Dress watches are a timeless and classic staple in any watch collection. The simplicity of the dials combined with the elegance of the leather straps provides a chic and stylish option for wearing with suits and other smart attire. The dress watch was born out of the first world war as the need for robust and functional watches dwindled. As people were able to experiment with personal style more, the designs of watches became more about their aesthetic purpose rather than their usefulness. Dress watches are still an incredibly popular option amongst modern watch collectors as they add an extra flourish to any formal outfit. If you are searching for the perfect dress watch, keep reading for our list of the best dress watches for men 2021. We have selected some traditional dress watches as well as some more fashionable choices to appeal to both those with a classic style and a more contemporary and untraditional style.
Why Choose a Dress Watch?
For decades, dress watches have been the go-to choice for smart men’s accessorising. They are the horological equivalent of a well cut suit. Dress watches tend to be worn for formal occasions, such as weddings, dinner parties and office wear. The dress watch is a pleasant step away from the day-to-day chronograph or smartwatch, making the wearer feel as though they are suitably dressed for an occasion. A good quality dress watch will become a staple item in any watch collection and is sure to get plenty of wear throughout the years. The simple designs of these timepieces ensures that they will match a variety of outfits, so can be worn to any occasion with a smart dress code.
Best Dress Watches for Men 2021 Recommendations
Junghans Meister Fein Automatic Leather Strap 27/4154.00
This model differs slightly from the traditional dress watch design as it has a dark dial rather than a light one. The watch comes from the Junghans Meister collection which encapsulates the brand’s core values in the form of simplistic and modern timepieces. The watch is powered by an automatic movement of the calibre J800.1 which provides it with a power reserve of up to 38 hours. This model features a galvanic black dial with silver details and a date aperture at 3 o’clock. The date aperture blends seamlessly into the dial so as not to detract from the simple dress watch design. A stainless steel case frames the dial. It measures 39.5mm in diameter and 10.3mm in height. The case features an exhibition case back to allow the wearer to enjoy the movement within. This watch is finished with a brown leather strap.
Seiko Green Dial Brown Leather Strap Watch SUR449P1
Green is a very on-trend colour in watch design at the moment, so it felt only right to include a green dial watch in our list of best dress watches for men 2021. This Seiko watch features a green dial with a weekday and date aperture at 3 o’clock. The hands are gold to complement the gold baton indices. The indices and hands have luminescent detailing to ensure that the dial can be read easily in the dark. A quartz movement is housed in the stainless steel case. The case measures 40.2mm in diameter. This model is secured on the wrist with a simple and classic brown leather strap. It is detailed with white top stitching and fastens with a pin buckle.
Raymond Weil Men’s Freelance | Black Leather Strap | Skeleton Dial | Automatic 2785-TI1-60001
This model from Raymond Weil exposes the movement entirely through the skeleton dial. This allows the wearer to observe the movement that powers their watch and will make an excellent conversation piece. The dial features a dark grey outer edge that exhibits grey baton hour indices with a minute and second track so that the time can be read with extreme precision. Scratch-resistant sapphire glass protects the dial and a stainless steel case surrounds it. The case measures 42mm in diameter and houses an automatic movement. The watch is finished with a classic black leather strap. This model is water resistant up to 100 metres (10 bar), meaning that it can be worn for some water-based activities.
Tissot T-Classic Powermatic 80 Silicium T1274071605100
The black and silver colour scheme of this watch will create a striking look upon the wrist whilst retaining all of the elegance and simplicity of a traditional dress watch. The black dial exhibits silver indices and hands with a date aperture at 3 o’clock. The dial is protected by domed scratch-resistant sapphire glass. A stainless steel case frames the dial, measuring 40mm in diameter to ensure that the dial is large enough to be read at a glance. The watch is secured on the wrist using a black leather strap that is detailed with white topstitching. It is fastened using a butterfly clasp with push buttons. The watch is powered by an automatic movement with a power reserve of up to 80 hours. Being part of the Tissot T-Classic collection, this watch has an elegant, vintage appearance that will make it a staple in any watch collection.
Mondaine Evo2 Gold 30mm | Brown Leather Strap | Silver Dial | IP Gold Case MSE.40112.LG
A white dial makes this watch a classic looking dress watch. The dial exhibits gold baton indices with gold hour and minute hands and a red second hand. The gold shade perfectly matches the gold ion plating of the stainless steel case. This case measures 40mm in diameter and holds the domed sapphire crystal which protects the dial. The watch is powered by a precise quartz movement to ensure that the watch is reliable and functional as well as pleasant to look at. This model is finished with a classic brown leather strap.
Acctim Men’s Oro Radio Controlled Black Leather Strap Watch 60053
For those that require absolute precision from their timepieces, this watch is an excellent choice. It is powered by a radio-controlled movement, so will never fall out of time so long as it has signal. The watch features a black dial with silver Arabic indices for clear and easy time reading. The silver hour, minute and second hands are detailed with luminous elements to ensure that the dial can be read in the dark. A stainless steel case measuring 39mm in diameter frames the dial. The watch is secured with a black leather strap. The strap features white topstitching and fastens with a pin buckle. This model is splash resistant meaning that it will be able to withstand the small amounts of water that it will encounter with daily wear but should not be submerged entirely.
Ted Baker Manhatt | Blue Dial | Brown Leather Strap BKPMHS114
This watch features an eye-catchingly detailed blue dial making it an elegant, although slightly different, dress watch option. The dial exhibits silver indices and hour and minute hands that contrast the dark dial in a pleasant fashion. The red second hand makes it easy to keep track of short time periods. This dial is framed by a black PVD plated stainless steel case, bringing a contemporary look to a classic watch style. The watch is finished with a brown leather strap that fastens with a pin buckle. This model is powered by a quartz movement and is water resistant up to 50 metres (5 bar).
