“There are certain rules that you should keep in mind when buying a watch to wear as a business professional.”
Best Watches For Business Professionals
- Timex Marlin Hand Wound ($199)
- Mido Baroncelli Heritage ($1,090)
- Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki ($1,738)
- Nomos Orion 38 White ($2,560)
- Cartier Tank Solo ($2,610)
- Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph ($3,000)
- Montblanc Heritage GMT ($3,000)
- Ming 19.02 Worldtimer ($11,800)
- Rolex Datejust 36 ($8,500)
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196G ($22,600)
Buying A Watch As A Business Professional
As with watches in general, I think that there isn’t a certain trait or certification that a watch must have to be considered suitable for business professionals. That being said, there are certain rules that you should keep in mind when buying a watch to wear as a business professional. And as with almost every topic that I cover, I can’t give you the one answer, that will suffice for everyone out there. Why is that you ask? See, I can almost guarantee, that you and the other watch enthusiast who is reading this article right now, are in different stages of their careers. Maybe you are just fresh out of university or college and are googling if you should even wear a luxury watch, and if so which one in particular. Or maybe, you are a little bit further down in your career, and maybe want to celebrate your promotion. Either way, let’s look at both scenarios, to give you the best advice possible.
What To Look Out For When Buying A Watch As A Young Business Professional
Let’s start with the young business professional, and what this person should be on the lookout for when buying a watch. The most important thing for you as a young business professional is to not go overboard when buying a watch. What do I mean by that? Well, wearing a $30k solid gold Rolex Day-Date, especially as a young business professional, will probably turn some heads and maybe even put you in a slightly awkward position with your supervisor or even with your clients. I mean let’s just imagine this scenario:
You are fresh out of college and just landed your dream job at a consulting firm. Then, you get called into a meeting with your client, a senior executive of some big cooperation. And let’s assume you are wearing the previously mentioned, 18k solid yellow gold Rolex Day-Date. What do you think would the client assume about you and your firm? Exactly, this person will think, that your firm bills his company way too much, just to finance their employees’ extravagant taste in watches.
Yes, this example was maybe a little bit exaggerated, but I think you got the point. To sum it up, if you are a young business professional that is just about to start his career, please don’t buy the shiniest and “in-your-face” watch that you could potentially find. Go for a simple yet still elegant and refined watch, that goes well together with the clothes you wear at work. So, if you have to wear a suit, go with more of a dress watch, and if you aren’t required to wear a suit, go with something that you enjoy wearing, but still is in the norm of typical business attire.
What To Look Out For When Buying A Watch As An Experienced Business Professional
So, what kind of watch should you buy if you are a little bit further down your career path, and maybe just got a promotion? Well, you will be happy to hear that, in contrast to our youngling, you can pull off way more options here. Let’s say you are 40 and you just got promoted to director or even made partner. Nobody will really care if you decide to wear your platinum Daytona. I mean who should care? The young guy that just started out? Don’t think so. And your clients? Probably also not, since they will see you more equal in rank, so they don’t really care if you have an expensive watch on your wrist. But still, maybe don’t wear a fully iced-out PP Nautilus just to flex on your co-workers. Just have some taste, will you?
And that’s it, those are my tips for business professionals, who want to make a good impression at work. And now that you know what you should look out for when buying a watch as a business professional, here is a list of the best watches for business professionals.
Timex Marlin Hand Wound ($199)
First up is the Timex Marlin Hand-Wound. And while the Marlin isn’t necessarily regarded as prestigious as other dress watches on this list, it surely makes for a great watch for someone that just started their business career and wants to wait before buying a Rolex or a Cartier.
But that doesn’t mean that the Timex Marlin Hand-Wound is less of a watch. Let me demonstrate that for you. Close your eyes and try to imagine a classic-looking and modest proportioned dress watch. A watch that slips perfectly under your cuffings, is light to wear and will not cause a lot of unwanted attention from your colleagues and your boss. The watch you just imagined, probably comes close to the Marlin Hand-Wound. The watch features a 34mm 316L stainless steel case, which houses a Timex hand-wound movement. The hand-wound movement in combination with the vintage-inspired dial, numerals, and hands, further strengthen the impression of wearing a watch that dates back to the 1960s. The Marlin Hand-Wound is presented on a black alligator leather strap, which complements the dial and the case perfectly.
