What's in a watch?

Men are often restricted by how much jewellery they can wear. Many guidelines and style bibles say that men should keep the number of rings worn to less than two, nix any notions of wearing earrings or a bracelet and if you have to wear a necklace, keep it fuss-free and simple. While these ‘rules’ should not dictate how you dress nor influence your taste, those who follow them will find that they are left with little choice to express themselves through jewellery. Luckily, there is the watch. A watch is a powerful statement piece that is often noticed very quickly. Not only useful for telling the time, it garners attention and says a lot about a man and his taste. Here’s what to look out for when choosing a watch. The face The face of a watch is important. The design reflects a lot about a man, whether it be minimalist, modern or attention-grabbing. You are going to have to look at the face every day, so make sure it suits your taste, as well as your sense of style. The colour It is important to buy a watch that can be paired with different outfits. Sticking to black, brown, silver or navy is a safe bet for the more conservative occasion. For the bolder, try a watch in red or white. The strap The strap is an important part of a watch, as it dictates the longevity of the watch. Popular strap material includes leather, nylon and silicone. Make sure the strap complements the watch face, and is versatile enough to go with any outfit. Alternatively, multiple straps can be interchanged (depending on the type of watch) to bring more variety. This can give men more freedom to explore different patterns and colours, without having to buy a new watch every time. The durability It is common for men and women to have more than one watch – one for going out, one for keeping it casual. This makes sense when considering that you wouldn’t wear the same outfit to the beach as you would to a formal event, so why would you wear the same watch? This applies especially if the watch is expensive, or just not beach appropriate (and maybe not waterproof too). A watch’s durability will last a lot longer if you look after it, but also adhere to this rule- wear the appropriate watch to the appropriate event.