Our selection of dress watches (1/3)

After offering a selection of diving watches for summer 2018, it was only natural not to neglect dress watches any longer.

But then, what is a dress watch? It would be very simple to answer: "a sober and classic style watch of less than 40 mm, with three hands and worn on a black leather strap".

Nothing could be more consensual and boring as a definition. Ever since actor Sean Connery started wearing a famous diver with a tuxedo – which was at the time totally against the grain of elegant conventions – men have gradually started wearing watches that were not at all intended for formal occasions.

Today, the cards have been profoundly reshuffled. On the wrists of white-collar workers, there are divers who (alas) see more of the office than the sun, chronographs from car racing or space conquest that do not participate in any rally or conquest of the stars… and watches inspired by the military but which have only known the war of pens and PowerPoint presentations.

Another category of watches has emerged, the so-called "sport chic" watches, with a distant sporting reference but deeply watered down by the need to have something less technical in appearance. to be able to adapt to a greater variety of contexts.

I'm more of an old school person, I use my plungers for diving and not especially in an office cluttered with files.

Everyone remembers the Rolex Submariner from James Bond 007 vs. Dr. No: a military-inspired diver and bracelet with a tuxedo worn in the tropics (and a pretty flower in the buttonhole). For the record, this watch did not belong to Sean Connery but apparently to producer Albert R. Broccoli.

In James Bond 007 vs. Dr. No, the Rolex Submariner (reference 6538) appears mounted on what is now called a Nato. We also notice that the bracelet is undersized compared to the lug width.

Hardly anyone remembers that in the same film he wore a classic three-hand gold watch from the now-defunct Gruen brand (reference 510) mounted on a black leather strap... and yet it is the one he is wearing on his wrist when he says "Bond, James Bond" on screen for the first time.

In my opinion, and this is a personal view, a dress watch is an elegant watch. What characterizes elegance is harmony. It is a bit like the golden rule in architecture: some architects have tried to transgress it to satisfy the wishes of a client or simply for the need to draw attention to a project.

But, in the end, what matters? Whether the building creates a buzz in the media or whether it is beautiful? Similarly, for a dress watch, what is really important?

Doisneau wrote that "beauty escapes passing fashions" and, indeed, dress watches are characterized by a design that escapes time somewhat. Because they are classic? Because they are beautiful above all and wearing them with a formal outfit magnifies them at the same time as the outfit itself is elevated. This, for me, is the true criterion of a dress watch.

As usual for the selections made for BonneGueule, I don't just use vague photos from press kits, the only concession is the first photo of each model in order to provide a reference criterion and to show, again and again, the difference between an official photo that we find too often in the press and real photos of it being worn.

All of them were tested for a period of one week with the provision of loan models. And, obviously, there was no agreement forcing BonneGueule to reproduce what I call official blah blah from a marketing department. The assessments and opinions are completely free.

In the same way, the selection here brings together three watches presented in ascending order of price. Why bring them together in the same selection? Because I refuse, as much as possible, any desire to excessively "categorize" watches. Excessive categorization, especially in terms of price, leads to compartmentalization and more precisely to the compartmentalization of readers, you in this case.

I believe that you have the right to have access to a wide variety of watches and I want to open up the field of possibilities for you. The student will not forever be a student constrained by a student budget and he has the right to have access to a selection that is not only focused on entry-level watches.

The senior executive who lives comfortably also has the right to have access to a variety of watches, including entry-level ones. My real goal is to show you that there are watches for every budget and that we all have the right to have watch grails.

And now, you can arm yourself with your best suit and your most dapper pocket square, here is the first part (there will be three for a total of nine watches presented) of my selection of dress watches for 2019.

Orient Star

Many people know Orient as an entry point for mechanical watches. The prices are indeed very low - generally around 100 euros - as are the finishes, and this is particularly noticeable when looking at the movement through the visible back: it is extremely basic but functional.

On the new watch market, you shouldn't expect to have a very elaborate or beautifully decorated movement for this price. The biggest criticism I have of the Orient is the dial: the brand logo is very, even too, present and I personally find it rather unsightly. This is why I would like to recommend a model from Orient Star, the "top of the range" of Orient.

