It’s Christmas time, and that means the man in the red suit will be coming our way soon. We’ve assembled a range of gift guides this year to help you pick something for that special someone, even if that someone is yourself! Today, we’ve got dress watches covered!
The end of the year can mean many things: the closing of a chapter, the perfect time for R&R, or perhaps the anticipation of gathering around with friends, family and loved ones for the holidays! However, it also means that Christmas is just around the corner, and with Black Friday having come and gone, time is ticking. Everyone not caught up in the shopping mania of weeks past are now scrambling for gift ideas before the 25th finally arrives!
Should the special someone (or someones!) in your life have a head for horology, then a beautiful new watch would be the perfect gift for them! If you’ve not seen them already, we’ve our Christmas Gift Guide to Chronographs as well as our Christmas Gift Guide to Square Watches on the site – make sure you check them out after this. I’ve decided to tackle the holiday season with a more traditional approach: dress watches. Whether it be a black tie gala, a formal business outing, a romantic evening, or a graduation, a dress watch finds comfort in minimalism and extravagance in subtlety. It’s not something you’d traditionally wear every day, but you’ll be sure glad it’s there when you need to dress to impress.
The resurgence of the watch industry also means the resurgence of the dress watch, so watch brands the world over have been under the pump this year, creating some of the best dress offers we’ve seen in a long time. Releases are plentiful, and we understand that it can get extremely confusing, which is why I’m here to help you out. So, enough blabbering, and read on as I count up a variety of beautifully understated dress pieces that are sure to stun at any price point!
Timex: 1960s Marlin Series
At the lower end of the price bracket is the Timex 1960s Marlin. The unique retro design of these timepieces, with slim Arabic numerals for the quarter indexes, presents a fascinating yet fairly boujee aesthetic for the money. It’s for this reason, combined with the reliability of their automatic Miyota movement, that makes watch fans everywhere revere this series within Timex’s Marlin collection. Standing at 40mm case diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug (length), and 13mm thick, the 1960s Marlin comes in either sunray-brushed salmon, green or blue dial colours, as well as a more demure black with gilded accents. For those pursuing elegance on a budget, I couldn’t recommend them enough – especially since you can get 15% off your first purchase!
- References: TW2V44600 (Green), TW2W33900 (Black/Gilt), TW2V44500 (Blue), TW2W33800 (Salmon)
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$499.95
For More Information, Visit Timex.com
Seiko: Presage Cocktail Time ‘Mockingbird’/‘Cosmopolitan’
Really, how could I start off a list with a value proposition and not include the kings themselves? Seiko is to watches what Toyota is to cars, and their watches are no exception to the rule. One of my favourite Seiko series to date is the Cocktail Time collection, which has various coloured dials that represent different cocktails made at a bar. For the price you pay, you get an incredibly attractive timepiece that I find can be worn for practically any occasion, thanks to the reputable reliability of Seiko themselves. My recommendations would be the deep green SRPD37J1 ‘Mockingbird’ for men, or perhaps the light pink SRP839J1 ‘Cosmopolitan’ for women – but there are so many different versions, I know you’ll find one you like even more.
- References: SRPD37J1 (Mockingbird), SRP839J1 (Cosmopolitan)
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$699 (Mockingbird), AU$695 (Cosmopolitan)
For More Information, Visit here for the ‘Mockingbird,’ or here for the ‘Cosmopolitan’
Tissot: Chemin des Tourelles Blue
The first Swiss watch to make an appearance here is the always-popular Tissot with the Chemin de Tourelles collection. Initially released just last year, they have taken the affordable dress watch world by storm, thanks to a value-driven, beautifully finished package.
Related Reading: Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Hands on Review
With a whopping 80-hour power reserve, this is a watch that can worn on the daily as well as for special occasions. Like the Seiko Cocktail Time, variations are aplenty – and with so many male & female versions to choose from, it’s impossible to lose! I prefer the blue variant pictured above – but if you need a second opinion, check out the review Matt did last year!
- Reference: T139.807.16.041.00
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$1,240
For More Information, Visit Tissot.com
MIDO: Baroncelli Chronometer Silicon Gent
While the Mido Commander collection is more well-known as part of this Swiss brand’s lineup, the Mido Baroncelli is perhaps more representative of the dress watch genre as a whole. This particular reference is especially stunning, as its dark anthracite dial carries a unique finishing along with it.
Related Reading: Certifications Explained – What Chronometer Actually Means?
