40 dress watches for all occasions proving grail-worthy can be affordable
The rules on what constitutes a dress watch are much more chill these days, with our favourites ranging from Piaget's brand new Polo Date to a vintage-inspired Timex collab
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If diving watches are the Arnold Schwarzenegger of your watch collection, dress watches are the Daniel Craig of it – smart, elegant and excellent with anything you wear that feels dressy.
A horological staple for any watchmaker means there is an abundance of options – from the part smooth/part fluted bezel of a Rolex 1908 to the Cartier Tank’s elegant Roman numeral stylings, and naturally GQ’s experts have parsed the market for our favourites. But first, a bit of housekeeping.
What actually are dress watches?
Defined by an elegant case in steel or any kind of precious metal (most commonly yellow or rose gold), a smart strap in chocolate brown or black alligator, and a low, slim profile that will allow the watch to sit neatly beneath the cuff of your jacket, a good dress watch will not only be the chicest but also the most adaptable watch in your collection. That’s partly down to their predilection for a clear dial that’s devoid of superfluous complication. Everything about a dress watch is meant to be refined, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a head-turner for a reasonable price. As much as we’re fans of Patek Phillippe’s legendary Calatravra and the head-turning talents of a Jaeger LeCoutre Reverso, there are plenty of more reasonably priced (but still dazzling) options from the likes of Tissot, Mondaine and Daniel Wellington to peruse.
Can you wear a dress watch every day?
Short answer: yes, you can do want you want with a dress watch. When it comes to scenarios where you should wear a dress watch, it is our opinion that you can wear one pretty much whenever you like, so understated is the style. Whether you’re bringing a bit of charm to the poolside or adding the final flourish to your black tie ‘fit, it’s your watch so be sure to wear it as and when you please.
Having said that, it's also nice to reserve your dress watch for special occasions. As the crown jewel of most collections, this will help to prevent both a) you getting bored of it and b) other people getting too used to it. The very purpose of a dress watch, after all, is to be the perfectly formed cherry on the many-layered gateau that is your evening outfit.
1/40Louis Vuitton Escale
Within LV’s new Escale collection, you will find pure horology and refined dials that speak to the minimalist in you. While the more simple pieces are winners, don’t be shy to pull out all the stops with the diamond version. This 40.5mm case epitomises Arnault’s new era as a platinum case has pavè diamonds all around it and a sexy matte black dial. £160,000. At louisvuitton.com
2/40Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde
An OG Toric Chronograph in brash yellow gold might be King Charlie’s preferred piece of wristwear, but we’re more into this minimal number. The dial’s grainy texture is a slight to behold. Encircled by the trademark knurled bezel, it shows stealth wealth is still a big vibe. CHF 52,000. At parmigiani.com
3/40Nivada Grenchen Antarctique Spider
This 35mm piece has the look and feel of a vintage '50s beauty, and the black dial/twisted lugs combo is a go-to recipe for success. Not just any old black dial, mind. Nivada turns our perceptions upside down with some lovely architectural design features that are à la Eames and Lloyd Wright. We’re smitten. £825. At nivadagrenchenofficial.com
4/40Timex x Noah Sun and Moon Watch
Timex knows how to pick a buzzy collaboration, with a recent one with Todd Snyder indicative of the kind of cool, affordable wrist tools Timex has previously dropped. This new Noah collab is giving major JLC Reverso and Cartier Tank vibes, feeling super vintage while still being under $200. A dressy piece that owns a sweet spot in the value, desirability, cool factor venn diagram. £210. At noahny.com
5/40Piaget Polo Date
Look past Piaget’s Polo ’79 – possibly the best dress watch of 2024 – because it’s £69K, and pivot to the chocolate-coloured Polo Date at half the investment. With its soft shape and brushed 18K rose gold framing a striated cocoa dial, what’s not to like? £31,900. At piaget.com
6/40Panerai Quaranta Radiomir
