Time...it's been here since the beginning. It is what we live by, what we grow old from, and what will eventually kill us. We can't speed it up, we can't slow it down, but we can work around it. The stars, the sun, the moon, were the only way our ancestors told time. From ancient sundials to 15th century clocks to the invention of wristwatches in the 17th century and digital read outs in the 1970s, we have come a long way to keep our time close to us and to keep us on schedule in these busy times.
Real gentlemen in years past would never think about wearing a wristwatch. Pocket watches were the fad then and in my belief are the bees knees of watches. I am still on a search for the perfect one...which when I acquire such awesomeness I will blog upon its second hand charm. But, gentlemen rejoice when I tell you that the wrist watch is no longer a womanly accessory but a mans asset and ally. I literally feel naked without my watch and never leave home without one, analog or digital.
Here are the 5 key factors of owning a classy wrist watch for the modern day gentleman:
1. It has to be analog. Nothing says classy like an analog watch. Our grandfathers didn't have the luxury of having digital watches or phones or cars with clocks in them. They had a good ol' fashioned analog watch, you know the ones with those moving lines and the numbers in a circle? A classy vintage look comes quick with an analog watch and every gentleman should have one.
If you can't read analog and skipped the 3rd grade, I suggest learning quickly. The ability to tell time on an analog watch is a class act. And don't be the last to give the time to someone when asked either, be quick with your answer. A man's man is never late. Now there is nothing wrong with a digital watch, I own a very nice one that tracks temperature, altitude, has a compass, etc. etc. but we will get to digital in a minute (bottom of blog post)
2. Match your outfit. Fashion 101 for men. Brown and Black don't work (even though it is apparently in style to do that....well not here). Blue and Black also don't work. Black and Tan can work sometimes and Brown and Gray can work sometimes. Silver goes good with Blacks and Grays. Gold goes with Browns but personally I stick with Silver, I am not big on gold because I think it looks tacky.
Timex makes an affordable watch called the Weekender. It features a few different color faces and allows for the band to slip on and off so you can switch out the colors. I own the Off White face with Olive Drab and Red bands. Looking to get a blue and black here soon. This watch helps dress up a casual wardrobe. (see below)
3. It has to tell time. Make sure the watch has the correct time and date (if applicable) before leaving the house. Sometimes watches that are not worn often slow down and need to be winded up. Also, make sure the batteries are replaced as needed. Wearing a non working watch could be costly gents.
4. Spend some money. Sometimes you might find an awesome deal and get an item for a good price or purchase something at a thrift store. This is not against my belief in being a gentleman. I find items at great prices all the time and shop at thrift stores, but my point here is that in acquiring anything, especially a watch, don't skimp out on quality. In my experience, you spend more money on buying more of something that broke than on something that is of high quality in the first place.
5. Build your collection. I didn't buy all of my watches at once and I am not done buying watches either. There are a lot of watches out there that I still want to have and some that I have not discovered yet. Below are pictures of my watch collection so far, minus one.
Ok, so what is up with digital watches you ask? There is absolutely nothing wrong with a digital watch. I use my tech4o all the time when I am camping, hiking, working, or whatever, but when it comes time for looking nice and presentable, I always choose the classic analog watch.
