How To Wear It: What Makes A Watch Stylish?

May 20, 2021

As HODINKEE readers know by now, I love watches and wear them C but Im picky. To make the cut, a watch has to meet four criteria:1. It has to keep time reliably C thats a low bar.2. It has to be hardy. I dont like stuff thats overly precious.3. It cant be too extravagant C that can get re-rationalized quickly. Helmut Sinn had it right when he said he wanted to make watches as perfectly as possible, but only as expensive as necessary.4. And most importantly, it has to have style. I have to like it. This one carries a lot more weight than the first three. If it moves my heart, Im interested. Thats what got me into design in the first place. Okay, but what is style? I look at?watches almost exactly the same way I look at menswear. Generally speaking, I make simple, conservative clothes that have enough cool to get me going in the morning. Similarly, all the watches I own have a very clean dial. I like a sparer face. My mind is filled with a lot of detritus already; my watch cant be too tricky. Im really big on symmetry. So much so that my jacket lapel, shirt collar, and tie widths are all exactly the same.?Proportion?is a huge part of my design philosophy. Almost everything we make is cut to be slim but not skinny C close enough to the body, but with enough ease to it that you can move around. That sense of balance is equally important to me when it comes to watches. For instance, anything above 40mm is too big for me. I dont have big wrists. On me, a Breitling feels like wearing a wall clock. On a bigger guy, its fantastic C it complements his size. It looks right and gives a sense of harmony and balance. Photo by Crown & Caliber Versatility?is also important. The reason I wanted to have a store and a clothing line was sort of to fulfill my own needs. I wanted clothes that I could wear to work in Manhattan to go home to visit my parents in Mississippi and then on a flight to Milan without ever feeling out of place. I didnt have stuff like that in my closet at the time. Our first business cards had?vestitum et sanae mentis?on them C clothed and in his right mind (shout out to the Gospel of Mark for that one.) The idea was to clothe guys, but also make them comfortable and confident in what they were wearing, without them having to think about it too much. The idea is to free up your mind to focus on the stuff thats more important than your outfit. Im a clothes guy, and I?like?thinking about my outfit, but a lot of customers arent and dont. Similarly, Im not a watch guy especially not compared to yall in the comments section so my watch needs to be something I dont second-guess. For me, that watch is a Rolex Explorer 1016. But before that it was a 1960s Zenith caliber 126 C Ive had that one for 25 years. What is that watch for you? No doubt your life looks different from mine C Im wearing a tie six days a?week, and the seventh Im in swim trunks C and the answer kinda depends on what youre doing every day. For you, it?could be a Casio digital or a vintage Junghans Max Bill?with a beat-up alligator strap. Its probably not a Hamilton Ventura unless youre Elvis Presley. In general, Id say a stylish watch is one that fits seamlessly into your everyday look without having to spend too much energy on it unless, of course, that kind of energy is fun for you. The Rolex Milgauss Z- Blue Edition I myself get energized when watches are?secretly special. The Rolex Milgauss is a perfect example. The scientists watch. I dont own one, but when I found out that it was designed to be antimagnetic (for guys in power plants, hospitals, research labs) I thought that was the coolest thing. I guess if you break down the name its not so secret, but its still a terrific backstory. By the same token, theres this sweater that we make with merino wool and yak hair C totally under the radar and wild at the same time. No ones gonna know, but thanks, its yak hair! is just as cool a response as thanks, its antimagnetic!That orange seconds hand on the Milgauss gets me, too C Ive always had a thing for Day-Glo. Whether its garment-dyed jeans or sneakers or oxford cloth shirts, the Sid Mashburn line has always over-indexed on neon. Sid Mashburn in his yak hair sweater. Photo courtesy of Mashburn. In the end, I like simple, versatile pieces with a good sense of proportion to them and maybe a cool backstory. Not rocket science here, but it doesnt have to be. Is it interesting to you? Does it move your heart? There are so many fantastic watches out there, and ultimately the hallmark of style is just making it a part of your life and owning it. Sid Mashburn is a designer and the namesake proprietor of five menswear shops, located in Atlanta, Washington D.C., Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and?online.