# Recommend a men's watch? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901 "2010-10-21T17:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/41 "2010-10-24T12:38:27Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > Just out of curiosity, what is it in the $200 Tissot watch that makes it more elegant than the Swatch link in my previous post? It may be more a matter of personal taste, but the Swatch watches look sort of cheap and plasticy. Maybe I associate Swatch with those cheap casual decorative watches kids used to wear in the 80s in middle school. Regardless of the brand, if you are going for sophisticated and elegant, you want a watch that the right size for your wrist. Too small looks feminine and too big looks clunky and gaudy. It should just “look” like a finely machined piece of metal (possibly with a leather band), not a plasticy toy. Generally simplicity is preferrable to excessive decoration on the face or band. And the face itself should be relatively simple. And it just shouldn’t feel light or cheap when you pick it up. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/42 "2010-10-24T13:24:48Z")
I’ll second Fossil as a maker of inexpensive, good-looking watches. I tend to like simplicity, so I like ones like this one for $65: [Fossil USA - Watches, Handbags, Jewelry & Accessories](http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/men/watches/sport_watches/three_hand_blue_dial_watch-am3996p.html?departmentCategoryId=30001&N=0&Va=205&Ns=p_msc0%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&rec=69&pn=c&imagePath=AM3996) or something like this as a "dressy"watch for $95: [Fossil USA - Watches, Handbags, Jewelry & Accessories](http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/men/watches/dress_watches/three_hand_gunmetal_dial_watch-fs4481p.html?departmentCategoryId=30001&N=0&Va=46&Ns=p_msc0%7C0%7C%7Cp_weight%7C0&rec=33&pn=c&imagePath=FS4481) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/43 "2010-10-24T14:15:22Z")
Look at JC Penny, they are always having watches on sale. Just last week all of them 25% off and they had nice ones too. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/44 "2010-10-24T21:10:35Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Inspired by this thread: [Not wearing a watch because it is supposedly replaced by phone/other device - I do not get it. - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=582565) > > Could anyone recommend a decent-looking men’s watch? Something that could be worn with a suit, ideally. Under $50 would be neat, if doable. What sort of suit? 2 piece or 3 piece? And what sort of watch? Pocket, wrist or breast? A 3 piece suit is an ideal excuse for a pocket-watch. I use a pocket-watch anyway, as I reacted badly to plastic and leather wrist-straps and metal straps made mincemeat of my shirt cuffs. It’s just a no-name cheap watch. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/45 "2010-10-24T21:32:23Z")
I’m female, but I bought a gold men’s Citizen watch with a black face in 1988 because I wanted one that would set off my new engagement ring better than the cheap black rubber sport watches I had been wearing. 😃 I wanted a men’s watch for the larger face. I think I paid about $80. It has a gold adjustable band. I still wear that watch and it still runs and looks great. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/46 "2010-10-24T22:05:25Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Go to the Mall and hit either Macy’s or one of the little kiosks in the middle of the mall that sells sunglasses and watches. Stay away from Dakota Watch Company. Their watches look fine, but they’re built quite cheaply. A casual beater watch from Dakota, that you might wear for working outdoors or on a camping trip, is fine, but I wouldn’t wear one with a suit. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/47 "2010-10-25T00:02:17Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > You can find an Omega or a Cartier on the streets of Bangkok for under $50. Don’t you mean an Omage or a Catrier? They would go well with my genuine Rolax. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/48 "2010-10-25T04:43:27Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Don’t you mean an Omage or a Catrier? They would go well with my genuine Rolax. 😉 And in Tijuana you can get a genuine Mexrex for $50. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/49 "2010-10-25T13:32:51Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > What sort of suit? 2 piece or 3 piece? And what sort of watch? Pocket, wrist or breast? > > A 3 piece suit is an ideal excuse for a pocket-watch. I use a pocket-watch anyway, as I reacted badly to plastic and leather wrist-straps and metal straps made mincemeat of my shirt cuffs. It’s just a no-name cheap watch. I’m more interested in wristwatches, I think - if I want to grab a watch from my pocket, I’ve got a phone. 🙂 What in the world is a breast watch? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/50 "2010-10-25T13:38:33Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Someday I will own an Omega watch, and on that day I will stop buying new watches. But right now I can’t afford to pay over $1000 (and probably closer to $2000) for a watch. > > I do have one of [these](http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SKX781-Orange-Monster-Automatic/dp/B000EPLR2G) and love it, though my wife gets mad at me when I go out in public with her while wearing it. Hah! I think I just found my next watch - rather far from my initial price range, but what the hell. It’s understated, elegant, and rated to over 600 feet - plus, the orange face will make it easier to pick out of my sock drawer! And I’m pretty sure it’ll go equally well with a pinstripe or charcoal suit. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/51 "2010-10-25T13:40:01Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Oh, do you have a preference for a face shape? Round vs. rectangular? Round, I think, and relatively simple - I don’t need date or calendar displays on the watchface. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/52 "2010-10-25T15:22:46Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > If you want a classy looking watch, check out a [Skagen](http://www.amazon.com/Skagen-Mens-233XLTTM-Titanium-Watch/dp/B0007X9F7E/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=watches&qid=1287722129&sr=1-8) > Very thin, a super cool metal mesh band and well under $100. I’m wearing a Skagen now. I got it as a “reward” from my bank. Slim, simple yet a little stylish I think. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/53 "2010-10-25T16:43:19Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Don’t you mean an Omage or a Catrier? They would go well with my genuine Rolax. 😉 No, they actually say Omega and Cartier. I’m sure the salesman is legit. Why would he lie to me? 😕 BYW: Is there any truth to the old saw that real Omegas and Cartiers have sweep second hands, while the street knock-offs tick the seconds? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/54 "2010-10-25T16:51:22Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > No, they actually say Omega and Cartier. I’m sure the salesman is legit. Why would he lie to me? 😕 > > BYW: Is there any truth to the old saw that real Omegas and Cartiers have sweep second hands, while the street knock-offs tick the seconds? Most high end watches - Omega, Rolex, TAG, etc, have a continuous sweep second hand. Really it still ticks at about 8 bps, but to the casual observer, it appears continuous. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/55 "2010-10-25T17:44:04Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > BYW: Is there any truth to the old saw that real Omegas and Cartiers have sweep second hands, while the street knock-offs tick the seconds? Yes and no. The “sweep” second hand is not a proxy for authenticity - it is simply a function of being automatic. All automatic watches sweep, regardless of brand (though as msmith pointed out, it’s actually a lot of very small ticks). If a watch ticks the seconds, it is a quartz. And Omega does have quartz models. It CAN tip you off to a fake if the model is supposed to be automatic. If you see an Omega 3570.50 Speedmaster with a ticking second hand, it is most assuredly fake. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/56 "2010-10-25T18:08:59Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > I’m more interested in wristwatches, I think - if I want to grab a watch from my pocket, I’ve got a phone. 🙂 > > What in the world is a breast watch? As worn by many nurses. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/57 "2010-10-25T19:26:00Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > Yes and no. The “sweep” second hand is not a proxy for authenticity - it is simply a function of being automatic. All automatic watches sweep, regardless of brand (though as msmith pointed out, it’s actually a lot of very small ticks). If a watch ticks the seconds, it is a quartz. And Omega does have quartz models. > > It CAN tip you off to a fake if the model is supposed to be automatic. If you see an Omega 3570.50 Speedmaster with a ticking second hand, it is most assuredly fake. I have a $50 Tijuana Rolex\* with a continuous sweep. It’s automatic, too. So that’s _not_ a sign that what you’re purchasing is legitimate. \*(Novelty piece; I don’t wear it, and not even for novelty because the band’s way too tight for my wrists.) ---
**Author:** ![J.D.G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@J.D.G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J.D.G)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/58 "2010-10-25T22:19:23Z")
[This](http://www.stuhrling.com)? I don’t think it’s the cheapest sruff around. But Gods some of them do look good! ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/59 "2010-10-26T03:07:45Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > No, they actually say Omega and Cartier. I’m sure the salesman is legit. Why would he lie to me? 😕 > > BYW: Is there any truth to the old saw that real Omegas and Cartiers have sweep second hands, while the street knock-offs tick the seconds? The second hand on my Thailand Rolex moves identically to the second hand on my real Rolex (at least I think it’s real :)) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901/60 "2010-10-26T19:32:19Z")
I wore [this watch](http://www.priceinsanity.com/catalog/34054.gif) on my wedding day, while wearing a tuxedo. Wore it for a year prior, and continue to wear it to this day, 10 months later. If I was judged because of it, or if someone was appalled by it, everyone was classy enough to keep their collective mouth shut about it. 98% of the time, it was covered by a sleeve, so what does it matter? It tells time, doesn’t advertise my social status )or lack thereof). $35 at Walmart. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-mens-watch/557901.md?page=4)