A Panerai dress watch, you say? The brand is best known for its divers, and innovation like the lumed up Submersible Elux LAB-ID, but it’s no one trick pony as this fresh, well-rounded Quaranta Radiomir can attest. On a luscious alligator strap, it’s 40mm and perfectly in proportion to our high expectations. £5,200. At goldsmiths.co.uk
7/40Certina DS 4
Certina is a value-driven Swiss brand heralded for its DS Action divers watches, but this time they’ve aced the dress game with the new DS 4. 37mm spells Goldilocks-perfection for most wrists, while the unusual blend of vintage pilot’s watch and chocolate-rich tonality gives it big presence for its sweet-sized case. Its soft calfskin strap gives it a dressier vibe than its big-lume numerals emanate, and a 100m depth rating makes it a pretty tough piece of Swiss engineering. Big quartz energy for £430. At goldsmiths.co.uk
8/40Gucci Grip
A chunk of retro-futurist Gucci gold can’t go wrong, and while dressy-slim will tier-up any fit with its intense small-cased charm. Within a 38mm pebble of brushed PVD-gold steel sits a charmingly vintage jump-hour display reminiscent of the mythical Cartier Tank à Guichet. A quirky ice breaker (with skater boy feels) to let slip out from under your shirt cuff. £1,510. At goldsmiths.co.uk
9/40Rolex Perpetual 1908
Easily the most understated Rolex you can find, the 1908 blew away many a preconception this year. The 18K white gold case is as sublime as the large Breguet hour hand is out-of-this-world quirky, and do you know what? This may be the most charming piece to emanate from the Coronet this decade, proving that they’re about more than steel dive-watch grails and big-flex Chronographs. £19,600. At goldsmiths.co.uk + rolex.com
10/40Casio A120
Yes, the digital-cool vibe is big this year, with Tissot recently dropping an LCD-screened PRX. But as stars of the red carpet can attest, the sleek feel of a do-anything Casio in a gold-toned case works just as well as a Swiss grail for Best. The gold-bar-shaped new A120-series does away with side pushers for front buttons and is a hell of a lot of archi-cool PVD-gold for £84.90. At jurawatches.co.uk
11/40Grand Seiko SBGX 353
Grand Seiko is known for dressy takes on the everyday sports watch, with a hand-finished execution that trounces the competition. The SBGX represents a spare take on the Good Dress Watch with an in-house difference. The pale blue dial is produced in their Shinshu watch studio, inspired by the crisp fallen snow in the high mountains of central Japan. It’s a striking tone that is offset by diamond-cut details, and an in-house quartz movement accurate to +/-10secs a year. £3,400. At grand-seiko.com
12/40Cartier Tank Louis Cartier
French sartorial wristwear in its most minimalist guise piques our interest. The gloss deep space of the Tank LC dial is the distilled essence of Cartier in solid yellow gold. That svelte case of 33.7x25.5mm of opulence and a 6.6mm thickness is divine intervention levels of beautiful. With the hand-wound 1917MC in-house movement and a popping blue sapphire in its crown, you can’t go wrong for £12,500. At cartier.com
13/40Hamilton Jazzmaster Performer 38mm
Hamilton might be known for its tough-as-boots Khaki series, including the really enigmatic one on Matthew McConaughey’s wrist in Interstellar. But the new Jazzmaster tugs at a dressier set of heartstrings. This new Jazzmaster Performer is a beautiful contradiction in terms, being dressy-sleek at 38mm but with a monochrome tough feel. With a massive 80-hour power reserve and a 100m depth rating, it’s a steel watch that suits up with the best of them. £975. At hamiltonwatch.com
14/40Longines Dolce Vita Sector Dial
Here’s an alternative to the JLC Reverso you didn’t consider, and it’s a hot-pot stew of great mid-century style clues. In a sleek 28 x 47mm curvy case sits an unusual sector dial in a frankly delicious two-tone of silver and white. On a blue alligator strap with small blue hands this Longines is an astute choice and rather good value. £1,650. At longines.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
15/40Omega Aqua Terra 150m 38mm
The Aqua Terra is Omega’s answer to A Good Watch that feels premium in weight and feel, and will see you through years of joyful, solid use. And with this new 38mm version, we want in. This is colourful, accessible, and a great alternative to the frankly impossible to get hold of colour-popping Rolex O.Ps (unless you’re Kendrick Lamar). Its co-axial Master Chronometer calibre serves its hyper-accurate style on a dishy plate of deep red with a cheeky date window at 6. A tempting cherry of an Omega. £6,100. At omegawatches.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