I put quotes because this is a relative high-end: the prices are once again very contained compared to the standards of the sector. Like Orient, Orient Star is part of the entry-level in mechanical watches.

Freed from its steel bracelet (uninteresting as possible), the Orient Star finally reveals itself and, for this reasonable price, the effect is very nice.

The watch is very balanced , its diameter of 38.5 mm is in line with the current trend for more contained watches, its thickness is reasonable and overall I find it pretty to wear with this discreet stylized S which is the Orient Star logo and which is also found on the crown.

The hands are not blued steel, which is practically impossible at this price, but painted in a nice shade of blue that contrasts nicely with the white dial. The indexes are steel and there is no luminescent application that would allow you to read the time at night - which is not necessarily shocking for a dress watch.

The presence of the power reserve on a watch is very optional and especially for watches with usual automatic winding. It is useful on a manual winding watch and also on watches that have large power reserves, such as some models available from other brands that approach 100 hours of power reserve. .

If you are used to changing watches very regularly, like me, the power reserve allows you to tell you how much time you have left before having to wind your watch. On small power reserves like 40 hours, the utility is more aesthetic than really practical.

In the case of the Orient Star, this power reserve allows the dial to be "filled" to avoid an impression of emptiness and certainly also to give it an extra personality. Aesthetically, I find that this watch would perhaps be less interesting if the power reserve were absent.

The power reserve, visible at the top of the dial, indicates that the watch, if left flat on a table for example, would run for another 30 hours without being worn. I had not wound it fully during the shooting by choice so that it would be clearly visible and stand out in the photo

The watch has a movement made in Japan by Orient. We can pompously say that it is a manufacture movement but it is necessary to put things into perspective: there are manufacture movements and manufacture movements. That of the Orient Star remains very basic compared to what other manufacturers offer in much higher ranges.

The Orient Star movements still benefit from a very light decoration, in contrast with the totally stripped movements of its sister brand Orient which do not have any decoration. The visible back remains in my opinion quite dispensable, a solid back would certainly have been a better choice.

In terms of criticism, the steel bracelet that comes with the watch is of the same standard as the vast majority of Seiko steel bracelets. : that is to say rather mediocre.

It's not bad quality but this kind of steel bracelet clashes with this watch and the combination seems to me not very pleasant to wear. I therefore advise you to opt for a leather strap. In my case, I found another option through this technical bracelet - I wanted to test one - and I find the combination rather successful thanks to the pattern of the bracelet and the color reminder.

Without natural light, we can perhaps see more of the color of the hands, blue, which is nice. But, be careful, this is not blued steel, neither industrially nor with a flame, these hands are simply painted.

This watch remains an excellent introduction to mechanical watches and there are other variations offering a black dial or gold indexes for example. I would recommend wearing the Orient Star both in formal occasions such as at work or on weekends with a casual look.

Where to find it?

Very little distributed in France, it is possible to acquire it online from companies specializing in the export of watches such as Creation Watches .

I noticed that the model presented is out of stock (temporarily), so I suggest you consult the other variations of the same model with the black dial or the white dial with gold or steel hands.

Lip Himalaya

Before becoming Secretary of State for Youth and Sports and known to be close to the General, Maurice Herzog, who was also a young resistance fighter in 1944 and a captain in the Alpine Chasseurs, became famous by climbing Annapurna (in Nepal, 8091 metres) in the company of his compatriot Louis Lachenal.

Although he emerged from this feat with frozen fingers and toes, his Lip "Himalaya" survived the experience, further establishing the reputation of the Lip brand as a manufacturer producing resistant watches.

The Himalaya collection was developed from this human feat. One could easily insist more on this sensational aspect that helped to forge the reputation of the old Lip brand. But, within the framework of this selection, we will be interested in a modern version, rather intended for a wrist accustomed to cotton poplin shirts than to technical clothing made to withstand the Himalayan chains.

Obviously, I wanted to change its original strap, the latter being in light brown leather. And I find that this perlon strap fits it like a glove.

The first feature that attracted me to this watch is obviously its blue dial, which I find successful, especially for this price range. It is in fact a sunray dial. And more precisely, it is a double sunray, which gives this grooved appearance.

The numbers are quite elegant and the insertion of the date window at 3 o'clock does not give the impression that the latter is "lost" in the dial as can be the case in other watches.

