As if the business world wasn’t already
without its challenges, coordinating your watch with your outfit is now an
actual concern? I know what you must be thinking that’s going a little too far.
But, before you write me off, hear me out.
Picture a corporate formal setting brimming
with big shots and head honchos. In walks a man--the perfect embodiment of the epic
Harvey Specter from Suits. He’s got his Armani fitted to the
T, and those shoes just got featured on the latest GQ? He holds the entire
room’s attention with oodles of confidence and class. But then the lights catch
on his wrist and the oohs and aahs are replaced by sighs and disappointed
eye-rolls, as on this perfect gentleman’s wrist sits a timepiece that triggers
anathema all around. That’s what you a
call an unholy faux pas. And in the business world, it is simply unacceptable.
While it’s easy enough to figure what goes on
when it comes to clothing, accessorising is where most men fall short. And considering
men don’t actually have much choice in the matter, a watch becomes even more of
a critical accessory for a suit –completing and complementing the quintessential
businessmen get-up.
The best watch for a businessman rides on sophistication,
smartness and finesse. But in all fairness, there is no singular ‘best watch’ because
you need more than one luxury watch to match up with all your suits. I’d
recommend Longines watches to build
your collection, because they’ve got a versatile range of designs to choose
from. To get you started, have a look at the men’s collection of Longines watches at Ethos Watch Boutiques, or any other
premier Longines watch retailers in India.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when
you’re going about matching your watch with your business wardrobe:
Colour
Goes without saying that you can’t turn up
with a bright red watch to an important board meeting. Yes, it would get you
plenty of attention, but it might just get you the pink slip as well. So, the
first thing you need to know is to play it simple and subdued. Shades of black,
brown, tan and grey are perfectly acceptable for the strap, and whites, creams,
and blacks are preferred for the dial.
The trick is in impressing your colleagues with
understated sophistication, without literally drawing attention to your watch,
but instating a collected sense of confidence through your wholesome demeanour.
Your watch can make or break your outfit, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be
flashy, it just needs to say you know what you’re about and you mean business.
The strap needs to complement the colour of
your suit, If you’re wearing a brown leather belt and similar shoes, a brown leather
strap is what you need –that’s the idea.
Here are some classical options for business watches
from Longines:
From left to right:
·
Longines
L4.744.6.12.0
·
Heritage
L4.795.4.78.2
·
The Longines
Master Collection L2.628.4.78.6
Material
Material speaks volumes about degree of formality.
While with our seemingly perfect gentleman’s anecdote before, it was obvious enough
to see that any random timepiece on the wrist just does not cut it, there are many not-so-obvious rules.
Firstly, the strap. Slim leather straps are
the go-to choice for formal business attire. While leather has always been the
safest bet, these days, its becoming increasingly acceptable to go in for metal
bracelets. But tread carefully; finesse can come across as a little too jazzy
for a formal get-up. Silver or stainless steel straps have a very manly appeal,
but make sure you choose simple, sleek and slim designs. Businessmen generally
don’t go in for entirely golden bracelets, but if you’re the kind of guy who likes
to be his worth in gold(en) watches then, go right ahead!
Second, the case. Traditionally, gold, silver
and titanium have been the norm, but we can’t possibly deny the wave of rose gold
options, today. The case material should match any other accessories you have
on you. Make sure they add up to the colour of your shoes’ & belt’s
buckles, your cufflinks, or any other accessory. You’ve got to consider every
element of coordination in order to nail your business look like a boss!
We’ve already seen some of the traditional
choices from the Longines watches men’s collection.
Your collection has to be diverse enough to address the needs of all your suits.
Here are a few Longines watches edging
on the more fashionable side of business wear:
From left to right:
·
Longines
Heritage L1.645.4.75.9
·
The Longines
Master Collection L2.673.5.78.7
·
The Longines
Master Collection L2.628.4.78.3
Size
We’ve all been told time and time again that size
doesn’t matter but when it comes to business watches, size is everything. Formal dress watches are typically between 36mm
to 40mm. Anything larger would be over-sized, and you would want to avoid that.
The rule of thumb is that your watch should be partially concealed under your
cuff. So slim and sleek are your touch points.
Strike the right note on colour, material and
size, and you should be able to put together a perfectly coordinated business formal
look with timepiece, suit, boot etc. But wrapping your head around the
intricacies of formal dress code may at times get a bit too much -- just match
your watch with your shoes in such situations.
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