Watch for My Wedding?

pasoguava · Mar 23, 2013

Just as the title states. . . trying to figure out whether or not to wear a watch at my September wedding. I'll (most likely) be wearing a Kent Wang navy three piece, tartan tie in my family's tartan (navy and very deep green are dominant with a pale yellow stripe), captoes, and silver links bearing the Scottish side's crest.

As I'm not wearing black tie, would it still be inappropriate to wear a watch? As I don't own an evening watch (6 o'clock wedding with evening reception) I'd need to purchase one but this could be a good excuse to do so.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, thanks very much.

Best,

Pasoguava

unbelragazzo · Mar 23, 2013

It depends - is there something afterwards that you don't want to be late to?

pasoguava · Mar 23, 2013

Pretty much answers my question. It would be more decorative than functional as everyone's going to be telling me where to go and what to say at what time anyway.

So I'm guessing that's a no, unbelraggazzo?

unbelragazzo · Mar 23, 2013

pasoguava said:
Pretty much answers my question. It would be more decorative than functional as everyone's going to be telling me where to go and what to say at what time anyway.

So I'm guessing that's a no, unbelraggazzo?

As you say, my question tells you how I feel about it.

I never wear a watch, so maybe I'm somewhat biased. But even so, I think it looks kind of weird when a guy wears a watch to a wedding, particularly his own, whereas I don't think they look weird when worn in business contexts.

If you don't mind, I'm going to move this over to the Official Wedding Thread so that the discussion might be valuable to future SFers.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/329568/official-wedding-attire-question-answer-picture-thread

MikeDT · Mar 23, 2013

I thought it was the bride who didn't wear a watch at the wedding. After all it's the bride who's normally late, not the groom or best man. Pulling out a cellphone to check the time may not be appropriate, and churches don't normally have clocks inside.

Leaves · Mar 23, 2013

pasoguava said:
Just as the title states. . . trying to figure out whether or not to wear a watch at my September wedding. I'll (most likely) be wearing a Kent Wang navy three piece, tartan tie in my family's tartan (navy and very deep green are dominant with a pale yellow stripe), captoes, and silver links bearing the Scottish side's crest.

As I'm not wearing black tie, would it still be inappropriate to wear a watch? As I don't own an evening watch (6 o'clock wedding with evening reception) I'd need to purchase one but this could be a good excuse to do so.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, thanks very much.

Best,

Pasoguava

Do you usually wear a watch? If not I can't see why you should get one just for the wedding. A bit overkill no?

RogerP · Mar 23, 2013

I'd be wearing a watch for sure - but then I tend to be more watch-fixated than most. As long as you're not sporting some horrendous wrist-clock, I don't see why it would be in any way inappropriate with a suit.

unbelragazzo · Mar 23, 2013

RogerP said:
I'd be wearing a watch for sure - but then I tend to be more watch-fixated than most. As long as you're not sporting some horrendous wrist-clock, I don't see why it would be in any way inappropriate with a suit.

Sigh. I guess my hope of getting discussion into the wedding thread was foolhardy.

Anyway, the reason some might consider it inappropriate is the same reason a watch is inappropriate with black tie - it implies that you need to keep track of time because you have somewhere else that you need to be, or are looking forward to being, later in the night, as opposed to having fun and enjoying where you are at the moment.

pasoguava · Mar 23, 2013

Many thanks for the replies. You're right, Leaves, buying a watch for the day may be a bit much but all I have is a Hamilton diving watch (a very poor man's Submariner) which would look clunky, I think.
If I were to wear a watch, I'd want to get something new that'd be appropriate for the occasion as well as for future evening occasions.

Just was always under the impression that with black tie or at an event wherein you're somewhat the center of attention, wearing a watch was in part inappropriate as one shouldn't be focused on time but rather on the pleasure of one's surrounding company. I know, potentially a bit antiquated but I was always under the impression that that was why one didn't wear a watch to such an event.

Anyone have thoughts specifically on the etiquette of such a thing?

Thanks again.

pasoguava · Mar 23, 2013

Got in just after you, unbelregazzo. Yes, that exactly. Wondering if that is still observed etiquette.

Leaves · Mar 23, 2013

pasoguava said:
Many thanks for the replies. You're right, Leaves, buying a watch for the day may be a bit much but all I have is a Hamilton diving watch (a very poor man's Submariner) which would look clunky, I think.
If I were to wear a watch, I'd want to get something new that'd be appropriate for the occasion as well as for future evening occasions.

Just was always under the impression that with black tie or at an event wherein you're somewhat the center of attention, wearing a watch was in part inappropriate as one shouldn't be focused on time but rather on the pleasure of one's surrounding company. I know, potentially a bit antiquated but I was always under the impression that that was why one didn't wear a watch to such an event.

Anyone have thoughts specifically on the etiquette of such a thing?

Thanks again.

In Sweden, and I'm assuming the rest of Western Europe, it's considered against etiquette to wear a watch for a white tie event but I don't know about a black tie event, or a "informal dress" event (you mentioned you will be wearing a navy suit so I'm assuming this will be the dress code). If you have any doubts just skip it, no one will think any less of you because of this and on the plus side you won't have to worry about if you are breaching etiquette or not.

unbelragazzo · Mar 23, 2013

To be clear, I don't mean that etiquette would actually be breached in this case. I doubt anyone will be offended. It's your wedding anyway, you're the one making the rules. But the sentiment behind the original dictum still makes sense to me, whether or not society continues to recognize the rule itself.

TheFoo · Mar 23, 2013

I disagree with ubelragazzo on this. You should wear a watch if you like your watch. Any "rule" against it is very weak these days, particularly when an event does not adhere to any strict standard of dress, and how to best capture the true "sentiment" of such an occasion is really up to your own preferences. I love my watch and it has sentimental value to me, so I wear it to all special occasions--including my own wedding and with my dinner jacket.

That said, the thing has to look good. If it is a metal bracelet sport watch, I would probably leave it at home. If it is a proper dress watch, I'd wear it. But that all has to do with what looks good with a suit, not what is okay or not okay for a wedding.

pasoguava · Mar 23, 2013

Good points on both sides, thank you all. It's a minor detail to be sure. Still not certain what I'll wind up doing but the question seems to be answered. No one will be directly offended if I wear a watch and if I decide not to, a nice if somewhat antiquated piece of etiquette will have been observed.

Thanks again,

Pasoguava

GBR · Mar 23, 2013

Why on earth would you NOT wear a watch.

There is no good reason which states you should not and any antiquated reason why you shouldn't had no validity at the time it passed into folk lore.

Watch for My Wedding?

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