Tool watches & Dive watches vs Dress watches
Do you have a strong preference?
I think many of us recognize that dive and tool watches seem to be the reigning champions in terms of overall popularity. And I too really appreciate them.
But I also appreciate casual and dress watches that do not fall into that category, for ex. my Cartier Tank Française, NOMOS Club and Grand Seiko SGBW231 are among the favorites in my collection.
I would be interested to hear how many here have a strong appreciation for watches that do not fall into the dive or tool watch category. 🤔
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Tom
I have been collecting watches for many years. I appreciate all types, from affordable to expensive. IG: @Daily_Dial
Vermont
Member since
Last active: 4 months ago
I am very biased towards my own preferences with aesthetics almost over anything else.
While I certainly appreciate dive watches for what all they can do, their history, etc. From an aesthetic standpoint alone, I find myself being drawn to dive watches less than maybe any other category out there.
So far out of all the stuff that gets stuck in my head as a long term want, I’ve yet to have a dive watch on that list.
Dive watches are too big, dress watches don't go well with casual wear.
Tool watches for me!
I admire dress watches, but the ones admire are mostly out of my price range. Perhaps if my financial situation changes I'll add more to my collection.
As for sports watches, after experiencing the "main" types of watches (chronograph/diver/pilot/general), I came to realize that the diver watch is the one I most enjoy and find most useful. Hoping to add a few more divers in the future!
I realize that I have 1 dress / casual watch out of my collection of 20! I hope I can start to learn to appreciate some variety! Talk about boring!
I wear a uniform to work, and dress casually outside of work, so I tend to favour more casual watch styles like dive, field, and pilot watches.
"Tool watch" is a funny watch type to my mind, as a Reverso, or Saxonia can be a "tool watch" to someone who needs to know the time, but also needs to dress formally.
I favor dive and tool watches. I do have a few dress watches that I often wear around the house. But because I dress like a toddler, tool watches definitely look less out of place. Based on my wardrobe, I should probably be wearing a plastic Batman digital watch when I leave the house.
I love all watches...from the early Trench style to the more modern variations.
With a 7.5 inch wrist, it is easy to wear dive and other tool watches, but it can be hard to wear some of the amazing mid-century dress watches, but I go for it anyway.
You tell me...do these look too small?
If you like watches you must have a dress or dressish watch in your collection.
I use this two watches as my dress watches:
Presage open heart I personally love the dial and the quality.
I love pilot's so this might not be the best dress watch at 44mm but I can't help it I love Alpina.
I love all watches...from the early Trench style to the more modern variations.
With a 7.5 inch wrist, it is easy to wear dive and other tool watches, but it can be hard to wear some of the amazing mid-century dress watches, but I go for it anyway.
You tell me...do these look too small?
How can you be seen out of the house wearing those ratty old things?
I resist, but not quite reject, these categories. Most of what I own would be considered "dress" watches. Most were just "watches" when they were made. My watches transition easily from office to barbeque to bar mitzvah. I have diver that never gets wet and a field watch that I wear to make coffee (due to the silicone strap, coffee involves washing the pot). The field watch is my choice for camping and hikes.
It is really the strap that determines the flexibility of the watch. For what I do silicone and NATO are weekend wear. Leather is weekday. I recently put a watch on a bracelet so that I could wear it with either black or brown shoes.
I realize that I have 1 dress / casual watch out of my collection of 20! I hope I can start to learn to appreciate some variety! Talk about boring!
You watch investors are all the same.
I love all watches...from the early Trench style to the more modern variations.
With a 7.5 inch wrist, it is easy to wear dive and other tool watches, but it can be hard to wear some of the amazing mid-century dress watches, but I go for it anyway.
You tell me...do these look too small?
Great pics ChronoGuy, thanks for sharing them.
I resist, but not quite reject, these categories. Most of what I own would be considered "dress" watches. Most were just "watches" when they were made. My watches transition easily from office to barbeque to bar mitzvah. I have diver that never gets wet and a field watch that I wear to make coffee (due to the silicone strap, coffee involves washing the pot). The field watch is my choice for camping and hikes.
It is really the strap that determines the flexibility of the watch. For what I do silicone and NATO are weekend wear. Leather is weekday. I recently put a watch on a bracelet so that I could wear it with either black or brown shoes.
Good point! Most watches were just “watches” back in the day. 😅
…and I too often have to remove my watch to wash dishes etc due to its leather strap!
I love all watches...from the early Trench style to the more modern variations.
With a 7.5 inch wrist, it is easy to wear dive and other tool watches, but it can be hard to wear some of the amazing mid-century dress watches, but I go for it anyway.
You tell me...do these look too small?
That VC….😍
I love all watches...from the early Trench style to the more modern variations.
With a 7.5 inch wrist, it is easy to wear dive and other tool watches, but it can be hard to wear some of the amazing mid-century dress watches, but I go for it anyway.
You tell me...do these look too small?
Well plough me in a horizontal direction - a tiger eye VC and a gold waffle PP. You win.
I do vintage, so mainly dress watches, but not as dressy as the above.
IMHO dress watches would be even daintier and fancier than what I really use, but I'm strongly averse to the clunky machismo of tool and dive, so put me on team dress watch. I agree with @Aurelian that what gets called a dress watch is really just a regular watch.
I don't need anything beyond splashproof for an average day, and smaller is better. I'm not timing anything except when I do laundry.
Well plough me in a horizontal direction - a tiger eye VC and a gold waffle PP. You win.
I do vintage, so mainly dress watches, but not as dressy as the above.
Awesome selection my friend!
I appreciate variety in a collection. If only to cover all the bases so to speak.
I was born in the early 1960’s
all watches fell into the type now called “dress watches”
two or three handers, 34-36mm diameter, a date if you were lucky, plexi glass, thin leather strap or the horrific hair pulling, cheap expander bracelet, and boring as hell.
No matter how hard I try, I simply do not like the look of them these days. Casual tool watch for me, something interesting to look at with some functionality.
I find myself drawn more towards vintage dress, leather being my preferred strap overall and a clean simple dial my poison of choice. Given that I primarily use watches as fashion accessories my choices make sense to me. I do have dive watches but, with the exception of 1 luxury brand, all my dive watches are homages. No real plans or desire to get another luxury dive watch. The Omega SMP is fills all my emotional needs.
I don’t understand tool watches. I mean what makes them tools? Features? Anyway, I don’t think i have any of those although some of the dive watches I have could be considered tool watches as well. No field watches so far, no fliegers as well. But not purposefully avoiding them. I just have a finite budget and would rather concentrate on what I really want as opposed to completing some kind of list.