The Perfect Dress Watches: Our 5 Top Picks

Style-oriented men and women will appreciate the beauty and complex craftsmanship behind a luxury dress watch. That said, a dress watch doesn’t need to be overly fussy. It doesn’t need to showcase all the newest high-tech features within the Swiss horological world. What matters in a dress watch is that it looks good and keeps reliable time. Many gentlemen however, do prefer the look of a chronograph on the wrist, and there’s certainly a large selection of timepieces to choose from that offer a sporty twist thanks to a sleek trio of chronograph dials. But regardless of whether you’re a chronograph lover or a fan of the simple three handed dial - luxury dress watches don’t need to be made from the finest precious metals either.

The truth be told, there is no fast and simple way to define what makes the perfect dress watch. It’s all about what you personally desire and what style of watch will best reflect your personality. Every lady or gent wants their wristwatch to say a little bit about their taste when it comes to styling a watch with their favourite dinner dress or their smartest business suit. A dress watch needs to be interesting. It needs to be able to work its way into a conversation with a client or a stranger at a celebratory do – the talking point to an outfit. That said, a dress watch can’t be too garish that it completely distracts from an outfit. Since those occasions that require the addition of a luxury dress watch with smart attire are often those special occasions shared with family and friends – you don’t want to create the impression that you’re keeping track of the time or that you have somewhere else to be.

A luxury dress watch should balance subtlety, with charm and understated elegance. More often than not a dress watch is a timekeeping tool - an investment that has required some saving beforehand, so finding the perfect style and design for you is the difference between a life-long companion for all those memorable moments in life or a complete waste of one’s savings. Whether looking for a delicate dress watch like the Nomos Tangente or a slightly more confident dress watch like a Bremont MBII watch - we have an unrivalled collection of luxury dress watches for men and women here at Berry’s. Here’s a list of 5 of our favorite dress watch manufacturers and reasons why their timepieces make for the best watches to wear with your smart attire.

For a refined and opulent lady’s dress watch, look no further than the Omega Constellation watch collection. It’s the best place to look for a timepiece that balances subtle glamorous undertones with a simple design. This 24mm Omega Constellation watch boasts an 18ct rose gold bezel bearing the distinct “Griffes” or claws that define the Constellation family of timepieces, completed on a silver dial with 18ct rose gold batons that retain a classic and simple reader-friendly dial. The watch’s sophisticated stainless steel and 18ct rose gold bi-colour bracelet will pair naturally with rose gold or white gold jewellery.

View the Omega Constellation 24mm Steel & 18ct Red Gold Ladies Bracelet Watch here

For a dress watch that adds a touch of colour to a professional suit, the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph is a timepiece that combines traditional watchmaking expertise with superb functionality. A deep blue sunray dial is encased within a stainless steel 43.5mm bezel and features polished hands with two white sub-dials. The 89361 calibre automatic chronograph movement is capable of a 68 hour power reserve, enabling you the option to take the watch off on a Friday night and return to it after the weekend to find it hasn’t missed a beat.

View the IWC Portugieser Collectionhere

With a 35.1mm diameter, the Santos de Cartier timepiece is a dress watch that can be worn by any gentleman in search of a wristwatch to accommodate a slender wrist, or by any female fan of the “boyfriend” look. Its broad and daring diameter for a lady will add a statement to any summer dress. This Cartier dress watch boasts an 18ct yellow gold unisex case that will pair nicely alongside a set of sleek yellow gold cufflinks, or a stack of yellow gold bangles. On a practical level, an anti reflective sapphire glass lens will promise a view into the dial without any undesirable glare affecting readability. This Cartier de Santos watch features a 7 sided 18ct yellow gold crown, tipped with a sapphire, a set of blued steel hands and a water resistance of 100 metres, making this dress watch an investment-worthy and practical timepiece for special occasions.

View the Cartier Santos Collection here

For a minimalistic dress watch, the Jaeger Le-Coultre Master Ultra Thin watch collection is sure to offer plenty of inspiration. The line of dress watches for men not only boasts incredibly thin and refined cases, but also on offer are a variety of in-house mechanical movements, produced to exceptionally high standards. Jaeger Le-Coultre movements are developed to precise dimensions, enabling them to sit comfortably under a shirt cuff whilst protected within their ultra-luxurious gold and steel cases.

View the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Watch Collection here

The last of our top 5 dress watches is the Patek Philippe Calatrava watch in a 39mm 18t rose gold case. If you’re looking for a watch that offers something exclusive and well worth the premium price tag, this watch is for you. The model which presents the time on a sublime ivory dial is powered by a self-winding movement that provides you with an opportunity to sit and wind the time with your own bare hands. Connoisseurs collecting Patek Philippe watches all over the world regard self winding dress watches as some of the most opulent and indulgent timepieces on the market. These intricately composed movements are a work of art. Powering, as seen in this design, a set of elegant hands around a simple set of hand applied gold markers, this Patek Philippe dress watch is finished on a classic leather strap in brown. This vintage dress watch is sure to complete a smart tuxedo or business suit effortlessly.

View the Patek Philippe Calatrava 18ct Rose Gold Ivory Dial Men's Automatic Leather Strap Watch here

Dress watches are above all, a timepiece to enjoy both as an accessory as well as a timekeeping tool. With so many variations available within our collection of Berry’s dress watches - it’s all about finding a design that fuses timekeeping excellence with a classic and down-to-earth design.