TAPF Articles

GentleMen, who are normally more preoccupied with functionality rather than fashion, began to be interested in high-end watches during World War II when embattled soldiers began to see the wisdom of using quality wristwatches rather than pocket watches. Long before that however, the first new watch for men had been intended for practical use. When it comes to usefulness, watches had always been a man’s world.

However, times do change even in the realm of quality time pieces. Women are beginning to treat handsome watches as a utility and more men are becoming concerned with the trend.

Watch that lifestyle What then is a perfect luxury chronograph for men? Common sense dictates there is no such thing as a perfect new wristwatch that would fit everybody. Watches should be chosen so as to fit one’s lifestyle and preferences.

However, here’s a practical tip (Men still love no-nonsense advice). have at least two handsome chronographs - one for work, one for play. Well unless your work is playing (read: athletes) in which case you most probably can afford more than two timepieces. It also is a good idea to save up for one new timepiece that is more lasting.

Having at least two watches saves you from wearing that sport watch into a formal meeting. Aside from giving your boss and the other guests a wrong impression, wearing a sport watch with a suit plainly does not look good.

Which wristwatch should you acquire?

If you’re considering a high-end timepiece for a formal setting, you can never go wrong with a stainless steel bracelet. It looks classy and elegant and perfectly fits any occasion. What’s best about stainless steel is that you can wear it at work, even when the office atmosphere is a bit casual. There is also nothing wrong with gold bracelets, but when you do purchase a new timepiece with a gold bracelet, better go for the real one. Gold plate fades over time and you may find yourself getting rid of your quality chronograph sooner than you expect.

If you’re looking for something new, sexy and stylish, try diamonds. Of course they’re still a woman’s best friend but they’re becoming a hot trend for men’s watches. Unlike women’s watches that are lavishly decorated with diamonds, gentlemen’s watches are more appealing with diamond accents only. Such accents are perfect for stainless steel bracelets.

Men have always been thrilled with complications, so the more mechanically complex the watch, the better. The timepiece has evolved from being just a mere time-telling device to something that could satisfy one’s mechanical and engineering needs or something that could show a statement. If you like complexity, go for a watch that tells time in multiple time zones and acts as a chronograph. You should not be concerned about wearing such watches to stately events as long as they do not look too sporty. That means anything connected to an outdoor activity (eg. night-vision) should not be part of the complexity in a watch meant for formal occasions.

As for recreational watches, there are a plethora of them in the market. And if you talk about complications, nothing beats these recreational watches. You can wear them to determine how far you’ve run, how deep you are when you dive or to point you to True North when you go hiking. Most of these athletic watches are not very expensive so you may not need to evaluate too many options. As long as the watch looks good on you and has the functionality you want, it should serve you well. Besides, many individuals wear leisure watches even if they are not really into sports. Some wear diver’s watches even if the closest they can get to this sport is watching a diving expedition on National Geographic. However, the reasons do not really matter. If a man wants a athletic watch on his wrist and he gets a kick out of the knowledge that he can dive down 300 meters if he wants to, let him be. Just remember (in case you may have forgotten), replace that sport watch when you go formal.

Whether to be used in formal occasions, in a casual atmosphere or in sports activities, it is always wise to go for waterproof timepieces. Not that you ever have to go diving. But just in case you get caught in the rain or the watch accidentally falls in the tub, you will have nothing to worry about.

Trends in men’s watches If you are a man who’s concerned with fashion, then BIG is the word nowadays. Time pieces that are bigger than a normal gentleman’s time piece have been selling in larger numbers. Besides, big denotes masculinity and authority ”features almost any man wants. Although this is just a trend, watch authorities are foreseeing this trend to continue for a long time.

Whether trendy or not, the face of a man’s watch should always be larger than a woman’s and should fit his build. A new wrist watch with a small face sported by a large man would look feminine on him but the reverse is not true. A large face would still look good on a small man. So go for big. You can never go wrong with it.