3 Ways to Approach the Office Watch Game

SPOT-ON AT WORK

When it comes to selecting appropriate office attire, there are a wide array of options before you. Some workplaces dictate business casual and others, strictly business. Somewhere in between these wardrobe policies lies the wristwatch. The right watch can be a stylistic chameleon, joining you on the most formal events all the way to casual Friday without so much as a hiccup. The wrong watch can be limiting and you may find yourself swapping watches just to find something that meshes with your outfits and won’t stick out like a sore thumb. Lastly, somewhere hidden in all of these style rules and guidelines is your own personal style that begs to be heard.

When choosing the quintessential office watch you strive to select a piece that suits a variety of situations yet allows more than just a glimmer of your own personality to shine through. There are literally thousands of selections that lay at your disposal so rather than attempt to go through each type of watch that might become the perfect office companion, I have selected a few to get you started. These choices are by no means the ones you have to pick for yourself but these will give you a good idea for what to look out for going forward.

The Formal Office Watch

If your workplace is suited to the max, then there are a few things to consider when selecting your watch. First, most people don’t want a gigantic watch that draws attention away from themselves but rather lends itself tastefully to their attire. A modestly sized dress watch will measure around 38mm-42mm and I bring this up for one reason and one reason only: shirt cuffs. You will probably want your watch to be able to slide comfortably underneath your shirt cuff so the general rule of thumb is the slimmer the better. That massive dive watch might look cool in a wetsuit but make sure you can wear it comfortably with your full Monday morning get-up before committing. 

A tried and true dress watch for such an occasion would be the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Sized to accompany any wrist, this stainless steel rectangular classic exudes Art-Deco elegance and is usually paired with a sleek black leather strap. Though the Reverso comes in a variety of styles and configurations, one particularly fine example is the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931 (shown on the first picture). Featuring Jaeger-LeCoultre’s hand-wound calibre 822, the Ultra Thin Tribute offers a health 45-hour power reserve and measures in at just 7.3mm thick. For utter classicism and simplicity, the Reverso is hard to beat. Pricing begins around £ 5,950 and € 6,900.

The Business Casual Watch

Want something a little more versatile? A fantastic option for the quintessential office watch is undoubtedly the Nomos Ahoi. Marketed as Nomos’ foray into the nautical watch territory, this is a piece that can dress up or down depending on your needs. At a moderate 40mm, this stainless steel-cased beauty is a prime example of the amazing products coming out from Nomos in recent years. The crisp, white dial is accentuated with bold Arabic numerals and is graced with a small-seconds nestled just above 6 o’clock. A wonderful bonus here is the Nomos’ in house caliber Epsilon and supplies a 43-hour power reserve. At 10.5 mm thick, the Ahoi is not quite as thin as the Reverso but the added benefit of being a little more flexible in terms of style. 

If you seek something a little more classic, the Nomos Tangente or even the Tangomat 38 is a classic that is quite versatile as well. The Nomos Ahoi is priced at £ 3,085 and € 3,420.

The All-Around Office Watch

It may sound cliché but I would be remiss if I did not at least mention the Rolex Datejust. You see, over the years many a watch-buyer have been faced with selecting a watch that they could not only wear to the office, but also enjoy on the weekend in a pair of blue jeans or even the occasional trip to the beach. For many, the Submariner is too commonplace and too bold to fill this niche and thus, we have the Datejust. For decades Rolex sold the Datejust in a reserved 36mm case before adding an additional version, the Datejust II, with a case size of 41mm in the early 2000’s. Crafted from materials ranging from 904L stainless steel to white gold and even Rolex’s proprietary hybrid blend, Rolesor, the Datejust fits just about any office setting and has been a go-to classic for years. Whether you choose to go with the 36mm or the more modern 41mm case, this piece is a solid choice for someone who wants not only the perfect office watch, but one watch to cover all their bases. It is usually paired with either the Jubilé or the Oyster bracelet, which will both add some flash to your wrist in all the right ways. Pricing for the Rolex Datejust begins at £ 5,000 and € 5,800. 

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