Whether you’re a certified watch nerd, have a thing for nice-looking arm candy, or completely new to the game, there’s loads to consider when it comes to wearing a watch. Do you dare to wear bracelets and a watch on the same wrist, and send stack-haters spiralling? Do you try to coordinate your watches with particular looks or outfits? Or do you just stick to a tried and tested approach?
Most of the internet’s most stylish guys wear watches, and they face the same conundrums as us mere mortals – whether it’s A$AP Rocky swinging somewhere between iced-out Rolexes and vintage women’s Piaget Polos, Jacob Elordi’s crush on Cartier Tanks, or Daniel Craig’s ongoing love affair with Omega. Jelordi and Rocky pair their watches with chains, rings and bracelets, while Daniel Craig tends to let his timepieces do the talking so there’s no shortage of well-dressed dudes to take inspiration from.
To nail the art of wearing a watch, we asked some friendly watch industry experts to see what they had to say – but take it all with a pinch of salt, as the only 'rule' we formally abide by is how you wear yours is completely up to you.
Brynn Wallner has been democratising the watch space with her straight-talking take on timepieces via Dimepiece, stoking the fires of stacking discourse, and flying the flag for loose bracelets. So when it comes to rules there’s not many she abides by. There are some, mind. “Don’t go too big when your wrist is too small. If the watch dial is bigger than the circumference of your wrist, and you can't see the bracelet at all, it looks goofy. Understand proportion and wear what's right for your body, just as you would your clothes,” says Wallner. She has some pretty solid advice for stacking, too, quickly pointing out the dangers of wearing multiple bracelets on the same wrist as your kettle, which “will lead to scratches on the watch which will lead to it getting polished which may lead to overpolishing, which we really want to avoid.” And with that, Wallner has one rule. “Never stack an heirloom watch.”
Doubling up? “No, you’re not Princess Diana (or Fidel Castro, for that matter).” Anyone scratching their head over how your watch should fit, take it from Wallner. “I like my watch with some slack. Loosey goosey, is what I call it. This works for a man wearing a jewellery-forward ladies watch (see Timmy Chalamet wearing teeny tiny Cartier Panthère) or a woman wearing a big man's watch (like the Olsen twins wearing their Rolex almost as a bangle). It's got this kind of louche feel to it that I find sexy and confident," she adds.
But don’t get lost in the sauce; pay attention to the weather, and wear your watch appropriately. “Don’t get swept up in the look of wearing your Cartier Tank with your 5" inseam shorts on a super hot day and regret it later when you're sweating through the leather. Same vibe as when you wear socks with your loafers but it's 90 degrees out.” Solid advice.
On the wrist: Grand Seiko Spring Drive “Blue Snowflake” 40mm
Adrian Aldred is the brains behind extremely rare and bespoke watches with Convopiece – the kinds of watches where enthusiasts can get into the nitty gritty to create something truly unique. He knows more than most that wearing a watch is a personal thing, that said there’s a few things that bug him more than others. “No baggy bracelets, no watches as hair bands (yes I’ve seen this) and no watches that are bought to solely impress and clearly don’t reflect the owner’s true taste,” says Aldred. We’re not mind readers, but we reckon he’d have something to say about Rihanna’s £500k Jacob & Co. 18 karat-gold Flying Tourbillon necklace. But he isn’t gonna call her out on it. “I’m all about unique personal expression. However, family and close friends will get it,” says Aldred.
But when it comes to doubling up your watches there might be a place for that. “If you’re a gifted watchmaker and you need to showcase your mastery whilst at a watch show, sure. If it’s a fitness band (not an Apple Watch) and watch, it depends on context. A black Whoop wearable and a sports watch on a black Nato strap could feel like a set. Besides that, keep it classy as less is more.”
On the wrist: Kari Voutilainen 28SC
Wearing a watch ain’t that deep, believes J.J. Owens, the NYC-based watch obsessive and founder of Daily Grail who’s here to celebrate rookies and experts alike. “[It] should be fun and never taken too seriously, make it your own however that might be,” she says.
