With little black smartwatches on the rise, analogue watches are no longer just a status symbol. With the wide variety of designs and materials, they are now – more than ever before – a signifier of your style and individuality. If you chose to wear a wristwatch, here’s what your pick says about you.
Why you should wear a watch
Some argue that wristwatches are on their way out. We have smartwatches and -phones that tell us the time and more. Watches have become superfluous, in theory. But watches are still around, some even have major comebacks. Why?
Watches are and always have been more than just a timepiece. They are a status symbol and an accessory. Especially for men, who historically didn’t have too many options to accessorize. Among them, a watch has become a signifier of their taste and character.
Which watch to wear?
An active person might wear a sports watch, someone with a taste for the luxurious might go for a high-priced watch made from precious metals and gems. Wearer of smartwatches are typically tech-friendly, health-oriented people with a fast-paced lifestyle.
If you’d rather go for something less technological, you have many models to choose from. Here are some of the most well-known watch brands and what they say about their owners.
Rolex
It might be a cliché, but it works: The first thing you think about when you hear the brand name Rolex is probably wealth. Rolex’s wearers are well-off and successful. They are driven and like to work hard to be able to enjoy the finer things in life.
All the while, Rolex is a well-established company and there’s no way to mess up when choosing a Rolex watch. It suits almost everything equally well, from casual wear to business suits. They are recognizable. And since everybody knows the brand, people will instantly know you are wearing a high-quality watch. The Rolex Submariner is one of the most popular and recognizable Rolex Watches in the UK. If you like a bit more glam, the Rolex Datejust might be the one for you.
Patek Phillipe
Patek Phillipe watches go in the same direction. They are watches for the super-wealthy and successful, just one step up. You will see them on the wrists of the upper echelon. The wrist watches are high-quality, have classic designs, and hefty prices. If you can buy a Patek Phillipe, you made it.
They are a bit more exclusive than Rolex watches, both in their price range and familiarity. Not everybody might recognize the name immediately. But if you are around connoisseurs or wealthy people, they will know just how luxurious the watch around your wrist is.
Cartier
When we hear Cartier, most of us think of luxury, diamond-studded jewellery. The watches are a bit more playful. If you buy a Cartier watch, chances are you live life a bit more extravagant.
Cartier prides themselves on the finesse of their watches: smooth housings or designs like the Tank Asymétrique with its tilted, diamond-shaped watch face. In the higher price ranges, you can find the Panthère or the Féline, watches shaped like Cartier’s animal logo, the panther.
Panerai
Panerai watches are high-quality Italian watches with Swiss-made interiors. Many of their watches are submersible. Their first watch, the Radiomir, was invented in 1936, to provide marine divers with a glowing wristwatch. Panerai watches are for lovers of luxury watches who are a bit more down to earth. Their designs are simple, mechanical, and almost retro, which makes them a cult item.
The watch makes the person
With watches becoming a bit more redundant, they have ironically grown in popularity. People are less focused on their function and more interested in their form and how it will make them look. They are a fashion accessory that can be a statement of your character, the things you are interested in, and how you interact with the world. If you go shopping for a new watch, you should keep these things in mind.
Tip: It does not have to be costly. There are many vendors out there, that sell used, high-quality watches for more affordable prices.