How much should a man spend on his watch?

[Styleforum Ari]

 

[mr monty]

"Style isn’t cheap. The more zeroes the better?" Style can be cheap, it's the quality that bring the zeroes

 

[comrade]

Check with Paul Manafort.

 

[LA Guy]

Check with Paul Manafort.

I would bet good money, like $100, that Paul Manafort has a display case of watches somewhere.

 

[amlemus]

Check with Paul Manafort.

There's a $4,000 ostrich skin watch strap out there somewhere.

 

[comrade]

My every day watch is a Casio digital watch that my daughter
gave me as a birthday present when she was in high school.
She now has three kids. For important ceremonial occasions
like Coronations and Style Forum Meet-ups- we haven't had one
in the Bay Area since 2016, I wear an 18k gold Omega Sea-
master De Ville from 1963. I am the original owner.

 

[LA Guy]

My every day watch is a Casio digital watch that my daughter
gave me as a birthday present when she was in high school.
She now has three kids. For important ceremonial occasions
like Coronations and Style Forum Meet-ups- we haven't had one
in the Bay Area since 2016, I wear an 18k gold Omega Sea-
master De Ville from 1963. I am the original owner.

That's brilliant. I'm looking at some vintage Seamasters from that time right now.

 

[scurvyfreedman]

I have three watches. My everyday watch is an IWC Ingenieur from the late 90s. It was the return to the Gerald Genta style Ingeniuer. It's small relative to the original and newer Ingenieur version of the same shape. I also have an IWC Mark XII EF in titanium. EF are my initials and finding one was not easy considering there are only 100 made for the Italian market. It's on a strap, so I wear it more in the winter, when sweat is less of an issue. Finally, I have my grandfather's 1940/50s Longines. It's a gold HW on a black strap with a champagne dial and a domed plastic crystal. It's very petite as were many watches of that era. I only wear it for evening events that do not require black tie. I don't wear any watch with black tie.

 

[comrade]

That's brilliant. I'm looking at some vintage Seamasters from that time right now.

Full disclosure: The casio keeps better time.

 

[comrade]

Fok:
Mine has no date window. I never liked them because
they spoiled the austere round dial.

 

[LA Guy]

Full disclosure: The casio keeps better time.

I know. I use a G-Shock!

 

[Article 26]

How much? Too much!

 

[city74]

I didn’t vote on the poll because none of them are what I think. To me you spend how much you can afford, but only if you are into watches. If you aren’t then wear whatever you like at whatever cost even if it’s a $20 Timex. If you are into watches then buy what you like and can afford. Most people don’t notice your watch anyways

 

[Galix]

I've had big brand names on my wrist. Loved them, but at the end every single of them was sold.
I own only two watches now, my daily wearer a Longines Heritage that cost me under 1k, and a Festina Extra with Milanese mesh strap that everyone can buy for around 100 bucks.
Quality difference is obviously huge. But enjoyment is pretty much equal. So what matters IMO is design and how the watch matches the overall style.

 

[Article 26]

I didn’t vote on the poll because none of them are what I think. To me you spend how much you can afford, but only if you are into watches. If you aren’t then wear whatever you like at whatever cost even if it’s a $20 Timex. If you are into watches then buy what you like and can afford. Most people don’t notice your watch anyways

I’d say more people notice your watch than you realise - yes, it’s not the be-all, but it’s one of the few accessories a man can get away with with out looking a twat. (Jewelled encrusted aside.)