This is a watch that I can fully stand by. I go even further and say that I really love it. Getting a great-looking, vintage-inspired watch that is powered by a hand-wound movement, for just $199 is incredible. Timex really hit the ball out of the park with this one. The only issue some people may have is the 34mm case, which could indeed look a bit too small on bigger wrists. But if you are like me and have slimmer wrists, this watch is made for you.
Specifications: Price: $199, Case Size: 34mm, Thickness: 10mm, Lug-to-Lug: 41mm, Lug Width: 18mm, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Movement: Hand Wound Timex movement, Power Reserve: n/a, Crystal: Acrylic
Mido Baroncelli Heritage ($1,090)
Moving on to Mido and their Baroncelli Heritage model. Founded back in 1918, the Swiss watch manufacturer Mido produces high-quality, Swiss-made timepieces, that can be bought at reasonable prices. And their Baroncelli Heritage model is no exception to that. Designed to be worn by the sophisticated gentleman of today, the watch has an understated, yet elegant look to it. By the way, Mido also has the same watch for women, so if you are one of my few female readers, this part of the article will also be very interesting for you.
The watch features a modest-sized case made from rose gold and measures 39mm in diameter, 7.3mm in thickness, and 44mm from lug to lug. As you can see, the case proportions of this watch are really on point, and in combination with the understated ivory-colored dial, polished hands, and the black leather strap, on which the watch is presented, makes for a perfect fit to go with any type of formal attire. What I particularly like on the dial, is the blue second hand, which is a welcome change from the overall gold color scheme.
Powered by the ETA-based, 21 jewel, automatic Mido 1192 movement, the Mido Baroncelli Heritage provides around 50 hours of power reserve, which is solid, considering its $1,090 price tag. And there we have it, for a price just shy of $1,100, you will get a beautiful dress watch with great heritage, that makes a perfect watch for every business professional, young or experienced.
Specifications: Price: $1,090, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 7.3mm, Lug-to-Lug: 44mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: Automatic Mido 1192 movement, Power Reserve: 50 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki ($1,738)
Next up is the Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki. And while this watch probably isn’t on many radars when it comes to business-suitable watches, I think it makes a perfect accessory for the more out-going, dressier business professional.
Kurono Tokyo is an independent watchmaker that bases its operation out of Tokyo, Japan, and was born with the vision to create high-quality, Japan-made luxury timepieces that share the design DNA of celebrated independent Japanese watchmaker Hajime Asaoka’s exclusive handmade atelier watches. And the Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki was exclusively created to celebrate the anniversary of the company and its philosophy.
The Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki features a high-polished, 316L stainless steel case, which measures 37mm in diameter, 7mm in thickness, and 43.5mm from lug to lug. Complementing the shiny stainless-steel case is Kurono’s signature anniversary radial sunburst patterned dial that features an array of colors, ranging from a vermillion red, all the way to a touch of purple, that can only be seen if the lighting condition allows for it.
The color of Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki’s dial was inspired by the Japanese crested ibis, a propitious bird that is regarded as a symbol of happiness and good fortune in Japan. The dial also features highly polished sword-shaped hands, a stainless-steel rail, which I saw for the first time in my life, and the Kurono Tokyo Logo just above the center of the dial. All in all, the construction of this stunning dial took nearly a year, which included everything from ideation, to sampling, to production, to the meticulous finishing process. Fun fact, the Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki holds the record for the highest number of prototype samples made during the manufacturing of one single watch.
The Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki is powered by the automatic, premium-grade Miyota 90S5, which is a good and reliable movement and provides around 40 hours of power reserve.
So, to sum it up: Stunningly beautiful case, bezel and dial, awesome history, and immense value for money. If you are looking for a great dress watch to go with your suit at work, this watch would certainly be the only of its kind in your office.
Specifications: Price: $1,738, Case Size: 37mm, Thickness: 7mm, Lug-to-Lug: 43.5mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: Automatic premium-grade Miyota 90S5 movement, Power Reserve: 40 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Nomos Orion 38 White ($2,560)
Moving on to the Nomos Orion 38, a dress watch that is perfect for every business professional that wants to have more of an understated timepiece on their wrist. But before we dive into the specs, I first want to tell you about Nomos’ history, in order for you to understand how they got to where they are today. Born just two months after the fall of the Berlin wall, Nomos Glashütte used the new opportunities to their advantage, creating industry disruptive designs, which are heavily inspired by the iconic Bauhaus style. The combination of clean, minimalistic, and straightforward design, combined with refined in-house movements, led NOMOS to have great success in the watch market of today.