The dressy nature of this watch is only furthered by the introduction of rose gold on the hands and indexes – a fitting and elegant addition to this incredible sleeper hit. For those horologically inclined, the added price tag also introduces COSC Chronometer certification, meaning that this watch is a beautiful as it is remarkably accurate.
- Reference: M027.408.16.061.00
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$1,975
For More Information, Visit Mido.com
Raymond Weil: Millesime Silver
Okay – if you’ve been reading my stuff for a while now, you must be getting sick of seeing me glaze this watch to no end. Counterpoint: I don’t care, because this watch absolutely deserves it! Ignoring the absolute comeback tour that Raymond Weil is currently on, the Millesime’s addition to their lineup was both unexpected and welcome.
Related Reading: Hands On With The Raymond Weil Millesime
So welcome, in fact, that they won a GPHG Award for their efforts – the equivalent of an Oscar for watches. At a middling price point, this gorgeous watch now comes with an endless amount of colours, sizes, and complications, perfect for celebrating any special occasion. But don’t just take it from me now, take it from me in the past, when I reviewed the award winner earlier this year:
- Reference: 2930-ST-65001
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$3,800
For More Information, Visit RaymondWeil.com
Frederique Constant: Classics Premiere
Frederique Constant, often relegated to the background of the watch industry, has been putting exceptional work into their timepieces as of late. This Classic Premiere watch is more than enough proof to verify that claim, as it is as mechanically sound as it is aesthetically. The watch is reasonably sized at 38.5mm, and features Roman Numerals for each quarter index, as well as apple-style hands reminiscent of Cartier. The movement inside – a La Joux-Perret G100 – sports a satisfying 68-hour power reserve, allowing the watch to carry on long after the party is over. For those that love a contemporary take on a tried-and-true classic, this one is surely for them.
- Reference: FC-301N3B6
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$3,950
For More Information, Visit FrederiqueConstant.com
Longines: Flagship Heritage Moonphase Green
We at WatchAdvice are pretty familiar with Longines, and we know that they are far and away one of the most consistent watch brands of all time. It may not surprise, you, then, that their standards, as high as they are, have always been consistent – a sentiment especially true thanks to the Flagship Heritage Moonphase series. The above rendition, decked out in green, is a delicate new take on the Flagship Heritage collection, and seriously proves why Longines deserves all the flowers it has received and more. Sure, the watch may not have a display case back like some of the others on this list, but if you took one look at the enamelled 18k gold medallion, you wouldn’t be complaining.
- Reference: L48154022
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$5,100
For More Information, visit Longines.com
Cartier: Santos Dumont Large Black Lacquer
Speaking of familiarity, the Cartier Santos Dumont is a collection that we have reviewed on several occasions (2020 and 2024 respectively). While both of the watches mentioned here were stunning in their own right, they both pale in comparison to the demure black lacquer rendition. This version carries with it an understated aura that is matched by a scant few and, compounded with the reputation of the brand name, has been elevated to a legendary status. It’s why we’ve reviewed it so many times – and quite frankly, I can’t wait until I review it again!
- Reference: WSSA0046
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$9,850
For More Information, Visit Cartier.com.au
IWC: Portugieser Horizon Blue
At first glance, it’s easy to write IWC off as yet another aviation-focussed watch brand. Yet, the delicately crafted yet bold Portugieser lineup stands out in contrast to the primarily utilitarian designs the Schaffhausen brand is known for. Available in all sorts of shapes and sizes, my pick of the bunch would have to be the new 40mm in Horizon Blue.
Related Reading: Legacy Of Iconic Watch Designs – The Portugieser
It effectively ticks all the boxes of what a quintessential dress watch should be: simple, yet ruthlessly engineered; subtle, yet extravagantly finished, yet obvious to those in the know. By all accounts, the Portugieser is the modern man’s dress watch.
- Reference: IW358402
- Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$28,000
For More Information, Visit IWC.com
A. Lange & Sӧhne: Saxonia Thin
You just can’t beat this. The best is – and always has been – German, thanks in part to the monumental effort that A. Lange & Sӧhne go to make the most excellent wristwatches in the world. This piece, standing at a mere 7.5mm thickness with a 39mm case diameter, represents the very best of the dress watch genre. Decked out in 750 white gold, with an aventurine dial mimicking the stars above, this rendition of the Saxonia Thin is as crazy as you can get whilst still exercising restraint. Remember, a dress watch isn’t built to grab attention but instead to attract it, and when you take one look at this you will be attracted for sure.
- Reference: 205.086
- International Recommended Retail Price: Price upon request