Owens is a staunch member of team loosey goosey. “I love my watch as loose as possible, without the risk of slipping off – for girls it is quite chic to have it on the looser side,” she says. Given her whole no rules vibe, it's no surprise she’s a firm advocator of wearing dress watches with casual clothing. “I love wearing a dressier piece with jeans and a T-shirt – the juxtaposition created from the stark difference I find quite intriguing. If you want to wear an iced-out watch or a minute repeater on a walk, be my guest – life is too short and any day can be an occasion.”
On the wrist: Cartier Crash salmon dial and a charm bracelet
Not everyone is going to agree on how you should wear a watch – which is exactly why we are here. What works for one guy is another’s idea of hell. Just like Revolution's Wei Koh, who thinks stacking is watch-wearing sacrilege. “I am not a fan of the stack where bracelets are slamming hellaciously into the side of the watch case over and over leaving them ravaged and scarred like the posterior of a slow person attending Pampona’s Bull Run,” says Koh. “One of the rings in Dante’s Inferno is comprised entirely of people who like to stack bracelets with their watches.”
Doesn't mean you can't still accessorise, mind. “Rings, necklaces, and as many bracelets as you would like on your non-watch-wearing wrist. That said, I would totally rock a Bulgari Serpenti,” adds Koh. He's also been in the game long enough to not feel pressured by so-called trends. In fact, he likes to do the complete opposite. “Because of the prevailing trend for small watches, I find myself having rediscovered the beauty of a 44mm Panerai Luminor Marina, [or] a 42mm Omega Speedmaster. It’s always fun to be a contrarian.”
On the Wrist: Vacheron Constantin 222
For Yu Sekiguchi, the art of correctly wearing a watch are focused less on how the watch looks and more on protecting it. “You should wear your watch freely, but you must absolutely avoid wearing it with the crown left open. The two biggest enemies of a watch are water and magnetism.”
At the end of the day “a watch is an item that speaks about you" so he’s not gonna call you out, but he'll happily share his taste for a “well-worn vintage Patek Phillippe” or “modern Longines.”
He’s here for stacking, but at your own risk, especially if you’re looking to sell your watch further down the line. “If you’re concerned about scratching the case, it’s better to avoid it. Also if you plan to sell the watch in the future, it should be worn as carefully as possible to avoid damage. Otherwise, feel free to experiment with chains and bangles – whatever type of bracelet you prefer.”
On the wrist: Credor Locomotive, reissued in 2024
One “rule” that appears to have gone out of the window is the whole not wearing a dive watch with a suit thing (maybe James Bond is to blame). It might be a favourite red carpet styling trick of Chris Hemsworth, Brad Pitt, David Beckham, and Ryan Reynolds but don’t let Time+Tide's Andrew McUtchen catch you doing it. “To me the height of gauche watch and outfit pairing is a shiny, large, and clearly sports-orientated watch with a suit.”
But if there’s one thing that makes him feel queasy more than sporty watches with non-sporty fits it's the double up. “It’s never OK. Sorry You can argue one is a Garmin, or whatever, but dude you’re still wearing two watches and you look silly. “Unless you’re an Italian prime minister, you can’t have a wife and girlfriend on display at once.”
On the wrist: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 18kt Yellow Gold 37mm Turquoise
Just as many rappers and actors have a thing for octagonal sports watches, and Austin Butler favours dainty rectangular timepieces, “ultimately, how someone wears a watch should reflect their personality – there’s no strict right or wrong,” says Dillon Bhatt, Founder and CEO of LuxForte.
That said, Bhatt still has a few strong thoughts. “My absolute no-no is pairing bulky divers or sports watches with a suit or black tie. While some bracelet watches, such as the Patek Phillipe Nautilus, can compliment a suit, black tie attire demands a proper dress watch. Sports or diving watches simply clash with the formality of such occasions,” says Bhatt.
Conversely when it comes to dress watches, the world’s your oyster. “A small, elegant dress watch on a leather strap pairs surprisingly well with casual looks — think oversized jeans and sneakers. The contrast between a refined timepiece and a laid-back outfit creates a beautiful, eye-catching combination.”
On the wrist: De Bethune DB28XS