And the Nomos Orion 38 is a big part of that. The watch features a beautifully polished stainless-steel case, which measures 38mm in diameter, 8.9mm in thickness, and +/- 47.5mm from lug to lug. For a 38mm case diameter, the 47.5mm lug to lug distance seems rather unproportioned, which is kind of true. The reason behind this is the long, straight lugs, which make this watch wear larger than it is on paper. But even with this larger lug to lug distance, the watch will still wear fairly well, due to its slim profile and understated dial. Speaking of which, the white dial is kept in the Nomos typical Bauhaus style and features polished steel hands, polished steel hour indexes, and a small second display just above the 6 o’clock position.
The watch is powered by the hand-wound Alpha caliber, which is made in-house by Nomos and provides around 43 hours of power reserve. And there you have it, for $2,560 you will get an understated dress watch, that is perfect for both experienced and inexperienced business professionals.
Specifications: Price: $2,560, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 8.9mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47.5mm, Lug Width: 19mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: Hand-wound in-house Alpha movement, Power Reserve: 43 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Cartier Tank Solo ($2,610)
What would this list be without the almighty Cartier Tank? Like with the previous watch from Kurono Toyko, the Cartier Tank can easily be worn by both experienced and inexperienced business professionals.
Famous for its understated design, French flair, and its unique case shape, the Cartier Tank Solo is highly respected among watch enthusiasts, luxury-lovers, and businesspeople. And while most watch enthusiasts are aware of Cartier’s long-lasting watch making tradition, many non-enthusiasts tend to forget that they even produce wristwatches. And while this is certainly understandable, it couldn’t be further away from the truth. Cartier was founded by Louis-François Cartier, which in 1904, went on to design and produce the first-ever wristwatch for men. The iconic Cartier Santos. After its initial success, Cartier went on to introduce the Cartier Tank in 1917, which ultimately, brought us to where we are today, a time where the Cartier Tank is considered to be one of the most iconic watches on the planet. So naturally, I had to include it into this list.
The Cartier Tank Solo features a Swiss-made Quartz movement, which Cartier makes in-house. The movement is housed in a well-proportioned stainless-steel case, which was polished to the highest Cartier standards. The rectangular case measures 34.8 mm x 27.4 mm in diameter and an amazing 5.55mm in thickness. Since very clearly, this is a dress watch and you shouldn’t go swimming with it, the watch only offers around 30 meters of water resistance, which is completely appropriate. The stainless-steel case is complemented by the classic white opaline dial, black Roman numerals, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, and the iconic Cartier logo just below the 12 o’clock position. To sum it up, the best words that would describe this piece of art are; classy, classic, and refined.
And with those words, I will end the article here. Just know this watch is worth every penny of its $2,610 price tag and is an excellent choice for every business professional out there.
Specifications: Price: $2,610, Case Size: 34.8mm x 27.4mm, Thickness: 5.55mm, Lug-to-Lug: 34.8mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: In-house Quartz movement, Power Reserve: Quartz, Crystal: Sapphire
Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph ($3,000)
Continuing with another watch that is perfectly suitable for every businessperson reading this article and the Horologisto blog overall. Excellent choice of reading material, by the way…
Jokes aside, let’s take a look at the specs of the Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph. The watch features a beautifully polished stainless-steel case, which measures 40mm in diameter, 13.6mm in thickness, and 49.2mm from lug to lug. The case measurements are very reasonable and make the watch suitable to wear with a wide range of different formal business outfits. Adding to that business suitability is the gorgeous and classy dial, which features a silverish colored base plate, a black inner ring with silver Arabic numerals, minute and seconds markers, a Tachymeter scale on the outer scale of the dial, two silver subdials that feature a small seconds display as well as a 30-minutes counter, Feuille-style hands, as well as a blue, 60 seconds central chronograph hand. Protecting this masterpiece of a dial is a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with several layers of anti-reflective coating on the underside.
The watch is powered by the automatic L895 movement, which beats at 28,800 BPH and provides around 54 hours of power reserve.
I think it’s fair to say that Longines, once again, hit the ball out of the park with this watch. A very classy designed and sophisticated chronograph, that is perfect for almost every occasion in an office.
Specifications: Price: $3,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 13.6mm, Lug-to-Lug: 49.2mm, Lug Width: 19mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: Automatic L895 movement, Power Reserve: 54 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Montblanc Heritage GMT ($3,000)
Coming up next is one of my favorite dressier GMT watches, which I like to recommend to any aspiring business professional, who has to travel for their work and therefore is in need of a GMT watch. I’m talking about the Montblanc Heritage GMT. Inspired by historical wristwatches from the 1940s and 1950s, the Montblanc Heritage GMT combines the elegance of the watchmaking’s past with today’s watch manufacturing technologies.