Baume & Mercier Classima Quartz Green Dial Watch M0A10607
Baume and Mercier has also noticed the trend for green watch dials and incorporated the current fashion into the design of the Classima watch. The green dial is a great trend for those who like to add a pop of colour to their daily accessories and this watch is an excellent way to introduce a current fashion to a classic watch style. A date aperture is positioned at 3 o’clock on the dial. the dial features silver Roman numeral indices and is protected by sapphire glass. The stainless steel case measures 42mm in diameter and 6.1mm in thickness and houses a quartz movement. This watch is water resistant up to 5 bar and secured on the wrist using a brown leather strap.
Bering Classic Unisex Black Leather Strap Watch 15739-404
This Bering watch is an example of a very traditional dress watch. The white dial is very clean and simple with only small black baton indices and black hour and minute hands. Sapphire glass protects the dial whilst a polished stainless steel case frames it. The case measures 39mm in diameter and 5mm in height. The watch is splash resistant and powered by a quartz movement. This model is finished with a black calfskin strap. The black and white colour scheme of this model give it a feel of retro style and the simplicity of it makes it perfect to pair with any outfit for any occasion.
Maserati Men’s Stile Automatic | Blue Leather Strap | Silver Skeleton Dial R8821142001
This Maserati watch is a modern interpretation of the dress watch due to its mixed metal finish and skeleton dial. The wearer is able to view the automatic movement through the skeleton dial, allowing them to appreciate the movement that powers their watch. The dial exhibits blue baton indices and blue hour, minute and second hands. A rose gold-coloured bezel surrounds the dial and a stainless steel case frames it. This mixed metal finish is very on-trend for 2021 and gives the watch a modern touch. The watch is finished with a blue leather strap which beautifully complements the metal shades of the case.
Michel Herbelin Men’s Classique | Brown Leather Strap | Black Dial 12248/14MA
The dark colour scheme of this Michel Herbelin watch makes it very suitable for formal occasions. It will not detract from other elements of an outfit but makes a subtle statement of true elegance and style. The black dial exhibits silver baton indices with silver hour, minute and second hands. A date aperture is placed at 6 o’clock for optimal timekeeping. The dial is framed by a stainless steel case which measures 38mm in diameter and houses the quartz movement that powers the watch. The watch is splash resistant and should not be submerged in water, although it will be able to cope with very small splashes. The watch is secured on the wrist using a quality brown leather strap that fastens with a pin buckle. Michel Herbelin prides itself on only using the very best quality materials, so the wearer can be assured that this watch will last for decades to come.
Tissot Men’s Heritage Visodate Automatic | Brown Leather Strap T0194303603101
The vintage style of this Tissot watch makes it timeless, allowing it to become a true staple in any watch collection. The watch was launched as part of the brand’s Visodate collection which has the spirit of original Tissot models but with the addition of a modern aesthetic. The white dial features gold baton indices with matching gold hour, minute and second hands. A weekday and date aperture are placed at 3 o’clock and framed in gold so it blends into the dial rather than detract from the simplicity of it. The sapphire crystal that protects the dial is slightly curved to add to the vintage style of the timepiece. This model is powered by an automatic movement that provides it with a power reserve of up to 38 hours. The watch is finished with a brown leather strap that fastens using a butterfly clasp.
Junghans Max Bill Automatic Sapphire Glass | 38mm Black & White 027/4007.02
This Junghans model has a pale and neutral colour scheme to ensure that it can be easily paired with a variety of outfits and other accessories. The white dial exhibits simple Arabic numerals with black hour, minute and second hands for easy and precise time reading. A date aperture is placed at 3 o’clock to provide the watch with an additional utility. The grey PVD plated stainless steel case houses the calibre J800.1 automatic movement that powers the watch. The case measures 38mm in diameter, giving a comfortable fit on the wrist whilst ensuring that the dial is large enough to read at a glance. To further aid with this, the luminous hands allow the dial to be read in low light conditions. This watch is finished with a pale grey soft calfskin leather strap that fastens with a pin buckle.
Victorinox Swiss Army | FieldForce GMT | Men’s | Brown Leather Strap | Silver Dial 241931
This watch is the perfect model for the practical man who does not want to sacrifice function for style when choosing a dress watch. Victorinox is renowned for its robust, outdoors watches, and these characteristics have translated perfectly into this smart and stylish dress watch. The silver dial features a date aperture and GMT function to prove that elegance does not have to come at the cost of utility. The dial is protected by scratch-resistant and triple-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal to make the watch robust and durable. The bold numerals ensure that the dial is easy to read. A stainless steel case houses the Swiss quartz movement that powers this watch and measures 42mm in diameter. This model is secured on the wrist using a brown leather bracelet that is detailed with cream contrast stitching.
Tissot Heritage Memphis | Limited Edition | White Dial T1344102701100
For those who wish to add a dress watch to their collection but like to express their individuality through their timepieces, this limited edition Tissot model would make the perfect companion. The Tissot Memphis models feature designs that are reminiscent of pop culture patterns. This model features a white dial with black dot and baton indices and hands of different widths to give an abstract effect. A gold-plated bezel surrounds the dial, giving it an elegant look. The dial is protected by sapphire glass and framed by a stainless steel case. The case measures 41mm in diameter. This watch is powered by a quartz movement and is water resistant up to 50 metres (5 bar). This timepiece is finished with a very classic and timeless black leather strap that fastens with a buckle.
What are your thoughts on our list of the best dress watches for men 2021? Will you be adding any of them to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
