Watches For Suits - A Guide From Joseph Abboud
- by Off The Cuff
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- February 24, 2023
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- 6 min read
A bespoke suit is the highest level of men’s style—it’s a statement-making piece that should make you feel confident and help you look your best.
However, the suit is only the beginning. Accessorizing your suit is what really separates you from other men—it helps you show off your personality and that you care about the smaller details.
You’ve got options: Sunglasses, cufflinks, tie bars, and even your cologne of choice make a difference.
Today, it’s all about watches for suits.
Men’s watches are the pinnacle of suiting accessories—below, we’ll highlight some types of watches that work with suits, some of the rules for wearing a watch with a suit, and our favorite picks.
What Types of Watches Work With Suits?
The reality of men’s fashion is that there aren’t any rules set in stone. If you like a particular style of watch, wear it with a suit! No one will fault you for wearing a watch you like with a suit—wear what makes you happy and what makes you feel confident.
However, it doesn’t hurt to use guidelines on men’s fashion as a starting point—especially for those new to watches, suits, or leveling up their style game.
In general, there are two types of watches to consider for a suit—both are based on a band material:
- Leather
- Metal
Leather
Leather watches are a timeless classic that never goes out of style. They’re sleek, classy, and offer many different options depending on your suit and accompanying accessories.
For example, you can choose between different leather colors, patterns, and even types of leather, such as croco grain. You can also opt for vegan leather if you prefer a material that is less impactful on the environment.
Leather watches offer the most comfort—leather is a supple material and moves freely with your wrist as you go on with your day. It’s also known for being highly durable and offers top-notch versatility for any of your favorite bespoke suits.
Metal
While we’re partial to a classy and elegant leather watch paired with a suit, the right metal watch can also be a game changer for your suit game.
Metal watch bands also offer a similarly classic look—however, if you’re looking to make a bold statement and amplify your outfit, a gold metal watch can do the trick.
It’s important to note that while links can easily be changed, metal watch bands do tend to scratch easier than other materials. If you’re opting for a metal watch band, do your best to take care of it.
What Kind of Watches Should You Not Wear With a Suit?
While it’s true that you should wear what you like, you should also know what kind of watches you should generally avoid when you’re dressed to the nines in a suit.
For starters, you should avoid fabric straps. Sticking to leather and metal straps is the better option when you want to look stylish in a suit. It’s a small detail, but the small details matter.
The same applies to sports watches—they can work in some cases, but you’ll want to steer clear of them for the most part. Save a fun and unique sports watch for your more casual outfits.
Basic Rules For Wearing Watches With Suits
Now that we know the best types of watches for suits, how do you actually wear them with your well-fitted suit?
Good news: Instead of trying to figure everything out on your own, we’ve got you covered. Here are the five most important considerations for wearing a watch with your suit.
Match your leathers
The most important thing to remember with pairing your watches with a suit is to match all of your leathers.
For example, if you’re wearing brown shoes, you’ll want to wear a leather watch with a band in a similar shade of brown. The same goes for black shoes—match them with a classy black watch band.
It doesn’t need to be an exact match, though. Staying within the same color family is enough and shows that you pay attention to the intricate details of men’s fashion—something that will elevate your style game without too much effort.
Know the occasion
There’s nothing worse than being overdressed or underdressed for the occasion. However, you can avoid this by understanding the occasion—is it black tie? Semi-formal? Business casual?
The type of event or occasion tells you what kind of watch you should wear.
Here’s a basic rule of thumb: The more formal the event, the more subtle your watch should be.
For example, you’ll probably want to stick with a basic leather strap that matches your shoes and a subtle watch face at a black tie event. Stay away from anything that catches the eye—after all, your tux needs to be the star of the show!
For more leisurely or casual events where the tie might come off, you can experiment with bolder watches. This is where you can bring out your statement-making gold watch or even a sporty watch if that’s more your thing.
