Best dress watches for the party season

published 8 December 2017

Should a man wear a watch with diamonds? It's a question that's been challenging those with the time to think about such matters for decades. In these more gender-fluid days, perhaps we're leaning towards "yes" – and all the more so when Christmas gives cause for a bit of extra sparkle. But, please, not all over the dial. Enter Omega's DeVille Tresor. From afar classicism incarnate: a 40mm white gold slim case, opaline-silver dial and black leather strap. Up close with indices built from a row of tiny diamonds. It's bling via Bauhaus.

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It may be best known for its sports watches, but Rolex can still step away from the deep-sea diving, mountaineering and generally macho activities to offer something altogether more pedestrian – in a good way. Its Cellini Moonphase is an example. It comes with a 39mm case, self-winding movement and a moonphase display for a style that's altogether dressier. Of course, it's also made in 18ct Everose gold, Rolex's own, super-technical patented alloy, designed to ensure the gold doesn't lose its colour over the years. Well, you can take a watchmaker out of the adventure, but you can't take the adventuring out of the watchmaker…

Those of a sartorial bent say a dinner suit should not be in black, but in almost black midnight blue: this better reflects, rather than entirely absorbs the light. So what better than to have a watch with a midnight blue sunray-patterned dial to match? Zenith's Elite Classic comes with a stainless steel case that, at 39mm, is positively compact by recent trends, as well as being just 9.45mm deep – easily fitting under that stiff double-cuff. Unlike your colour-correct suit however, the watch comes with sapphire crystal glass treated to be utterly anti-reflective.

Ah, the style of yesteryear. If menswear continues to look to the past for inspiration – well, the clothes were just better back then – why not a watchmaker? Longines's 40mm, automatic Heritage 1945 – the latest in its straight-from-the-archive designs – looks to, yes, 1945 to produce a model in distinctive beige and copper tones. It has that appealing patina, and the nubuck strap is aged – all without having to wait 72 years for it. It is, in other words, a perfect match for your dinner attire, which itself has probably not changed much in 72 years either.

Let's be honest. The problem with formal functions, however festive they may be, is that they do go on a bit. It takes a swift and stealthy exit to extricate yourself from all that bonhomie, bah humbug. But, if that's not possible, take consolation in Lange & Sohne's striking grey-dialled Lange 31, the first and, so far, only mechanical wristwatch to offer a power reserve of 31 days. That means your event could last a seemingly interminable month without you having to wind it. It's all down to its constant force escapement, twin mainspring barrel and two 185cm springs offering an awesome amount of consistently delivered torque. Here's hoping you're not so tightly wound by the end of the evening.

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