Basics of buying a Watch pt 2: Watch types

Below are some of the various types of watches available today.  I will describe their purpose and which situations are most suitable to wear them.

Piaget Altiplano

Dress Watch
This is the watch to wear when you dress up for formal events, hence the name of dress watch. The styling is classic, elegant and subtle.  It is characterized by a clean and simple dial, either in black or white, often with a leather strap.  Remember, the colour of your watch strap should be the same colour as your belt and shoes, otherwise it will look rather uncoordinated.  

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Quite often, the watch case is slim and not too big, often 40mm and smaller.  Note that the purpose of the dress watch is not to shout and show off, but rather serve as an accessory to complete the smart and formal look. Class and understatement is what the dress watch confers.




When to wear: With a suit when you go to court, attend weddings, funerals and formal parties. Alternatively, you can also wear it with a sports coat (similar to a suit jacket) or shirt, and smarten up a casual look.
Classic examples: Piaget Altiplano, Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso, Cartier Tank, Patek Philippe Calatrava


Diver's Watch

divers-watches.net

These watches usually have a more rugged design, with a rotating bezel surrounding the face of the watch.  The purpose of these watches originated from diving. The bezel saves divers the trouble of remembering how long they have been underwater.  It features markings of 0, 10, 20, and so forth.  The diver aligns the zero marking on the bezel to the minute hand to track the number of minutes passed underwater. 

Furthermore, if the bezel does not have a locking mechanism, it should be uni-directional (counter-clockwise), as a safety measure, in case the diver accidentally bumps the watch, in which case will increase the supposed elapsed time.  This would cause the diver to return to surface prematurely, ensuring the diver never stays underwater for too long.

In addition, the hands and markers of the watch should be luminous for situations where lighting is limited underwater. This includes the seconds hand, to show that the watch has not stopped, as many dive watches possess a mechanical movement.  As legibility is important, the face of the watch is usually 40mm and bigger, sometimes up to 48mm. Naturally they need to be water resistant of at least 100 meters, although some are resistant up to over 1000 meters.   Also, the straps are either stainless steel or rubber since the watch was intended for wear underwater.

Rolex Submariner

However, many people who wear diving watches actually do not dive, but like the rugged and sporty design or the sense of exploration and excitement associated with diving.

When to wear: With a wet-suit or swimming trunks or wear it with casual clothes such as shorts and t-shirt.  Many people also wear it with their suit to present a paradoxical image of formality and the wild, whereas others just wear it to show off and feign a persona of masculinity and adventure.
Classic Examples: Rolex Submariner, Panerai Luminor Marina, Seiko Monster, Omega Seamaster, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms