Dive watches for elegant occasions

Well it depends on the watch.

Me personally I would try not to use a mechanical watch at sports due to shocks that could hatm the mechanic (depending on the sport type).

But dive watches are sport watches. With a quartz there is no problem to use them.

But if the watch is designed elegant and possible to go under your cuff, it is also possible to wear them on firmal occations.

A dive watch can look more toolish like this

Or elegant like these

All depends on the people at the party and how snobby they wanna be about it.

Generally, the hosts of these just want us to be there, not our watches

Granted, a 50mm+ gaudy AF Invicta probably would get some stares & snickers, but if you keep the watch tasteful, I can't see there being a problem at 99.9% of events.

Strictly speaking, not at weddings and formal occasions. Any other time they're ok but you might look ridiculous in a high level business meeting with a 44mm bling-piece on your wrist.

We were at a wedding 3/4 weeks ago and most ignored that "rule", so it's obviously a bit archaic now. In some cases it just sorted the wheat from the chaff (just like the guy in the new jacket who hadn't unpicked the vent), but in others it completely destroyed their attire, mainly women who had spent hours putting together their outfit only for the black Apple slab to destroy the look.

It’s been my experience that nobody notices or cares about my watches so I doubt anyone would call me out for wearing a dive watch to a wedding. That said, I wear dress watches to weddings because I respect myself as a watch nerd too much to do otherwise.

But as always, wear what you like. Life’s too short for anything else.

Only a watch nerd would care. 😎

I’d say first and foremost it depends on you and your own style - if you can pull it off with confidence and an outfit that makes it work then no reason to steer clear of divers when dressing up.

Another thing is which diver it is - something like a Seamaster 300M or a Submariner will dress up with more ease than a Planet Ocean or a Deepsea Sea Dweller. I used to wear my 300M with a suit all the time, sometimes even *gasp* on a leather strap and it all worked out :)

If there had to be a rule to it, it should be if you can cover it up with your cuff then you can wear it to dressier occasions - that way even if it does feel inappropriate you can always hide it.

Think this looks pretty formal.

Whereas these don't imho.

So depends on the watch & the situation 😉👍🏻

I just don’t think dive watches with big rotating bezels work aesthetically with a suit and tie type of outfit. Not saying you can’t wear it, but a nice dress watch will complement the whole look so much more.

Same way I wouldn’t wear Nike dunks in place of some leather shoes to a wedding.

I used to pair type of watch with occasion. After a while I thought no one notices or cares. That said, if you want to dress up a dive watch you can get a nice leather strap for it.

In this day and age, like the 60's anything goes.

For instance, wearing sneakers with a business suit.

Depends if you’re James Bond and have the testicular fortitude to pull it off. It’s all about confidence as no one is going to say “hey that’s not a dress watch, we don’t serve your kind here”.

I wore a pair custom made Adidas Special with the wedding date embossed on them, with a Paul Smith suit. I looked amazing (alongside my Omega 1611 Chrono Quartz. It can be done!

As the most formal event I've been to in the last 5 years is an optician's appointment, I believe you should only wear what you believe is right. I sat next to a chubby middle age bloke on a flight the other day wearing an AP, who dressed like a 25 year old. He let me try it on, it was an utter monstrosity and I felt like an utter bellend which, throughout the duration of the flight, he turned out to be. We're all unique.

It's not just the style of watch that counts, it's also the material of which it's made. Make it a gold diver for more formal occasions. And no rubber straps. I'd wear this one, in 18k with mother-of-pearl dial, to a formal occasion in a heartbeat:

It would depend on the occasion. I used to be an usher at the opera, and you can tell a variance of the dress code and etiquette based on where people sit. You would have to know in advance.

There is something like the "soccer player" look. With a little experience you can tell that somebody is wearing a suit who is not used to wearing a suit. Probably more important than the watch is actually some practice, so that you are comfortable.

As for the watch, it can certainly be out of place. After all, James Bond is a fictional character.

And while "anything may go", it will leave an impression. I recently was able to observe a public defender. He was great at taking apart police testimony. His suit was okay, but his shoes were beyond repair. I couldn't get that odd image out of my mind. (Couldn't help but think of @Aurelian .)

Agree it depends mostly on the watch (and to a much lesser on the occasion) - smaller divers like this Oris or the Baltic Aquascaphe should be fine. But it would have to be a stuffy crowd to comment negatively - unless of course you go with an Invicta Gladiator or such like!!

I'd wear this with a suit.

I agree with others about dress watches and the right tool for the job, but sartorial rules can be bent or outright broken when done smartly and with confidence.

I have two dress watches and wear them when I'm going to the 9's. But I also have worn non dress watches with suits, and even formal evening attire.

Same way I've worn my custom velvet Vans slip-ons in lieu of traditional smoking slippers. It was a specific aesthetic I wanted.

Edit:

I will caveat when bending or breaking though I usually only do one thing. So if it's a watch, that's it. Everything else is on point. In yh example with the Vans, that was it. Everything else was full tuxedo. Watch was a Hamilton Thinline Quartz two hander.

I wore a dive watch - a Seamaster 300M GMT - to my own wedding 12 years ago, and have worn it to many more since (it was my engagement present from my wife). It always looks good with a suit. I think you’re overthinking it.

But perhaps more relevant - at the last several weddings I went to, of the watch wearers, ~75% were Apple Watch wearers. The ‘rules’ have been long thrown out.

To me, the only rules are:

• Do you think it looks good with the clothes you’re wearing? Then go for it.

• Are you going to be self conscious about it? Meaning, is it going to bug you and detract from you enjoying the event? Then don’t.

• But most important and dispositive - what does your significant other think? If they don’t like the look, don’t. If they do, the go for it.

This is all based on opinion only. I think there is such a thing as "dress divers". My own personal thoughts and preferences are this, which would apply to any dress watch not just divers:

• Any dress watch should be semi-discreet - a big watch can sometimes take attention away from the person or the occasion.

• It should have a more curvy and polished look - too much brushing or sharp edges can make it look very tooly or sporty.

• It should have a more classic design - something too modern can clash with the aesthetic of formality. Although, if it is modern but subdued then it can still work. Again just something that can be interesting but discreet.

That said, here are some good examples of what I would consider a suitable dive watch for a dressy occasion.

These are not rules, just my personal preferences.

I’d say a qualified yes. To be more versatile than for just sports, etc., you’d need to keep it relatively small and thin. A 42+ mm one that it 13+ mm thick isn’t going to work as well as one that is more dressy size.

My CW trident would be an example. It’s 38mm and 12mm thick with just enough polish to dress up. But it’s still 600M with a screw down crown.

Rolex Submariner, the east are just imitations.

I've done it, strictly a personal choice.

I wear this understated watch to every event ….. no problem

Nothing wrong with Christopher Ward Aquitaine on a leather strap...

I wore a submariner for my wedding day, birth of my daughter, my last job interview and many things in between.. I think you wear what you like and fuck the rest.