed the button on the side the face would open, and the inside part would pop up at you. People would be staring at the hologram up close, and then I would spring it up into their face - which freaked them out and made them laugh.
There are lots of ways to show personality through a watch.
Let’s take a look at some different watches and styles:
Here is an example of a classic watch:
The Omega Speedmaster Professional, this watch was the first watch worn on the moon! How awesome is that? You could tell people…”Pffft… yeah… you see this here? It’s the same watch worn by Buzz Aldrin when he stepped on the moon biatch.”
The Omega Seamaster Professional Diver was worn by Daniel Craig in his first Bond movie Casino Royale.
The one below is the Omega Seamaster James Bond Limited Edition.
Have you ever wondered what all those complicated numbers and words on the watch face meant?
Many watch aficionados will pay premium price for these type of collectible watches, as they are more value for their workmanship and aesthetic appeal than for simple timekeeping.
An example of a complicated watch is this IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar, retailing at almost $30,000. Wow.
IWC watches are highly respected within the watch community. It’s renowned for the elegance and engineering found in it’s “Flieger,” “Portugieser,” and “Aquatimer” lines.
The Italian luxury watch brand Panerai was founded in 1860, but it’s becoming a favorite with watch lovers on the strength of it’s “Radiomir” and “Luminor” series.
Pictured below is a Panerai Radiomir PAM 210. Simple, elegant. It looks cheap but you’re really paying for the craftmanship, and the quality of the watch, check out the mechanics in the back.
Franck Muller Evolution 3-1
Franck Muller’s slogan is “Master of Complications” - The watches are beautiful and some are really truly complicated like this “Evolution” watch.
Guess how much this watch retails at!? $1,000,000.oo. hahaha.
There are watch crazies out there. To these young guys, in their 20’s and 30’s, with large amounts of money, a watch is about owning a wonderful mechanism, and it is also a power thing. Because you can’t go into a business meeting with a Mercedes-Benz or a Rolls-Royce on your wrist. You can go into a meeting with a Breguet.”
Some history on the brand if you care: Abraham-Louis Breguet is considered by many as the father of watchmaking. Indeed, he is one of the greatest horologists of all time. Since 1775, clients have included Napoleon Bonaparte, Marie-Antoinette, Winston Churchill, Alexander Dumas, Princes, Dukes, Sultans and Kings. Breguet’s influence on watchmaking is unequalled. He perfected the self-winding watch, created the first oil-free escapement, incorporated the first shock absorber into a timepiece, developed perpetual date mechanisms, and invented and patented the Tourbillon. Signature Breguet styling is evident in today’s masterpieces; blue steel hands, guilloche engraving, and the fluted caseband.
Breitling is a brand of Swiss watches from the Canton of Jura. The watchmaker offers Certified Chronometers designed primarily for aviation use, though most frequently worn as high-end luxury watches. Breitling’s watches offer aviation functions, though their chronograph functions have become more of status symbols than practically applied tools.
My friend wears a Breitling, I’d have to say he looks pretty badass wearing it.Breitling Emergency - version contains a radio transmitter for civil aviation use which broadcasts on the 121.5 MHz distress frequency and serves as a back-up for ELT-type airborne beacons. Pretty cool eh?
“In an incident that demonstrates how the Emergency can be used to save lives, Reuters reports that two British pilots, Squadron Leader Steve Brooks and Flight Lieutenant Hugh Quentin-Smith, crashed their helicopter in Antarctica and were rescued after activating their Breitling Emergency transmitter watches. The two pilots were in their lifeboat when a Chilean Otter aircraft found them after homing in on signals from their watches.”
I love this watch, looks very Secret Agent.Watches under 350 dollars:If you’re looking for something stylish and masculine at the same time, check out the leather bracelet watches such as this Nixon Rocker Watch.
It can be sporty, skater, punk, or just stylish casual. These type of watches are very versatile and says you’re laid back and masculine.
Fossil makes some great leather strap watches as well.
D&G Dolce & Gabbana ‘Sandpiper’ Chronograph Watch
I love the simplicity of the this watch. It makes an elegant statement with the precise watch face and modern enamel buttons. The case and buckle are stainless steel. The black leather band really dresses it up.
Haurex Samoa Black Dial Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch
This is another great watch that has the styling of a watch 10 times its price. The black face with bold white numbers has separate dials to keep track of hours, minutes, and seconds and has a date calendar. Swiss quartz movement and water resistant.
LEATHER BAND OR METAL?
The thing about leather bands is that it enables to you match better with your clothing, and it has more sophistication to it when it’s thin.
For example, take a look at this watch below:
GUESS Men’s Steel Brown Multi-Function Watch
It looks sharp, and would match well with dressed up attire.
Victorinox Swiss Army® ‘Maverick II’ Alarm Watch
If you want a watch that looks like an Omega Seamaster (the James Bond watch) but don’t want the price tag that accompanies it, then this would be a great substitute. And it’s not like it’s an unreliable knock-off either.Check out some more watches in all sorts of different price ranges, here.
Damn! Some Watches Can Get Really Expensive! With watches, you really get what you pay for, so it’s not a bad idea to invest in a high quality timepiece. A quality watch is the quickest way to show a confident and successful image.
You can probably get away with a fake if the people around you know nothing about the watch other than the brand name, but people who know watches will usually spot that fake a mile away. If you were wearing an expensive Breguet, and shook the hand of a millionaire, he’d probably see you’re watch and say to himself, “wow…nice watch.” But unless you’re around people with money, most people won’t know what you’re wearing.
The most well-known brands are owned by a small group of companies, so you can get the same level of craftsmanship of a higher price watch by buying its lower priced cousin in the company product line. For example, if you can’t afford a Movado, you can buy its less expensive counterpart by Esquire.
Certain brand names will be more well known and bring status along with it, like the brand Rolex. Pretty much everyone and their mom know what a Rolex is.
The reason why a Rolex can be so expensive is because the Rolex corporation artificially inflates the price of its watches by limiting the yearly supply of some of its collections, leading to scarcity in the market. Many watch experts say that, for the cost of a Rolex, you can get a higher caliber mechanical watch from a different company.But the status and prestige it projects may be worth the price to some people. It’s an investment and a status symbol.
Begin the Search I wrote this article as an introduction into the world of watches, and why they’re an important piece of a man’s wardrobe. If you have never really looked into investing in a watch, start exploring. Take your time to really do some research and don’t rush. If you fall in love with a particular watch, it could be the greatest accessory you’ll ever own.
You’ll cherish it and every time you put it on you’ll feel that confidence, ready to take on the world.
Tips: Think about the scale of your watch in ratio to the size of your wrist. You don’t want a giant watch on a tiny chicken-bone wrist. Get bigger watches for bigger wrists, but think twice before buying anything bigger than a half dollar.
Buy a watch with a simple silver or stainless steel case and a removable band. You can have a brown leather band, a crocodile band, and even a fun multicolored grosgrain one for summer. It’s a great way to get many different looks out of one watch.
Color: Silver and gold frames are fashionable and classic. Silver watches match best with blacks, grays, silvers, and blues. Gold watches go with browns, beiges, tans, and other earth tones.Check out http://www.goldspeed.com/watches.html for some great prices.
Note: You might want to get a warranty on your watches so check outer online retailers or it may be better to go to an authorized dealer if you want to maybe sell your watch later on. This insures that it’s real and that the serial number and everything that is important is documented.
If you’re interested in learning the intricacies of a quality watch and all the lingo you’ve always wondered about like what “chronometer” means, check out this article on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watches
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