It is generally accepted that a dress watch should be worn on a leather strap without too much fancy (such as contrasting stitching). This is a traditional view that I can share, but only in part. I assume that watch/strap combinations should certainly be harmonious, but this should not necessarily exclude certain straps that have a pleasant design.

The case of perlon is emblematic: as a general rule, I would tend to advise against it on luxury watches for example, because this material is particularly cheap.

Now, in the case of the Lip Himalaya, I wanted to pair it with a nylon strap but with a particular pattern - in fact two interwoven fabrics - which ultimately gives it a somewhat purple-like appearance that I find to be most effective, especially when paired with a watch with a blue dial like the Lip.

As you can see, there is no need to match the color with the shirt; it works just as well with another outfit.

Again, it is important to play on the straps to allow watches that lend themselves to it to adapt to different contexts. For example, a blue leather strap would allow the watch to be worn in a slightly more formal context. But, for once, that would be a bit easy and I would advise you to play on the patterns.

Concerning the movement, it is a very classic Miyota with automatic winding, which is perfectly consistent in this price range. It benefits from a light decoration so as not to offer a simple movement, which is basically reliable but basic. As such, I would recommend the Lip brand to opt instead - as I had already mentioned in the selection of diving watches last year - for a solid caseback on some of its models.

The visible back which reveals the Miyota movement, the latter benefiting from a light decoration

Overall, this watch is a pleasant surprise that reflects - once again and I emphasize this - Lip's desire to offer interesting mechanical watches at very affordable prices.

Where to find it?

Available on the Ocarat online store as a temporary exclusive.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Thinline Auto

I often recommend Hamilton because the current brand, although repositioned in the entry-level mechanical watch market since its integration into the Swatch Group, presents a good balance between aesthetics and reliability.

In terms of design, Hamilton has a VERY rich history and a catalogue of historical models: it is easy to use this as a basis for finding inspiration to develop updated reinterpretations. And, in the vast majority of cases, it must be said that the result is successful.

The proof in the picture, here worn in a more casual way with a BonneGueule shirt

Many recommend Hamilton for the more military-inspired Khaki Field models, but Hamilton offers dress models that echo the watches many white-collar workers wore in the past. .

Hamilton watches of the past for men were smaller in diameter - 34mm or even less - than their Swiss counterparts which were around 35-36mm in the 60s. I don't mind wearing 34mm personally but I also understand that these diameters may seem limited to some of the audience.

The model I am presenting to you is 40 mm and I find that it is perfectly suited to a large majority of wrists . Thanks to relatively small lugs, the watch does not appear imposing in any way.

The watch is thin, discreet and does not fear the cold.

The case is very thin, it is the thinnest of the selection with 9 mm , and compared to all the other elements of this watch, I find that it is suitable and the final result is pleasant to wear.

Regarding the movement, it is an ETA 2892. As a reminder, the main calibers produced by ETA are: the 2824-2, the 2892 and the Valjoux 7750, the latter being a chronograph.

The 2892 is traditionally offered in watches that are a little more upmarket than those equipped with the ubiquitous 2824-2, whose reputation for reliability is well established.

The decorations are simple for a caliber which is a well-known standard offered by ETA.

Obviously, we play on the contrast to make the watch stand out and the result seems perfect to me and even makes you want to go to the office.

Although other variations exist for this model, I opted for a champagne dial in order to offer you variety of course, but also to show you that a watch with a champagne sunray is actually very interesting to integrate into an outfit.

The watch comes with a green leather strap with contrasting stitching, which is interesting for a more casual look. Some gold dials on some watch models can give a more "bling bling" impression (obviously, it depends on the other elements of the watch), but this should not be taken as a general rule.

The champagne color is softer, less flashy and offers a shade that makes the watch easy to twist by playing on the bracelets. For my part, I advise you to integrate this model with a black leather strap and there you will see all its potential.

The date is well inserted at 6 o'clock, a light application of Luminova on the hands allows to read the time in the darkness of the night... overall, it is difficult to find a fault with this watch, I think it is a nice success and a good option in its segment.

Where to find it?

Available on the Hamilton online store or can be viewed and ordered in select Louis Pion stores.