The Montblanc Heritage GMT features a polished stainless-steel case, which measures 40mm in diameter and 11.8mm in thickness. Thanks to the reasonably sized case and the slim profile, the Montblanc Heritage GMT will wear quite nicely on a wide array of different wrist sizes, which is something that I’m always thankful for. As mentioned earlier, thanks to the modest case proportions and the beautiful aesthetics, this watch can easily be considered to be a dress watch and makes for a great timepiece when wearing more formal attire. Adding to that overall dressy look and feel is the salmon-colored dial, which features a blue painted 24-hour GMT scale on the outside, black rhodium-coated Arabic numerals, and indexes, luminous dauphine hands, as well as a subtle blue independent 24-hour GMT hand. As the seasoned reader of this blog surely knows, I’m a big fan of salmon-colored dials. I love the color and I love this extra level of excitement it brings into almost every salmon-colored watch I’ve seen to this day. Fun fact, I love to eat salmon, so maybe it has something to do with that…
Jokes aside, let’s take a look at what’s inside this gorgeous piece. At the heart of the Montblanc Heritage GMT lies the automatic MB 24.05 movement, which is fabricated out of 74 different parts, and provides around 42 hours of power reserve.
Priced at $3,000, this Montblanc watch with a GMT complication offers a great design, great finishing quality, and a great movement. What could you want more like someone who wants to wear a watch both in the office and on his or her travels?
Specifications: Price: $3,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 11.8mm, Lug-to-Lug: n/a, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 50m, Movement: Automatic MB 24.05 movement, Power Reserve: 42 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Ming 19.02 Worldtimer ($11,800)
And while we are on the topic of world traveling business professionals, let me introduce you to the Ming 19.02 Worldtimer. Just from its looks and the brand behind it, I would suggest this particular timepiece to younger business professionals, that maybe have 1-2 years of experience and the necessary funds to buy this watch.
The seasoned reader of this blog probably knows about Ming and their watches, since I’m admittedly a big fan of them and their work. But for those of you that aren’t familiar with the brand, let me give you a short introduction. Founded back in 2017, Ming is a horological collective formed and funded by a group of six watch enthusiasts from around the world. The group is headed up by Oxford-educated physicist, Ming Thein, who left his corporate jobs behind and decided to pursue what he really cares about, photography and watches. And this is what ultimately led him to build his own watch company, Ming. Ming specializes in bringing together extravagant and innovative design, and traditional watchmaking.
And their design philosophy can be clearly seen in all of their watches, but especially in the 19.02 Worldtimer. Made from grade 5 titanium, the case of the 19.02 features a mixture of mirror-polished and finely brushed surfaces, as well as the Ming-typical lugs, which give the watch a sense of depth and visual contrast. Measuring 39mm in diameter and 11.2mm in thickness, the 19.02 isn’t your typical world timer, and proportion-wise plays in the same league as the previously mentioned, and highly praised, Farer Worldtimer. What isn’t like any other watch though, is the dial. The dial is made of sapphire, which was treated with a unique lacquer process, in order to achieve a deep black color in the center, and fully transparent edges, to allow some of the movement’s rose gold baseplate to be seen. And to achieve the Ming-typical, seamless look, all markings were printed on the backside of the dial. Besides that, the dial also features two simple hands, which, through their simplicity, guide your eyes away from them, onto everything else that is happening on the dial.
But the case and the dial are not the only things that are worth mentioning about the 19.02. But for that, we first have to turn the watch on its back, which, through its sapphire open caseback, reveals the absolutely stunning caliber ASE220.1. This self-winding movement, which is the result of a partnership between Ming and the Swiss manufacturer Schwarz-Etienne, features skeletonized bridges, a matte-blasted 5N rose gold coating and a power reserve of approximately 70 hours.
