The London Lounge

Is a white gold dress watch a more formal choice than the same watch in yellow or rose gold?

Is yellow/rose gold the more suitable for day wear, with white better for evenings?

Maybe platinum or paladium - or the ultimate might possibly be a rock crystal-cased skeleton watch.

Anonymous wrote:Is a white gold dress watch a more formal choice than the same watch in yellow or rose gold?

As a rough generalization, yes.

Is yellow/rose gold the more suitable for day wear, with white better for evenings?

Strictly speaking, yes; but most men and women today seem unaware of the old taboos. I'd say that, provided the yellow- or rose-gold watch is not obtrusive by virtue of size, sound, or complications, nothing should prevent one from wearing it at any time. When I wear a wristwatch in the evening, it's a yellow-gold one that has sentimental meaning for me and, I think, accords better with my natural coloring than a white-gold one would. Of course, I seldom will wear a watch to a dinner party or other intimate social gathering for the reasons already discussed at length in the Lounge.

RWS

I'm not sure if white gold/platinum is the more formal choice but it is certainly the most elegant.

The white gold with black crocodile band combination certainly seems more suitable for serious and formal occassions when you would probably be wearing a dark suit or dinner jacket.

IMO a white gold/platinum dress watch with a black crocodile band is the correct choice for formal occassions if only for its understated, elegant and cool harmony.

It has been discussed elsewhere that strictly speaking one shouldn't wear a watch at all with a dinner jacket. I would consider this a point for information only on what use to be and no longer needs to be followed to be properly attired. I would personally always have a watch on with dinner jacket.

Also, I've read that a formal dress watch should not have a second hand; again, I do not know the veracity of such advice but it would not cause me undue concern today.

Finally, the original poster asked about WG for dress watches; these are slim and have the most simple faces; the oversized, thick, overly busy watches, sports watches, pilot watches, etc. etc. , regardless if they are in WG, have no place with more formal wear nor , indeed, with business dress. Those watches are best worn with casual and I think are probably best in a rugged stainless steel.

I agree with the above post to the effect that simnpolicity, more than the material, is the main factor here.

More importantly, I think it's vital that all metal accessories (watch, cufflinks if metal, belt buckle, when worn) should match.

I wasn't familiar with the idea of not wearing a watch at all. Is the reasoning along the lines that in social circumstances you are not time-watching? It doesn't really sound feasible, to be honest.

Do you mean to say that you have never sat up all night with friends and opened various bottles until you see the sun rise over St James's Square - or played blackjack all night to win enough to buy your wife a spectacular bejewelled bangle she saw in the hotel shop in Columbo? Ditch the watch, whatever it may be made of - and live a little.
Nicholas.

Anonymous wrote:. . . . Ditch the watch, whatever it may be made of - and live a little.
Nicholas.

Amen!

RWS

Thanks RWS - that 'Amen' says a lot about you!! Not least because the subjects of these threads are about how to dress and where to go to find enjoyment - but the actual enjoyment itself comes from doing. The mere fop just goes along to be seen, only ever plays roulette with set numbers up to a low maximum and probably fusses about how he is to get home; a truly elegant fellow goes to have a good time and, maybe, keeps a dentist's appointment in white tie at 9 am the morning after.
Nicholas.