Watches are much more than an accessory. They’re a necessity. They can single-handedly make or break an entire ensemble.

You wouldn’t wear a Movado to the gym. Or an Ironman to a black-tie wedding. You switch your pants from work to play to dress, so why not do the same with your watch?

It is high time to pay attention to what goes around your wrist. For the style-conscious, we broke down what exactly that entails.

Dress it up
For those formal occasions, go for a diamond-centered design – particularly around the bezel which surrounds the face. This is a popular request at Leo Alfred Jewelers, according to Kevin Laudick, operations manager. And why wouldn’t it be? Diamonds will never go out of style. Check out brands (Cartier, Gucci and Tag Heuer come to mind) that craft a consummate, glistening sparkle.

Diamonds aren’t the only jewels spicing up watch styles. For women, formal pieces include bracelet-link designs, jewelry clasps, mother-of-pearl features, platinum, 18-Karat yellow gold and luxurious stones.

“Rose gold is making a comeback. It has a very dressy, particular look. I’ve seen watches that are ceramic with an all-white or pink bracelet that are more durable, and it’s more fashionable for women,” says Peter Argo, chief operating officer at Argo & Lehne in Upper Arlington.

Leather spells luxury, and an exotic-skinned band can bring out the best in your timepiece. Thicken the mix with a cuff strap – one of the hottest looks on the watch market for men. The wide band look is versatile enough to be compatible with most business-casual outfits, as well as jeans and a T-shirt.

Two-toned gold and silver designs can add flexibility to your look. “Two-toned gold and silver watches typically have more of a formal or dress feel to them, but you do see some models that have a chronograph movement. This can give them more of a sport look or feel,” Laudick says.

When it comes to decorating the wrists, people are experimenting more, with both their metals and their materials. Dress watches are also getting bigger. “What we’re seeing industry-wide is a trend toward much larger-faced watches, both for men and women. There is a swing back to a preference for a mechanical or automatic watch, as opposed to the quartz movement. People are becoming more fascinated with the intricacy of their watches,” says Mike Cress, a sales consultant at Denig Jewelers in Worthington.

Whenever in doubt, the safe bet is classic simplicity. “I still think that is a gold watch with a black strap. An alligator (strapped) watch has an elegant look, and dressy, thinner, with less gadgets. A white dial with Roman numerals is also classic and elegant for men and women,” Argo says.


For Sport
As soon as the hand strikes 5 p.m., let it loose. Sports watches are as popular as ever, and as adaptable as ever. Consider what elements you’ll be exposed to before dropping a big chunk of change on your sports watch. The more active you are, the more you’ll need to look for. A necessary feature is water resistance. Some watches are built only to withstand a basic shower. Swimmers should look for 50-meters or 165-foot capabilities, and sport diving should handle at least 100 meters.

Don’t forget about a chronograph – which includes a stopwatch function – and a durable band that can handle activity, such as stainless steel, rubber or titanium.

“The functions are what give it that sporty look. With sports watches, it’s important to go for multifunctional,” Laudick says.

Multifunctional usually means a bit on the bulky side. “With a dress watch, you want simplicity, the time the day and maybe the date – it’s clean-looking. But sports watches have more complications and functions and tend to be bulkier,” Cress says.

Break out the bells and whistles with amenities like mega timers, alerts, calculators and calendars, chronographs, moon phases, second time zone displays and more. You can really go all out with a diver’s watch – like the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster Pro – or a pilot’s watch, such as the IWC Mark X.

Going Both Ways
Most of the watches sold at Leo Alfred Jewelers are dressy and sporty. There are even those pieces that potentially go with everything. “I wear an Omega Seamaster titanium diver watch with a tie at work, but also wear it while doing work around the house,” Laudick says, for example.

Especially for men, most watches can serve dual business/casual purposes. Like a pair of simple black shoes, you should have a classic white-faced watch with a black leather or stainless steel band in your collection. It can add that special something to your otherwise lackluster weekend get-up and, for measure, you can get away with wearing it on a camping trip.

Most lines carry the gamut of styles to fit your needs. “Every manufacturer has different categories of watches, from sportier to dressier and in-between,” Argo says, adding that cost is one of the biggest factors in choosing a fitting timepiece.

Watches can range from $10 to tens of thousands of dollars. A minimal amount of watches under $20,000 are hand-crafted. Perhaps it’s more important to pick a piece that simply fits your individuality and comfort level. Or many pieces.

“Men are really getting on board with buying multiples. They don’t have a lot of jewelry choices besides watches and they’re now buying different watches for different moods,” Argo says. “Women have known this all along and have a much bigger range of pieces.”

Whatever the cost, it’s sure to be worth it for the dimension a watch can add to your overall style.

“You don’t want to skimp on details because you will want something that is fun and functional. You want that piece that makes you feel good when you put it on,” Cress says. “Watches are more individual than most other types of jewelry – you can make a statement with it without going over the top.”


Of Note...

Top end designers offer a gamut of styles and certainly don’t skimp on the details, including Omega, Cyma, TAG Heuer and Gucci. Of course there are always the household name brands to consider, such as Movado, ESQ, Citizen, Kenneth Cole, Timex, Guess?, Swiss Legend and Swiss Army, Seiko, Fossil and more.

Leo Alfred Jewelers’ top two sellers are Omega and Tissot, which both carry a wide range of looks. Omega starts at $1,500 and up, and Tissot is priced between $250 and $1,000, according to Kevin Laudick, operations manager.

At Argo & Lehne, the watch that sells particularly well is Cyma. “They are not very well known. They’re Swiss made and have every category, from solid gold to sporty models. Last year they introduced more economical line to compete with some of the other brands. Because it is Swiss-made, it is perceived to be of better value. We also carry a lot of Seiko models,” says Peter Argo, chief operating officer.

Denig Jewelers carries three lines – Citizen, which is a Japanese-made brand, and the Swiss-made Tissot and Baume & Mercier. “They all offer a nice mix of different looks in both men’s and women’s brands. Baume & Mercier is our high-end line and they’ve been around since 1830, so they’ve really got things figured out,” says Mike Cress, sales consultant.