By Jason Chow
- Getty Images
- Luxury watches sit in a shop window in midtown Manhattan.
Q: A man I know in Hong Kong has over a dozen watches that he matches to the occasion and to his outfit. In fact, it’s not uncommon in Asia—home to some of the most fanatical watch buyers—for a man to own several timepieces. (Hong Kong alone is the biggest import destination for Swiss watches and a number of watch companies, including Richemont and Swatch Group, have recently cited sales in Asia for a bump in profits.) So, how many watches does a man really need?
A: Wherever he resides—China, New York, London or anywhere else—a man should buy as many watches as he wants and can afford, of course.
These days, a watch isn’t for telling time anymore—cellphones do that. Today’s watch is more status symbol than a timepiece, especially in Asia. Consider this: 70% of the watches sold last year by high-end watchmaker Piaget (owned by Richemont) were to customers in Asia. In this region, some marketers even use the watch you wear to determine your social standing, similar to how marketers in North America divide demographics by the car you drive or the ZIP code you reside in. But when it comes to watch wearing, there are some guidelines to go by.
Real watch aficionados want to own a selection that reflects their schedule: A durable sports watch for timing workouts, a leather-banded one on a nautical theme for weekend sailing and a big chronograph with a gold band for serious meetings. The list could go on, but you get the point: Each type of watch has its time to shine. That said, individual flair can emerge when a watch is used to contrast with the rest of the outfit, like a diamond-studded clunker with everyday streetwear. It’s risky, but when you pull it off, the watch is elevated from mere accessory to style statement.
When choosing a watch, remember that styles come and go like all of fashion, and the huge, flashy timepieces that were the bling of two years ago are starting to recede a bit in prominence. The new trend among the top makers: ultrathin watches (Piaget and Vacerhon Constantin both make examples of this style).
But if you can afford only one, go classic and elegant. Try one with a black face and a metal band—it will be easier to match your entire wardrobe, be it formalwear with cuff links or casual wear for a night with friends. And even if you can’t afford them, let the classics guide your choice. Study the likes of the Rolex Submariner (worn by Che Guevara), the Omega Speedmaster (the watch of astronauts aboard Apollo 11) or a Cartier Santos (a watch that was originally designed by the classic jeweller back in 1904). These are the canonical works of wrist-worn timepieces. Once you know the classics, you’ll be better armed to evaluate watches that appeal to your enlightened sense of style in your price range.
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I totally agree with this article. I am from Japan and my boyfriend always finds nice watches from magazines or at the stores. He doesn’t understand why girls want to have a lot of purses and bags which go with outfits, but he cannot resist to cool watches. Maybe that is a natural thing that men cannot ignore beautiful watches and women fall in love with lovely bags.
I suppose that in many ways colelcting watches is like collecting guns or other mechanical objects. For the latter, serious collectors need to have a classic example of each mechanical type and interesting caliber; for me, its also very important that the gun be accurate. However, how many one owns is ultimately determined by what one can afford: fine guns are much less expensive than fine watches, which is why I have thirty of the former and only four of the latter.
I have about 23 watches, from cassio to tag. Depending what mood I’m in dicatates which watch I’ll wear that day. I won’t wear any of my Russian divers with a suit or my tag to the gym. I used to think I had a lot of watches until i met my friend’s dad, he has big zip lock bags full of watches. Now HE’S a collector. He once saw a watch on my wrist and made me an offer on the spot…I declined. I couldn’t bare the thought of my watch ending up in a zip lock bag in a drawer.
I noticed that Bill Clinton always wore a digital, rubber strapped, plastic Ironman during his time in office. An Ironman is fine for sporting activities, but I found the black plastic on his wrist to stand out while wearing a suit or at a G8 summit. It wouldn’t have killed him to class it up a little.
i own ONE watch… a Citizen EcoDrive. it goes with everything i wear and do. it’s a 1st generation EcoDrive and has been on my wrist telling time reliably for well over a decade… no batteries. just sunlight. simple. if a watch can speak about the nature of a man, then let me say this: simplicity is elegance too, but we forget this fact because of the “consumption” attitude that pervades this society. buy one watch that fits your personality, and wear it proudly. who gives a rat’s fuzzy a$$ what the men in China do.