Classical Men's Watches
Stylish, Understated Watches For Any Formal Occasion
Recently I have been attending quite a few charity balls with my wife. The problem is that most of my watches are too large to fit under the sleeve of my jacket. Therefore, I have either had to go to these events without wearing a watch or wearing a very slim watch. As a watch writer and collector, this is a massive missed opportunity to showcase some of my eclectic models.
Essentially, this might be why consumers still favour more classical watch designs, so they don’t encounter these problems. Here are four elegant timepieces that I feel are suitable to wear with a formal dinner suit.
Fortis Terrestis Orchestra
Over the last century, Fortis have established themselves as a high-quality Swiss watchmaker. The Orchestra from the wonderful Terrestis collection perfectly illustrates this point. Dimensionally, the watch exudes understated elegance and has a 316L stainless steel case measuring 40mm. What makes this watch so elegant is the marvelous anthracite dial with discreet raised silver markers. Other features include slimline gold hour/minute hands, small seconds sub counter and date indication. Beneath the refined exterior lies a Swiss made, ETA 2895 self-winding movement.
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle
Many people consider Vacheron Constantin to be one of the world’s leading watchmakers. The Traditionnelle is one of their more understated designs. With a luxurious 950 platinum case measuring 41mm x 7.40mm this watch is designed for the connoisseur. What makes this timepiece so enticing is the cool grey dial with diamond set indexes. This characteristic works in perfect balance with the minimalistic hour/minutes hands. Powering the watch is an accomplished Swiss-made 36-jewel automatic movement, which is certified with the Hallmark of Geneva.
Jaeger Le Coultre Master Calendar
Jaeger Le Coultre is synonymous for their range of exquisite Swiss made watches. The Master Calendar is an absolutely sublime watch from their exceptional Master collection. This timepiece displays diminutive proportions and has a luxurious 18-karat pink gold case measuring 39mm. What makes this watch so special is the sensational Ruthenium meteorite dial with 4N gold markers. Functionally the timepiece features hours, minutes, seconds, day, date and moon phase indications. At the heart of the watch is a highly complicated 32-jewel movement comprising 305 individual components.
Patek Philippe Calatrava
In the world of horology, Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe is considered crème de la crème. The Calatrava is a brilliant example of the company’s meticulous attention to detail. Dimensionally, the watch exudes modest proportions and has an extravagant 18-karat white gold case measuring 37mm. What makes this timepiece so remarkable is the royal blue sunburst dial with contrasting white numerals. Other outstanding features include a grey offset small second sub counter and elegant date hand. Beneath the beautiful façade lies a mechanical self-winding movement with a 22-karat gold (off-center) mini-rotor.