16/40Oris Rectangular
We all know Oris for its great vintage touch, and tech divers like the Aquis, but a rectangle number? There ain’t nothing like suiting up with an angular watch, and this is a great independent Swiss alternative to French chic. The fruity-formal red on a matching, seamless calf leather strap is ripe for the picking but we’re also just as enamoured with the blue dial. £1,700. At goldsmiths.co.uk
17/40Tissot PRX Galaxy x The Dial Artist
There’s no denying the runaway success of the Tissot PRX, and it’s all deserved. By tapping into the rich vein of vintage love and Genta-inspired design, the PRX is spot-on. With creative director Chris Alexander (aka @thedialartist), IFL Watches has moved the PRX up a fair few rungs on the grail ladder with hand-applied pointillistic art to the dial. Everyday cool is suddenly a galaxy of colourful stars and planets. £890. At iflwatches.com
18/40Mondaine Essence
Wherever you're shopping in the watch spectrum, what you really want to invest in is personality. The Mondaine Essence is emphatic proof that this most treasured of characteristics needn't set you back much at all. With a legendary dial that's modelled off the Swiss Federal Railways clocks that have been in European stations since 1944, this timepiece is a truly budget-friendly head-turner. Made with sustainability in mind, it features a vegan leather band and packing that's made from 100 per cent recycled PET bottles. £132. At amazon.co.uk
NOMOS Glashuette19/40Nomos Glashütte Club
The Nomos Club is an architect-cool take on luxury watchmaking, with hints of the Bauhaus movement. Within a svelte 36mm case of well-rounded chic sits a thoroughly modern design. With perfectly sized slim elegance, the Club grabs points in the hot market for unisex cool. On a burgundy leather strap with a silvery white dial, its small size is amped up by its crisp dial graphics and cheeky presence. £1,400. At goldsmiths.co.uk
20/40Girard-Perregaux Laureato Bronze 38mm
The perennial stepchild of the Genta magic from AP and Patek is back with a vengeance. The new 38mm version is a rich take on bracelet-bound perfection in warm copper. The Laureato has upped its game, and the 10mm thick sleek case is made of 904L steel. Normal stainless steel you say? It is a harder alloy warm to the touch, and upon its '70s debut was advertised as a new precious metal. £12,700. At girard-perregaux.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
21/40Omega De Ville Prestige
For a brand famous as the outfitters of Bond’s wrist, Omega's De Ville Prestige is very much “007 ordering a Martini” rather than “007 throwing a thug off a train”. At 39.5mm across and fashioned from rose gold, the De Ville Prestige is understated, managing to achieve a clean dial despite power reserve and date indicators plus a small seconds sub-dial. £10,600. At omegawatches.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
22/40Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium
Inspired by a Tissot watch design of the Sixties, the Gentlemen range consists of six 40mm steel models on calfskin straps or steel bracelets that will suit numerous occasions – from board-level business meetings to formal evening events. Equipped with the Powermatic 80 movement with silicon balance spring, the watch will run for an impressive 80 hours on one full wind. The dial options are traditional silver or black, as well as a more contemporary dark blue, and all are adorned with a date window at three o’clock, applied hour markers, faceted dauphine hands and luminescent material for legibility in low-light conditions. £765. At tissotwatches.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
23/40IWC Portugieser Automatic 40
IWC's appearance might surprise you on this list, given it's famously a purveyor of big pilot’s tools. Well, its dressier Portugieser line is a slim-bezeled embrace of formal watches with a delicate touch. There's no trace of the strictly brushed tool case, instead a soft and elegant demeanour. My pick of the bunch is the timeless combination of the soft silver dial, small seconds at six, and a flash of blue. On a navy alligator strap, this will lift the look of a sharp suit and might just be the only watch you need. £6,500. At iwc.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
24/40Garrick Watches S6
