Choosing the right watch for some may be easy. They might just spot The One, and—like love at first sight—they just know. This is the one that’s in it for the long haul. This one seems to GET you. This is the one that had you at hello, and completes you—or completes your look, at least. But for others, finding the right watch can be a challenge. How do we know which one we can live with happily? Which one best complements us without drawing undue attention to itself?
In order to find the best watch to match your style, you have to first understand your own look and what it says about you. Finding the right one means that this is the watch you can have with you on a daily basis and it will almost always complement and complete you so you can happily grow old together.
The Right Watch for the Girly Girl
If you consider yourself a “girly girl” you probably rarely, if ever, leave the house without makeup, unless it’s to dart out to the mailbox and back with your head down. You can probably form the perfect “messy bun” without a mirror, and you can quickly find the perfect pair of shoes for every outfit. If you are this type of happily feminine woman, you will do best looking for a jewelry type watch. This is a watch that does more than just tell time. A watch that’s considered jewelry has a decorative band, a beautiful watch face, and often precious or semi-precious stones.
If you are this type of woman, you may choose a watch with interchangeable bands that can be swapped out with a selection of styles and colors so you can always match it with what you are wearing. Otherwise, you will want to choose a beautiful, decorative watch that compliments your feminine style, your skin tone, and your other jewelry.
If you are truly a girly girl, you already know your skin’s undertone and what jewelry looks best on you. Typically those who have cool skin tones look best in silver, white gold, and rose gold jewelry. Those with warm undertones look great in traditional yellow gold, but rose gold works as well. A lucky neutral can wear any color jewelry and it looks beautiful with their skin.
When choosing a watch, a woman who is proudly feminine will want to pick the one that will look best with her chosen style, whether that’s classy and chic, or eye-catching, such as a watch with a trendy wrap-around band. There are also some beautiful watches being offered today with floral prints on the face.
All of this means you will have to consider the type of clothes you wear in public most often and choose the watch that will look best with the majority of your outfits. Your watch should be your favorite accessory! (or at least your second favorite—after your shoes.)
Choosing A Watch for The Athletic Woman
If you are the type of woman who begins each day at the gym or with a five-mile run, then the best watch for you will be a sturdy, reliable watch, or a sports watch. Sports watches typically have large, easy-to-read faces so you don’t have to stop what you are doing to scrutinize the numbers. They may also have handy features such as timers, alarms, compasses, tachymeters, and sometimes heart rate monitors.
Choosing the right sports watch may depend on what athletic activities you participate in. If you sweat a lot, run in the rain, or play beach volleyball, then look for a good waterproof sports watch.
The button size and placement are also something to consider. They should be conveniently arranged so you can access them quickly, without having to stop the action to access your watch’s special features.
The Right Watch for the Business Woman
If you are a woman who’s all about the business, then the best watch for you is probably something classic that looks great with your best business wear. Typically that means something tasteful and understated, with beautiful classic lines and few embellishments.
Some smartwatches are now tailored more toward the working woman, with smaller watch faces and sleek, classic designs to complement a woman’s wardrobe.
Rose gold watches are also trending back into vogue for their quality of understated beauty decorating the wrist of a woman in business attire. Even though the return of rose gold is a popular trend right now, it’s not just a passing fad. Rose gold is classic and never goes out of style, so investing in a good watch in rose gold will give you a watch you can proudly wear for a lifetime.
A classic watch with supple leather band is also a good choice for daily work wear for those who prefer to stay away from the precious metals or simply enjoy the look and feel of a leather band.
Watches for the Gender Benders
Today’s best watches no longer keep such firm lines drawn between his and hers watch styles. Many of the classic watch designs for men are now being offered in scaled-down versions for women. Some women are also choosing to throw out all of the old rules and choose to wear a man’s watch that best suits her style.
Some women simply prefer the more chunky, less delicate men’s watches which offer unique features and gadgets that are often left off of traditional women’s watches in order to keep them smaller and more delicate in appearance. Some women like the way a larger man’s watch actually accentuates the more delicate and feminine appearance of a woman’s wrist—hence the new trend of watch lines known as “boyfriend watches,” which are made for women but designed to look as though a woman has decided to slip on her husband or boyfriend’s watch for the day. (For that matter, maybe you can just “borrow” your boyfriend’s watch?) Some women actively collect vintage men’s watches for an edgy or eccentric look.
Since large watch faces are also a rising trend in women’s watches, many women choose a man’s watch, or one made to appear more like a man’s watch, because it’s currently a “thing.” Men’s watches also add dimension to a woman’s wrist if she’s wearing layers of thin, bangle or dangle-type bracelets. It looks eye-catching to layer several delicate bracelets around a larger, chunkier man’s watch.
Whatever your personal style, you are sure to find the watch that is the ONE for you. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to find your perfect match on the first try, hang in there and keep looking. The right one just might find you.
Resources— Supwatch, Anytime Watches, Who What Wear
