Friday, December 30, 2011

Engagement Watches For Men: If You Like It Then You Should Put A Watch On It

Over the last few years a new trend has developed when it comes to engagements. It's no longer just the women who receive a nice piece of jewelry to display their lovers affection. It only seems fair that the man should receive a display of affection too.

The concept of the engagement watch is a sound idea. The man wipes out his bank account to afford a ring that will make his woman's friends and family swoon, so why shouldn't the woman spend... I don't know, say a fraction of what he spent and buy her man a quality timepiece for him to show off to his friends and family? He's gonna be busting his ass for the rest of his life to keep her happy, and the ring is only the start to the amount of jewelry he will probably be putting on her if she has her way.

My fiance thought the idea was ridiculous at first. The engagement and the wedding and the whole nine yards was suppose to be the girls moment and it's suppose to be all about her and blah blah blah. Then one day (before we were engaged) we were walking through the mall and passed a jewelry store, Kay Jewelers or something like that and of course she did the whole "I just wanna look," grab your hand and yank you in type maneuver. So I meandered over and began looking at watches. When an employee approached me, my fiance came over and said "He thinks he should get an engagement watch, can you believe that?" To which the employee responded, "How did you hear about engagement watches?" Her face sank. "You mean they are real?" She replied. Boom. I win.

Not but three weeks later we went to a concert with friends of mine who recently got engaged together. She mentioned the whole engagement watch thing and again said that she found it ridiculous at which point my buddy raised his wrist, pulled back his sleeve and revealed a shiny new timepiece, "She got me one," he said. Boom. I win again.

Here's the deal ladies, it's not like we are asking you to propose to us. We just want to know that we are appreciated too, because believe it or not, we have feelings, and this whole wedding process does kind of mean something to us as well.

Some companies have actual "engagement watches" with gold frames and solitaire diamonds on the face. If you're into that kind of thing, then stop by any jeweler at the mall. I prefer leather of canvas bands, and I'm not too big on flashy jewelry (I'm dreading having to wear a wedding band), so these types of watches are not for me. Below I will showcase a few watches that I like that I feel most men would find to be exceptional timepieces to receive at the time of an engagement. Choosing a watch is much like choosing a ring. When and where will it be worn?  Does it match your man's style of dress? Is it quality and long lasting? What kind of warranty/service policies does the particular retailer offer? All of these should be asked before you make the purchase. Here are a few good leads.

Burberry Men's BU1361 Heritage Gent Silver Chronograph Dial Watch

This is a simple faced timepiece that could be worn at pretty much any occasion. Though Burberry is a designer and not necessarily a watch company, they are known for making high quality luxury goods. This particular watch has been featured in GQ Magazine, and has a chronograph and single date calendar, is water resistant up to 165 feet, and is Swiss made, and movement is run by swiss-quartz. It retails around $600.





Citizen Men's BL8000-54L Eco-Drive Calibre 8700 

This sporty watch is powered by Citizen's famous Eco-Drive, which uses Japanese-quartz and recharges using natural sunlight or indoor light, making this timepiece extremely low maintenance. Citizen is known for making quality watches. It is water resistant up to 330 feet and can run for 180 days on a full charge. This watch retails around $475.



Bulova 96a120

This is a watch I hold near and dear to my heart, for it is the watch that my lovely fiance broke down and bought me for Christmas (around the time of our engagement). She did a good job of matching this watch to my style. It has a vintage appearance with a brown leather band and roman numeral numbers, but it also mixes in a modern look by allowing you to look inside and see the watches internal mechanism at work. It has an adjustable leather band that uses a metal clasp to close. It has crystal scratch-resistant windows, it's water resistant up to 100 feet, and is uses a Japanese-automatic self-winding system. Natural movement causes the watch to wind. It has a crystal window on the back side so you can see the winding mechanism at work. It uses no battery and is another low-maintenance watch. Retailing at about $450, I love this watch. It is a perfect example that you don't have to break the bank on an engagement watch. Just do some research and understand exactly what it is you want to get out of the watch. Bulova Stainless Steel Automatic Skeleton Leather Watch - 96A120 



Baume & Mercier Men's 8797 Riviera Chronograph 

If you want to spend a bit extra, a Baume & Mercier is a good choice. This watch is powered by a Swiss-automatic self-winding mechanism, meaning it too is wound by natural movement. It has a sapphire scratch-resistant dial window. The band is made of satin and the watch is water-resistant up to 330 feet. It is sporty, but also casual enough to wear with a suit. This watch retails at around $3000, but can be found on Amazon for half that.

IWC Pilot Spitfire Chronograph IW371702

If you really want to step up your game, a watch from the Swiss company IWC will do the trick. This watch has 25 jewel automatic movement, sapphire scratch-resistant dial windows, genuine leather buckle band and is made by one of the most famous watch makers on the planet. This watch could make any man shed a tear... just look at it! Retails around $5,150.




Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 5159g

I'll admit, this watch is on here as a bit of a joke. But if you are a multi-millionaire, then maybe this is for you. This is the type of watch that defines "family heirloom," the type of watch your kids would fist fight over at the funeral home when you die. Framed in 18k white gold, with an 18k white gold fluted royal crown, sapphire crystal casing, perpetual calendar, and moon phase calendar, this Swiss watch is a watchmakers watch. Patek Philippe had one of their pocket watches go for $11 million at auction, but this wristwatch is a bargain, retailing at $92,000. Small price to pay. 



So whether you are getting by on a budget or buying something that would require a million dollar insurance policy, there is something out there for you. Remember, what is really important is to remember how much effort the man put into buying a ring and the kind of affection that the ring symbolizes. Then reciprocate that and you're good to go. After he's spent weeks dealing with jewelry dealers, who are likely the spawn of Satan, it's the least you could do!