Admittedly, with its $11,800 price tag, this watch certainly isn’t cheap. Especially for young business professionals, who I personally think, would be the best fit for this watch. But that doesn’t mean the watch isn’t worth the money. I think, that with its incredible dial design, the refined case finishing, and the high-quality Swiss movement, this watch is worth every penny. And just on a personal note, I fell in love with this piece from the moment I saw it, and just added it to the top of my wish list. Not sure, if and when this watch will be on my wrist, but I sure will try my best to get my hands on one in the future. Maybe for my next promotion, who knows…
Specifications: Price: CHF 10,900 (Aprox. $11,800), Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 11.2mm, Lug-to-Lug: n/a, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 50, Movement: Automatic caliber ASE220.1 movement, Power Reserve: 70 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Rolex Datejust 36 ($8,500)
Next up is the Rolex Datejust 36. Introduced back in 1945, the Rolex Datejust was the world’s first-ever automatic wristwatch with a date complication. The first Datejust was given the reference 4467, was crafted entirely out of 18kt yellow gold, possessed a minimally fluted bezel, and was attached to the iconic Jubilee bracelet, which back at the time, was the first one ever made. And to this day, the Datejust managed to keep its iconic and prestigious reputation, making it one of the most popular high-end luxury watches for ambitious business professionals. I would suggest this watch to both professionals with a lot of experience and those that came fresh out of Uni and just received their first few monthly salaries. But please buy responsibly and don’t just splurge all your money on a watch. Save up a few months or even a year, and it will feel even better when you can finally buy the watch.
The Rolex Datejust 36 features a polished stainless-steel case, which measures 36mm in diameter, 11.6mm in thickness, and 44mm from lug to lug. The case dimensions are perfect for every business professional, independent of the attire you have to wear to work. In a suit or with a hoodie, the Datejust 36 will make for a perfect companion in your day-to-day working schedule. Sitting on top of the stainless-steel case is the iconic fluted bezel, which is made from white gold and gives the watch a very classy visual contrast. Complementing the case and bezel perfectly is the gorgeous black dial, which features luminous applied hour markers, the Datejust-typical hands, as well as the mandatory date window at 3 o’clock.
Powered by the automatic, in-house 3235 movement, the watch does not only have a sophisticated exterior but also offers a lot when it comes to what is under to hood. Priced at around $8,500, depending on the exact configuration, the Rolex Datejust offers great quality, great design and is certainly a wise choice for every business professional.
Specifications: Price: $8,500, Case Size: 36mm, Thickness: 11.6mm, Lug-to-Lug: 44, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 100m, Movement: Automatic in-house 3235 movement, Power Reserve: 70 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196G ($22,600)
Curtains up for the last pick on this list, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196G. Easily one of the most prestigious and sought-after dress watches in the whole world, this gorgeous Patek Philippe Calatrava is more for the experienced business professional, who can afford to buy it, and afford to wear it in the office.
Patek first introduced the Calatrava back in 1932, with the first model having the reference number “96”. Yes, you are reading this right. A two-digit reference number. That is something you won’t see today, where some reference numbers are so long, that they even outrank the barcodes of my local supermarket. Cough Omega… cough. But as cool and as nostalgic this may seem, the story behind the Patek Philippe Calatrava didn’t start that way. See, back in the 1930s, Patek wasn’t this big watch manufacturer it is today, and they certainly didn’t have the funds of today. In the early part of the 20th century, Patek, Philippe & Cie (as the company was formally known), had some financial problems. Long story short, the solution to their financial problems came in the form of brothers Jean and Charles Henri Stern, who purchased a controlling interest in the company in 1932 and went on to create the Calatrava Ref. 96, which catered to a broader range of potential customers.
The PP Calatrava 5196G features a white gold case, which measures 37mm in diameter, 7.68mm in thickness, and 46mm from lug to lug. Complementing the carefully polished case is the silvery opaline dial, which features white gold applied hour markers, polished Dauphine hands, and a small second’s hands display, just above the 6 o’clock position. For those of you that have an image of the first Calatrava Ref. 96 in mind, compare it to the latest 5196J, and you will see a very close resemblance in the dial composition and the way the case was shaped.
But as stunning as the case and dial may be, there is one thing left that shouldn’t be missed. The movement. The watch is powered by the hand-wound 215PS caliber, which keeps the time very accurate and provides at least 44 hours of power reserve.
With its refined design and awesome movement, the Patek Philippe Calatrava definitely is one of my holy grail watches and I intend to own it one day. Considering the price of CHF 20,800 (Approx. $22,600), this may take a while. But hey, the longer you wait, the more you want to get it, right?
Specifications: Price: CHF 20,800 (Approx. $22,600), Case Size: 37mm, Thickness: 7.68mm, Lug-to-Lug: 46mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: Hand-wound 215PS movement, Power Reserve: 44 hours, Crystal: Sapphire
