Our selection of dress watches (1/3)

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

But then, what is a dress watch? It would be very simple to answer: “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 or more boring as a definition. Since the actor Sean Connery famously began wearing a diver with a tuxedo – which at the time was completely against the grain of elegant conventions – men have gradually started to wear watches that were not 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 (unfortunately) see offices more than the sun, chronographs from car racing or the conquest of space which do not take part in any rally or conquest of the stars... and watches of military inspiration but who have only known the war of pens and PowerPoint presentations.

Another category of watches has appeared, 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 guy, I use my divers for diving and not especially in an office cluttered with files.

Everyone remembers James Bond 007's Rolex Submariner against Dr. No: a military-inspired diver and bracelet with a tuxedo worn in the tropics (and a pretty flower in the buttonhole). For information, 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 today called a Nato. We also notice that the bracelet is undersized compared to the lug.

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's the one he wears on his wrist when he utters “Bond, James Bond” for the first time on screen.

In my opinion, and this is my personal opinion, a dress watch is an elegant watch. What characterizes elegance is harmony. It's 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 an achievement.

But, ultimately, what matters? Whether the building creates a buzz in the media or whether it is beautiful? Likewise, 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 somewhat escapes time. Because they are classic? Because above all, they are beautiful and wearing them with a formal outfit magnifies them at the same time as the outfit itself is elevated. For me, this is the real criterion for a dress watch.

As usual for the selections made for BonneGueule, I am not satisfied with 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 too often find in the press and real wearable photos.

All were tested for a period of one week with provision of loan templates. And, obviously, there was no agreement binding BonneGueule to reproduce what I call official blabla from a marketing department. Ratings 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, in this case you.

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 which 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, entry level included. My real goal is to show you that there are watches for all budgets and that we all have the right to have watchmaking holy grails.

And now you can arm yourself with your best suit and your dappest clutch, 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 know Orient as the entry point for mechanical watches. The prices are indeed very contained - 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.

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

I put quotes because it is relatively high-end: the prices are once again very contained compared to sector standards. 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 low price, the effect is very pleasant.

The watch is very balanced , its diameter of 38.5 mm is in 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, at this price that is practically impossible, but painted in a nice shade of blue which contrasts pleasantly with the white dial. The indexes are made of steel and there is no luminescent application that would allow you to tell 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, particularly for watches with usual automatic winding. It is useful on a hand-wound watch and also on watches that have large power reserves, such as certain models available from other brands which approach 100 hours of power reserve. .

If, like me, you are in the habit of changing watches very regularly, the power reserve lets you know how much time you have left before having to wind your watch. On small power reserves of the 40-hour type, 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 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 didn't put it all the way up during the shoot by choice so that it would be clearly visible and stand out in the photo.

The watch features a movement made in Japan by Orient. We can pompously say that it is a manufacturing movement but it is necessary to put things into perspective: there is a manufacturing movement and a manufacturing movement. 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 very light decoration, in contrast to the completely stripped-down movements of its sister brand Orient which have no decoration. The visible bottom remains in my opinion quite dispensable, a solid bottom would certainly have been a better choice.

In terms of complaints, the steel bracelet that is supplied with the watch is of the same level 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 stands out with this watch and the combination doesn't seem 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 quite successful thanks to the pattern of the bracelet and the color recall.

Without natural light, we can perhaps see more of the color of the needles, blue, which is nice. But, be careful, this is not blued steel either industrially or by flame, these hands are simply painted.

This watch remains an excellent introduction to mechanical watches and there are other versions offering a black dial or gold indexes for example. I would recommend wearing the Orient Star both on formal occasions like work and 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 versions 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 among the Alpine hunters, was made famous by climbing Annapurna (in Nepal , 8091 meters) in the company of his compatriot Louis Lachenal.

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

The Himalaya collection was developed from this human feat. We could easily emphasize more on this sensational aspect which helped to forge the reputation of the old Lip brand. But, as part of this selection, we are going to focus on a modern version more intended for a wrist accustomed to cotton poplin shirts than to technical clothing made to resist the Himalayan chains.

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

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

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

It is generally established that a dress watch must be worn on a leather strap without too much fancy (for example contrasting stitching). This is a traditional vision that I can share but only in part. I start from the principle that watch/bracelet combinations must certainly be harmonious but this should not necessarily exclude certain bracelets which 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 combine it with a nylon strap but with a particular pattern - in fact two intertwined fabrics - which ultimately gives it an appearance a little similar to purple which I find attractive. best effect, especially when combined with a watch with a blue dial like that of the Lip.

As we can see, no need for a color reminder with the shirt, with another outfit, it works too.

Once again, it is important to play with bracelets to allow watches that are suitable for them 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 now, that would be a bit easy and I would advise you to play with 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, with a reliable but basic base. As such, I would recommend that the Lip brand opt instead - as I had already pointed out in last year's selection of diving watches - for a full caseback on some of its models.

The visible back which allows a glimpse of the Miyota movement, the latter benefiting from a light decoration

Overall, this watch is a pleasant surprise which reflects - once again and I emphasize it - 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 since its integration into the Swatch Group, presents a good balance between aesthetics and reliability.

In terms of design, Hamilton benefits from a VERY rich past and a catalog of historic models: it is easy to use this as a basis to find inspiration for developing up-to-date reinterpretations. And, in the vast majority of cases, it must be admitted that the result is successful.

The proof in pictures, here worn in a more relaxed way with a BonneGueule shirt

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

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

The model that I am presenting to you is 40 mm and I find that it is perfectly suited to a large majority of wrists . Thanks to the 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 in the selection at 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 the eye. to carry.

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 upscale compared to watches equipped with the omnipresent 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 certainly offer you variety, but also to show you that a watch with a champagne sunray is in fact very interesting to integrate into a outfit.

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

The champagne color is softer, less flashy and offers a shade that makes the watch easy to twist by playing with 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 you 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 great success and a good option in its segment.

Where to find it?

Available on the Hamilton online store or you can view and order it in certain Louis Pion stores.