What Are the Three Watches Every Man Should Own?

There is no official rule, but many watch guides suggest that three styles cover almost everything: a dress watch, a dive watch and a field watch. Together they let you dress up, go casual and cope with rougher days.

1. The dress watch

A dress watch is understated and thin enough to slide under a shirt cuff. Look for a clean dial, a leather strap and a case that suits your wrist size.

2. The dive watch

The dive watch is versatile enough to wear with a suit or on a weekend. Its defining feature is a uni-directional bezel, and a genuine diver should meet the ISO 6425 standard, with water resistance of at least 100 metres.

3. The field watch

The field watch began as a military design. It is rugged and light, with a high-contrast, easy-to-read dial and a strap that is simple to swap, often canvas or leather.

Other styles to add later

• Chronograph: a stopwatch-style watch with sub-dials for timing.
• GMT: tracks a second time zone, handy for travel.

Start with the style you will wear most, and add the others as your budget and wardrobe grow.

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