Dive Watches vs. Dress Watches: What’s your timekeeping style?

In this fight I would go with dive every time. I don’t own a suit which answers the question

Diver…I’m too clumsy to wear dress watches on the daily

Dive. Even my preferred dress watches are sporty.

Diver. I don’t like to take my watches off when doing things so dress watches won’t cut it

Sports watch most of the time, dress watch for the office or special occasions.

It’s my goal to never put on a suit again. So dress watches are not really my thing.

I live in a beach community and spend a lot time in and around the water. Not to mention the humidity (sweating profusely is a part of life here). So divers if I’m out and about doing that kinda stuff. If it’s not a particularly hot day or I’m spending more time inside I’ll wear a field. I like some dress watches but they don’t really fit my lifestyle or wardrobe. Maybe one day.

Hey fictional character, you look stupid with that sports watch with black tie. And on a missized stap too! I love how you show the stupidity of luminous paint by needing a cigarette lighter to tell time though. Are you in the tropics with the white dinner jacket?

I am an adult and dress like an adult. Dress watch, formerly known as a normal adult dress watch, all the way. I live above water as well, and lack Walter Mitty fantasies.

Work and play. Gotta have both

I'm not a suit & tie type, so I'd say diver over dress 13 out of 14 times.

I do still go to church, but even then I will wear the diver.

I generally go towards sports and divers.

Chronographs 😉 - this way I can go for both Dress and Dive...

Dive for me, so practical, so cool looking ……….

"Everyday dress" or "Casual dress" seems to be an emerging and popular category at the moment.

Dress. You can however look smart with a dive/sports watch or casual with a dress watch.

All depends on your style

I’m not at all surprised to see the overwhelming majority of denizens of WatchNerdia aren’t into dressing up. I am more interested in my divers than my dress watches but more often still I’m wearing a non-diver sport watch like a field watch or explorer style.

That being said I’m wearing a diver right now.

Dive is more versatile 😉

Here is a kinda sorta dress watch:

As in, if you wear it in a dressy environment, maybe with exception of black tie situation (you know, tuxedo and what not), no one will complain.

On the other hand, bringing a dress watch to the beach is asking for troubles.

I really love the dive one but wrist is too small. Have to pick dress watch.

...ss old as horology itself...

So, horology only goes back to 1953?

Mostly dress, but divers sometimes on the weekend.

Former military diver here so I choose dive watch every time, even with a suit. I do have a few dress pieces but these have never been my go to pieces. You absolutely can wear a dive watch with a suit, don't let anyone tell you different.

I am far more casual now then back in myt working years..I wear more GMT's and Dive style watches than my PP's or AP's.. Heck I dont even own a tie anymore LOL

I tend to be more and more on a sportier side, but I'm a dresswatch guy deep in myself. I don't care wearing a dress watch with t-shirt and jeans as I don't care to wear my Promaster in formal situation. It's more related to color of my outfit and mood of the day

Both, I’ve taken a Cartier Santos Dumont XL to the beach (not swimming), but short of swimming or diving, modern dress style pieces are perfectly robust IMHO to handle daily style.

So both, I am business causal at the office with a lot of work being on job sites and around machinery and equipment, one day it’s a Sun, the next it’s a JLC Reverso.

I wear what I like or rather the watch I like. Maybe I hold back on extremes and I won’t wear a river or Chronograph with a tux and I won’t wear a Lange Saxonia thin diving. Other than that, the style is the watch I chose to wear that day.

If I could only choose one, dress watches because they tend to be more stylish and unique. But the reality is both have a place in the collection.

Dive without a doibt

It's a diver for me, I love to see elegant dress watches, but divers are a little more practical!

I absolutely love wearing dress watches but if it’s just one forever, it’ll be a dive watch or rather a sporty watch. A sports watch is more versatile and functional. Also if we can all accept James Bond(I know he’s fictional but we accept the character as is so my point is valid) wearing a Sub or Seamaster with a suit even in the most formal of occasions, you can wear a diver with a suit too. Just make sure it’s not an Invicta.

Dive/sport.

Aqua Terra, true GADA

I’d like to think the mods I’ve done to my Seiko 5 has made it a nice intermediate between sport and dress. It’s kinda chonky, but I think it looks nice with the smooth bezel and the sunburst blue dial. Haven’t had an occasion to dress up, but I feel confident when I wear it somewhere nicer/ in public.

I love dress watches and the only thing I have in that arena is the Rolex President and it is more sporty then dress IMO. I seem to have a bunch of divers and chrono's. Im retired now and am seldom out of jeans or shorts..LOL Enjoy the hobby..