Men’s Health Australia — September 2017

Watches

WORDS:

ALEX

DOAK

/ PHOTOGRAPHY:

RODNEY

MACUJA

2

1

3

5

4

BREAKING THE

LAWS OF TIME

playful. That’s not to condone an

Apple Watch with black-tie; but

swanky evening events now offer

more wiggle room than ever.

Bell & Ross is renowned for its

distinctive square-cased pilot’s

watches with a militaristic edge. But

the Bell & Ross Golden Heritage 1

($5500) offers a dressier feel with its

satin-finished steel case and brown

calf-leather strap that will sit

comfortably – in terms of fit and look –

beneath a crisp white shirt.

If you’re after classic with a twist,

this is it. At first glance, the

Rado Coupole Classic 2 ($2275)

simply looks like a prime example of a

vintage-inspired dress watch. But on

closer inspection, the textured dial

and 80-hour power reserve dial bring

additional under-the-radar flair.

Yes, chronograph dials aren’t

supposed to be the strict preserve of

the dress watch. But the Seiko

Presage 3 ($1500) calmly rips up the

rulebook and oozes sophistication

thanks, in part, to the depth and subtle

texture of its enamel dial.

The Tudor Black Bay Steel and

Gold 4 ($4540) may be a bona fide

divers watch, but this two-tone beauty

sits more in line with a business suit

than a wet suit.

The Montblanc Timewalker

Chronograph Auto 5 ($5960) is

clearly a sports watch and boasts the

rugged functionality to match. But it’s

sufficiently sleek to work in more

formal arenas with its polished black

ceramic bezel and leather strap pitted

with asymmetrical holes like those

found on a pair of racing gloves.

In the same way that

the rules of tailoring

are being softened

and democratised,

so too are those for

the sometimes turgid

world of fine watches

For a supposedly creative mode of

expression, the business of dressing

up sure loves a rulebook. Whether it’s

fabrics that should never be seen

together, or colours that just don’t go,

ceremonial style can seem no fun at

all. But if formalwear is beset by

edicts, the watch world is a

totalitarian state.

The time-honoured guidelines for

what constitutes a dress watch are as

clear as they are prohibitive: hour,

minute and second hands only

(chronographs are for sports); a round

case (to soften boxy cuffs); leather

straps that chime with your leather

lace-ups (invariably black, then); and

as expensive as you can afford.

But rules are made to be broken.

Just as crewnecks are finding their

way under suit jackets, so the notion

of a formal watch has become more