You can also match your metals, too—though to a lesser extent. The color of the metal on your watch can match a few different metals, including:
- Belt buckles
- Cufflinks
- Tie clips or tie bars
- Rings
- Necklaces
Knowing the occasion is crucial for every part of your wardrobe—including your watch.
Pay attention to the size
The size of your watch face is just as important as the other details—nothing looks more out of place than a watch that doesn’t fit your wrist size.
The same considerations apply to watches for suits. In general, you’ll want to steer clear of watches with larger cases—those are best reserved for occasions where you’ll have your sleeves rolled up.
Suits call for a more sleek and slim watch profile. Make sure your watch face is the right circumference for your wrist, choose a slimmer profile, and you’re good to go.
Keep your watches in good condition
You wouldn’t go out with tattered clothes or a ripped suit.
The same goes for your watches—people will notice if you’re wearing a timepiece that isn’t well-kept or full of damage.
Make sure you take care of your watches. They’re an investment, after all! A well-kept watch can do wonders for your outfits, so take the time to place them back into an appropriate case when they’re not in use.
You can also polish the leather or replace links on a metal watch, depending on your watch type.
Our Favorite Watches For Suits
We wouldn’t teach you how to properly wear a watch with a suit without giving you some of our favorite options!
Below, we’ve highlighted five of our best watches for suits—some are leather, and some are metal. We’ve got something for everyone.
Brown & Gold Multi-Function Croco Grain Strap Watch
We just can’t get enough of this elegant combination of brown leather and gold detailing. It’s a timeless classic.
This Brown & Gold Multi-Function Croco-Grain Strap Watch gives you everything you want in a go-to watch for a suit: Water resistance up to 100 feet, three subdials, and a stainless steel case back. The brown leather strap and gold case combination exudes class and style—perfect for pairing with your favorite bespoke suit.
This is the kind of watch you’ll never want to leave the house without.
Grab this one from Joseph Abboud for just $125.
Navy & Silver Transparent Dial Strap Watch
Unique designs work wonders for your suit. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered.
The Navy & Silver Transparent Dial Strap Watch from Joseph Abboud has all the functional quirks you’ll need in a men’s leather watch. It features water resistance up to 100 feet, an analog dial with hour markers, and a smooth strap.
The main attraction is the see-through case that provides a truly unique design and adds to your suit game.
Grab this stylish watch from Joseph Abboud for $85.
Smooth Strap Watch
It’s a tried and true classic that holds a special place in our hearts.
The Smooth Strap Watch in black and gold is one of our favorite men’s leather watches. This fine watch shines with classic styling elements, a smooth strap watchband, and a classy metal case. The beautiful blue sunray dial with silver-tone hands and markers adds to this classic design and elevates your style game.
Get this incredible leather watch for just $85 from Joseph Abboud.
The Park Place Collection Automatic Bracelet Watch
We wouldn’t leave you without some incredible metal case options for suits!
The Park Place Collection from Joseph Abboud is all about high-end, quality watches for men—without the insane price tag. This Automatic Bracelet Watch in gold-tone is the perfect piece for making a statement, with a unique see-through design that showcases the intricate mechanism of the watch.
Get this gorgeous timepiece from Joseph Abboud for $250.
Multi-Function Dial Bracelet Watch
We know that some people want a unique design that helps them stand out—even in a bespoke suit.
This Multi-Function Dial Bracelet Watch is a smoothly-styled timepiece featuring two sundials, an analog face, a polished bracelet, and a durable stainless steel case back. Our favorite part? The blue sunray dial with silver-tone hands and markers—the beautiful combination of blue and silver gives the watch a classy look.
Get this one for just $135.
Find the Best Watches For Suits From Joseph Abboud
Looking for more great watches for suits?
Joseph Abboud’s collection includes all different types of watches that can help elevate your suit game—leather, metal, and more.
Shop our collection today for more great watch picks!