42mm might seem large for a dress watch, but we’re all different. Big-wristed heroes like Dwayne Johnson make a 44mm TAG Heuer look like 36mm, so we see and love the bespoke nature of the Garrick S6. This version of British horology has every nuance of classic elegance captured in a grainy-textured dial. Still, there is a myriad of options to make the S6 your very own version of big-crowned classiness. From £4,995. At garrick.co.uk
25/40Kurono 34mm
Men have embraced 36mm and 38mm as a comfortable recipe for cool wristwear, but are we ready for 34mm? Hajime Asaoka, the creative force behind Japanese brand Kurono thinks so, and we wholeheartedly agree. Especially when faced with this two-toned ‘50s look that will add a judicious touch of formal savvy to any fit. Currently out of stock but will return. US$1,080. At kuronotokyo.com
26/40Rolex Explorer
Paraphrasing a few wise words encapsulates the vibe of the two-tone Explorer. It is wrong but feels oh so right, doing what it says on the tin as a tough sports watch. But it also dresses up to the absolute nines too. We wholeheartedly agree with Rolex’s defiant move of adding solid gold to a tool legend. An eminently legible, bold 36mm size makes it a golden one-for-all piece of Swiss history. £9,900. At rolex.com & goldsmiths.co.uk
27/40Gerald Charles Maestro 2.0 Ultra-thin
No other watch case has the extravagant flowing rococo lines of a Gerald Charles, and we love its idiosyncratic cool. The indecipherable case shape has a width of 39mm, and its 8.7mm thickness will slip under the slimmest of cuffs. While painting a dressy picture with its tux-like sunray dial, the smooth vibe is contrasted by a knurled crown and a textured rubber strap. £15,000 from Gerald Charles will secure you a suave piece of Gerald Genta cool. geraldcharles.com
28/40Bremont Supernova
Bremont has strayed from the path of tough tool watches, dived into the waters of luxury sports, and made a splash. Aesthetically the Supernova inhabits the hottest piece of wristwatch real estate in 2022, the integrated bracelet. But with a British twist, the design stands out with its muscular case and sleek bracelet. You might find 40mm large for a dress watch, but this piece of British style is a strong sartorial move with a balance of elegance and brawn. £7,995. At bremont.com
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29/40Carl F. Bucherer Manero Double Peripheral Tourbillon
Big Swiss watchmaker Carl Bucherer has opened up The Mastery Lab to individual customers, and the sky’s the limit. Just like Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department, this is where Carl F. Bucherer’s Lucerne team make individual dreams come true. This rose gold version of the Manero has a scintillating blue dial and a Tourbillon is but one of many tantalising possibilities if you have the readies. A studied investment in Swiss personalised horology. POA
30/40JLC Reverso Tribute
With its 100th anniversary last year duly celebrated, the Reverso is one of the two icons of rectangular panache. Transformed over the last years from older gentlemen’s go-to dress watch on a croc strap, the popular JLC Reverso now has a six month order time. With its thicker, more casual colour-matched Fagliano leather strap tonally matched to the dial, Green is definitely the new blue. These coloured versions of the JLC flip-able icon are in feverish demand for good reason. £8,800. At jaeger-lecoutre.com
31/40Patek Philippe Calatrava 5226G
The now-discontinued Nautilus 5711 has stolen a lot of the spotlight from Patek's more classical offerings of late, and so 2022 sees a renewed emphasis on the brand's high horology roots. There's no better example of this classicism than the Calatrava range, whose models are exclusively forged from precious metals such as platinum and rose gold. Intriguingly, the recent white gold 5226G marks an elegant turn towards the casual for the famously dressy roster with a textured dial, syringe hands and a hand-stitched nubuck calfskin strap. However you wear it, this is a bona fide stunner. £32,380. At patek.com
32/40Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Manual-Winding
Back to basics in the most covetable of ways, this simple hours-and-minutes watch, which is just 6.8mm high, is cased in a super-slim 40mm of pink gold. Its slightly convex dial necessitates gently curved hands that sail over the applied baton and cone-shaped indexes and dot minute track. The colour of the sunburst-finish dial is echoed in the midnight-blue alligator-leather strap. And, although the watch has a solid caseback, perfect for engraving and personalising, rest assured that the movement within is still as finely finished and exquisitely decorated as one would expect from this highly acclaimed house of horology. £19,400. At vacheron-constantin.com
