Some watches, such as dress watches and sports watches, have a prong and notch system that allows you to easily move the prong up or down a notch to tighten or loosen. Casual or formal watches can have a more complicated fastening system that requires you to adjust the size by adding or removing links. Consult the instruction manual, or ask your jeweler for help or advice on adjusting the length of your watch. A man should never wear his wristwatch loose around his wrist. It should move about an inch up and down your wrist as you move. The face of the watch should not slip to the side of your wrist. As a general rule, you should be able to fit a finger snugly between your wrist and the watch band. A wristwatch should not be worn too tightly. If the watch leaves an imprint on your wrist, it is too tight and should be loosened. Women’s watches may be worn snugly, or loose around the wrist like a bracelet.

Formal watches are usually made of a precious metal (silver, gold, or platinum), and can be incredibly expensive, depending on brand and materials. [4] X Research source Many people prefer a formal watch that is made of the same metal tone as the rest of their jewelry or accessories. For example, a woman who’s wearing a platinum necklace might prefer to wear a platinum, silver, or white gold watch, while a man who’s wearing gold cufflinks will usually prefer to wear a gold watch. [5] X Research source Formal watches can be incredibly expensive, and are seen as a status symbol among men. If an expensive formal watch is not in your budget, consider foregoing the formal watch altogether; a cheap watch can carry a negative perception, while there are no consequences for not wearing a watch during these occasions.

Wear your sports watch when you will need to keep time, measure depth or speed, consult a compass, or when you will use other special features included. Outside of athletic endeavors, you can wear your sports watch with a long sleeve shirt or even a tie to casual events. Never wear a sports watch with a suit—this is the fashion equivalent of wearing sneakers with a tuxedo! It is considered to be in poor taste.

Choose one with a thin black or brown leather band to wear at events that require semi-formal wear, business professional wear, or even business casual wear, including blazers with slacks or jeans, dresses, and trousers with a nice blouse or jacket. Match your shoes and belt to your watch band. If your shoes are black, then don’t wear a watch with a brown band. Buy multiple bands for your watch, so you can easily and inexpensively make your watch match your shoes and belt. Or, look for a band that is a mix of brown and black.