Guide to Men's Wrist Watches
The right watch doesn’t just help you keep track of time. It can also add the perfect finishing touch to your appearance. That’s why it’s so important to find a watch that’s both functional and stylish.
With so many men’s watch options available, sorting through all the choices can become overwhelming in a hurry. You need to choose the right style, band type, size, and other features before settling on a purchase.
Watch Types
Men’s watches are available in three types: quartz, mechanical/automatic, and digital.
Quartz Watches
Quartz watches feature a small clock face with hour and minute hands to mark time. They are powered by a battery.
Mechanical Watches
Mechanical watches also feature a small clock face with hour and minute hands. However, a mechanical watch is powered by a wound spring that releases energy in a regulated pattern. Some mechanical watches are self-winding; others must be manually wound.
Digital Watches
Digital watches feature an electronic display that shows the time in hours and minutes. They are battery-powered and may have extra features, such as stopwatch and/or alarm functions.
Watch Styles
When shopping, you’ll notice that there are dress watches, diver watches, field watches, racing watches, and aviator watches to choose from. We outline the standout features of each watch style below.
Dress Watches
They usually feature the following:
- A thin leather band that fits easily under the cuff of a dress shirt
- A metal case that’s round, square, or rectangular in shape
- A display with basic hour indexes in Arabic or Roman numerals
Diver Watches
They usually feature the following:
- A bold, easy-to-read display with Arabic numerals that display the seconds in 15-second intervals
- A display made of hardened mineral glass to withstand deep water
- A case with a unidirectional bezel that rotates counterclockwise, allowing a diver to easily know how long he’s been underwater
- A long metal band to fit around diving equipment
Field Watches
They usually feature the following:
- An easy-to-read display with simple black numerals that may illuminate in the darkness
- A rugged, stainless-steel case
- A canvas or leather band
Racing Watches
They usually feature the following:
- A large display with bold Arabic numbers and contrasting colors
- A stainless-steel case
- A metal or leather band
- A chronograph to provide stopwatch or timer capabilities
Aviator Watches
They usually feature the following:
- An oversized display with large numerals and illuminated hour and minute hands for easy reading
- A leather band that’s longer than usual to fit over the cuff of a flight jacket
Watch Bands
Casual vs. Formal
Metal and leather bands exude a polished, formal look. Rubber and canvas watch bands have a more casual appearance.
Professional wear vs. weekend wear
A leather or metal band works well for work and other professional settings, while a rubber or canvas watch band is ideal for weekend and recreational wear.
Watch Sizes
Men’s watch faces, or displays, come in a variety of sizes, though most fall between 34mm and 44mm.
If you have thinner wrists, opt for a watch with a case diameter between 34mm and 40mm.
If you have thicker wrists, choose a watch with a case diameter between 44mm and 46mm.
Watch Complications
A watch’s “complications” are the features it offers beyond the simple displaying of time.
Many watches display the date on their face in addition to the time. Some provide the current moon phase as well.
You can also find watches that offer an alarm function and/or a chronograph for stopwatch capabilities. Watches with chronographs may allow you to calculate speed and distance traveled.
In general, casual watches have more complications than dress watches.