33/40Daniel Wellington
There is a reason for the resounding success of Daniel Wellington as a brand – refrshingly honest modernity. With its wearably sleek case and minimalist Scandinavian design, there are a wealth of references to choose from, each delightfully free of homage or retro-chic. A DW is a great everyday watch with a colourful strap to suit any occasion, get two or three extra and you’re covered, mate. £169. At danielwellington.com & watchshop.com
34/40Breguet Classique 5177
Breguet knows its place in the classical paddock, ready for the off when the race is on for something formal and understated. You can forget about your chunky sports tools and integrated bracelets, and the key word is “sublime”. This 38mm white gold timepiece is slim elegance, with a deep midnight blue dial and whispy silver numerals. Crisp white lacquer on the needle-thin Breguet handset and a rhomboid date window are twists in a tale of Swiss perfection. £20,600. At breguet.com
35/40Blancpain Villeret Extra Thin
Although today it may be more known for its pioneering range of Fifty Fathoms dive watches, Blancpain pays homage to the village of the brand’s birth with its most classical range, Villeret. The sleek, double-stepped cases and beautifully executed, clear dials of these timepieces represent watchmaking at its finest. In the two-handed steel version, a 40mm dial with Roman numerals at the edge and elegant, sage leaf-shaped hands allow plenty of white space for the legends “Blancpain 1735” and “Swiss Made”. What else does one need to know? £8,500. blancpain.com
36/40Hermès Carrè H
Glance at any gentleman's wrist in 2022 and chances are that you’ll see either naked flesh or an Apple Watch. Instead, we’d suggest the soft tactility of a hand-sewn Barenia calf strap holding a Hermès Carre H. Ironically it does look rather similar to the buzzing ornament, but you’ll easily win this face-off. With a dark three-sectioned grey dial and a popping yellow seconds hand, this is a pebble-smooth square with a French twist. £5,740. At hermes.com
37/40Chaumet Dandy
Launched in 2003, the Dandy is everything its name promises – stylish and elegant with just enough detail to make sure it is noticed in a crowd. Delicate bayadère stripes on the dial, said to be a nod to the ribbon seams of a tuxedo, are the only decoration on the watch, which has now added three new pieces to its family. The design has been refined but retains its signature 40mm cushion case and fluted crown set with a blue sapphire. While the rose-gold models with black or cream dials may take the level of sophistication up a notch, the steel version with blue dial is striking and is the perfect wristwear for the smartest of occasions. £4,990. At chaumet.com
38/40Piaget Polo Date
Consider the sleek but rubber-strap fitted Polo Date a discussion starter. Yes, this is a 42mm watch on a rubber strap, but with a svelte thickness of 9.4mm, slips under your cuff. The Polo deserves the spotlight, and with its striated, formal dial is sports lux personified. Look at the Oscars and try to count the number of traditionally formal watches, and you’ll realise this for many is rather dressy in 2022. POA. At piaget.com
39/40Fears Brunswick
We do love the tale of resurrection behind the Fears brand, and the salmon dial 38mm Brunswick is one of their best. With its brushed coppery-pink tinged dial and bold numerals, it's a dressy piece of very British craftsmanship. With its rounded cushion case and chameleonic brushed dial, this is proper infatuation material. Skeletonized and blued hands sweeping across the 18ct rose gold and copper dial merely underlines its quirky cool. £3,350. At fearswatches.com & jurawatches.co.uk
40/40Junghans Max Bill Handaufzug
Proving that dressy does not have to equal staid, Junghans’ range of Max Bill watches, originally designed by the fabled architect in the 1960s, are still a beacon of minimalist perfection six decades later. Powered by a hand-wound movement with a 42-hour power reserve, this small but perfectly formed, 34mm stainless-steel model has a sleek white dial highlighted with luminous hands and dots at each quarter-hour. The mesh steel bracelet blends into the aesthetic seamlessly and elevates the watch to a timepiece suitable for the blackest of black-tie events. £1,025. At junghans.de & goldsmiths.co.uk
