As much as you do not want to hear this, you are probably wearing your wristwatch wrongly and breaking all the rules. But you cannot be totally blamed; after all there is more than one way to wear a watch. The society generally still frowns at men wearing jewelries but the wristwatch is however one piece of jewelry men are allowed to put on without turning heads or have anyone batting their eyelids. Wristwatches are an expression of style and personality and sometimes it is viewed as an indicator of net worth but regardless, it is still an accessory and must be worn as such but, how do you know which way is the right way of rocking this timeless piece of accessory without breaking the rules? Well, I have got you covered and we will together explore the best ways to wear your favorite wrist candy properly and look as stylish as ever.
What wrist should you wear your watch on?
This is an age-old question and the answer remains – it depends.
The reason the answer is ‘it depends’ is that since the creation of wristwatches, men have mostly worn their watches on their non-dominant wrist and since most people are left-handed, you would want to wear your watch on your non-dominant hand right? The most significant benefit of wearing your watch on your non-dominant hand is that you can quickly put the watch on and navigate the dial more efficiently with your dominant hand than with your non-dominant hand if it was worn in reverse. Also, wearing your wristwatch on your non-dominant hand is less likely to damage the piece of accessory as you tend to do more with your dominant hand. So the rule of thumb is to wear your watch on your non-dominant hand to properly navigate and protect your watch.
What position should your watch face when worn?
The next question would be, why would anyone wear a watch facing inward on the wrist and not outwards? Well, this trend is seen primarily in individuals who need to check their watch frequently and in the most efficient way possible after all, among the many reasons you wear a wristwatch, one of the most common is to support you in your profession. The military do this as it is easier and convenient to access the time and other features in the watch and also to prevent sun glare better than when it is worn facing the outside of the wrist. Another reason you may want to wear your watch facing inward is that it can help protect your wristwatch from scratches and dings. Again, this is just a preference and individual choice. But if you are a stylish guy looking for the best way to wear your wrist candy, the best way is to wear it facing outward as it is the common way to wear a wristwatch to show off your favorite timepiece whilst still maintaining its functionality. Unless you are in a profession where you have to check your watch quickly while managing other tasks, the best way is to place your watch facing outward after all, you didn’t spend money on that beautiful piece to hide its character and beauty.
Rules you should look out for:
- Leather should complement leather
The material and color of your shoes should ideally dictate your other dress accessories. Begin by
matching your belt with your shoes and then your watch with both. When pairing a black pair of shoes with a black belt and your choice is to wear a leather band watch then your watch should be a black leather band and if the choice is brown then all three accessories likewise should match. With brown and other colors, the tones do not necessarily have to be the same. A watch with a leather band in a lighter shade of brown can be worn with a darker shade of brown shoes but just avoid as much as possible the tones from being too far apart.
- Metals should complement metals
When talking metals on a wristwatch, it is important to distinguish between the watch case and the watch band. The watch band is the watch itself while the watch case is the adornment and this is why watches are described by the band and not the case. The watch band is like the belt and the watch case is the buckle. So, the watch case should be matched with the adornments of your other accessories while the band should be matched with your accessories itself and your clothes. In summary, all the metal accessories in your attire should complement one another like shoes and belt buckles, cufflinks and so on. And just as with the leather bands where the colors are to be same without the tones necessarily matching, when using a gold metal watch, you can match your shoes that have yellow gold adornments with a rose gold case wristwatch. Likewise a pair of shoes with a black buckle can be matched with a gun metal case wristwatch.
Metal bands are generally more versatile than leather bands. Unlike pairing a black pair of shoes with brown leather wristwatch is a no-no; there is no absolute dos and don’ts with the metal bands. However, certain metal colors are better paired with some colors. Like silver band watches go better with black, grey and darker shades of blue while gold bands go better with brown, tans and other earth colors.
In recent times where colors are fashionable and we have watches in blue, red or yellow bands, matching your watch color to those of your shoes could pose a huge challenge especially for men but in cases like this, you can apply some level of discretion but the safe bet is always to pair on a black shoes with no buckle or adornments.
- Watch your cuff
When wearing a long-sleeved shirt, the cuff of your shirt should naturally slide down your wrist and cover most or all of your wristwatch without assistance and this is the reason why the classic formal watch is a leather strap watch with a slim case. Metals bands can be worn as well but unlike the leather bands, the bulk of the metal bands could pose an issue especially when the shirt sleeves require cufflinks. If you must wear a metal band, ensure you choose one that is not so bulky that it bulges or pushes on your cuff.
The stylish way to wear your wristwatch
Once you have selected the right size and style of watch for your wrist, the first thing is to figure out if you will be wearing your wristwatch on your right or left wrist considering which is your non-dominant
hand. Next thing is to locate your wrist bone and wear your watch face up just above your wrist bone. If done correctly, your watch should slightly peek out from under the cuffs of your shirt when wearing long sleeves. Ensure to tighten the strap so it is loose enough to be comfortable and firm enough to avoid spinning around your wrist. There you go! Now you no longer have to worry about wearing your watch the wrong way.
Now you have your traditional perspective to rocking your wristwatches. But fashion however changes from time to time and what was right in 2020 might become a fashion faux pas in the coming years but, the traditional perspective is always in vogue! But remember to stay stylish while at it.