9 of the best dress watches making sure you won’t be underdressed in any occasion

Borna Bošnjak

As our classification of what formal attire consists of keeps changing, our definition of what constitutes a dress watch is changing, too. This was an arena once dominated by the kind of watches that traditionalists would approve of — exceedingly slender, leather-strapped pieces and pocket watches. Thankfully, there’s been a loosening of the “dress watch” term, resulting in Panerais, Richard Milles and Greubel Forseys struggling to fit under a dress cuff – sorry Mr Hodge! While I don’t agree with the precious metal two-hander formula completely, I do concur that dress watches should be minimal, slim, and trend towards being smaller than average – you’ll quickly pick up on this theme as you read on to discover our picks for the best dress watches around.

Vario Versa

The Vario Versa is by no means a conventional dress watch, but it is one that combines signature features of other very popular dress watches in a really affordable package. Combining two 1.9mm-thick Ronda movements into the case, you have the choice of wearing one of two dials by flipping the mid-case carriage around. As there is no seconds hand, there’s no pesky ticking to worry about, just clean, rectangular dials befitting a dressy scenario. Price: US$428

Baltic MR01

Starting off at the affordable end of the spectrum, Baltic’s micro-rotor-equipped MR01 was designed after some of the greatest dress watches ever made. If you’re a lover of the Calatrava 96 (spoiler alert) like myself, you’ll find that there is much to like with the Baltic MR01, including the Breguet numerals, feuille hands and stepped case design. Measuring 36mm in diameter and just under 10mm including the 2mm tall domed crystal, the MR01 has the Hangzhou CAL5000 to thank for its slimness. Admittedly, it’s far from the haute horlogerie stuff you’ll find in the back of a Calatrava, but costing nearly 50 times less, I don’t have much to complain about. My pick of the bunch is the on-trend salmon dial, though both the grained silver and deep blue will do just as good of a job in a dressy scenario. What’s even better is that you can find all the models in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: €545 (~US$610)

Hamilton American Classic Boulton Quartz

We go from the ’40s inspiration of the MR01 to the late ’30s that influenced the Hamilton Boulton. Clearly designed with the latter stages of Art Deco in mind, the first Boulton actually came out in 1941, went through a 1980s revival, and has now landed here with this 27mm x 32mm quartz number. While some may scoff at the fact it’s battery-powered, it does mean you’ll never have to set the time (so long the battery is fresh), and seeing as this may not be the everyday choice for many just makes that all the more convenient. The watch is a movie star, too, featuring on the wrist of Harrison Ford in the latest Indiana Jones film. Price: US$745, available from the T+T Shop

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier

Next up is one of those rare watches deserving of the iconic moniker. The Cartier Tank, regardless of iteration, is just about everything you need in a luxury dress watch, though I’d most likely opt for the Tank Louis Cartier for its stark, minimalist dial and gold case and accents. The fun thing with Cartier’s most recognisable Tank, however, is that you don’t have to fork out five figures for the yellow gold version, as the steel and black dial Tank Musts are even more stealthy and affordable. The 6.6mm thin case measures 25.5mm across and 33.7mm lug-to-lug, and is just about the ideal size for a timeless dress watch. Price: US$13,000

Breguet Classique 5157 Extra-Plat

While by no means overtly designed, Breguet’s Classique 5157 is the perfect example of how a simple watch can feature elaborate finishing without being flashy. Circled by brushed rings engraved with the brand’s secret signature, the silvered dial blank is hand-engraved with an intricate guilloché pattern, the only highlight coming from the flash of blue of the heat-blued steel Breguet handset. The 38mm size is perfectly suited for a modern dress watch, though it wears very flat thanks to its 5.45mm tall case and welded lugs that offer little curvature. This fantastic slimness is thanks to the 502.3 calibre, a full-rotor automatic that despite its construction somehow measures in at an astounding 2.4mm in height. Naturally, the movement is very finely decorated too, though none of this comes particularly cheap. Price: US$20,750

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds

You’re most likely familiar with the story of the Reverso – a sports watch turned quintessential dress watch. Despite its numerous red carpet appearances and long-time Mad Men tenure, I’ve always felt that a lot of its current offerings suffer from excessive thickness and found it best-suited for smart casual scenarios. This, however, has been rectified, as our editor-at-large Luke Benedictus found out when checking out the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds, now with re-profiled lugs and thickness of just 7.56mm, making a world of difference on-wrist. While all of its colourways are substantially dressy, the pink gold and black seems to be calling my name the loudest, especially considering it is paired with two Fagliano straps for peak versatility. Price: US$22,700

Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G

No dress watch list would be complete without a Patek Philippe Calatrava, the best current example of which has to be the 6119 Clous de Paris variant, recently featured in an edition of Versus. The dial is an exercise in proportional perfection, made all the better with razor-sharp dauphine hands and arrow indices. The hobnail bezel surround adds a bit of pizzazz, though does not endanger crossing the “dressy everyday” watch line. Just as pretty as the dial, the manually wound cal. 30-255 PS sports fine anglage of the bridges and wheel spokes, while the contrasting Geneva stripes are interrupted only by polished screw and jewel countersinks. At 39mm, however, it is a bit too large for my personal tastes, though I can easily see it as the ideal dress watch for those with average or larger-sized wrists. It isn’t the most basic currently available Calatrava, however, which is reflected in its retail price. Price: US$32,110

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921

Vacheron Constantin’s Historiques American 1921 seemingly ticks all the boxes for the most traditional of dress watches, not to mention the best driving watches. It’s time-only, with a small(ish) precious metal case, slim at 7.41mm and even manually wound. Its design, however, is unexpected, to say the least. Initially released exclusively for the American market during the Roaring Twenties, the Historiques American would’ve featured on hands fiercely gripping oversized wooden steering wheels of Duesenberg Model Js and Bentley 3-Litres… And then the Great Depression hit. This 36.5mm modern re-release remains faithful to the slanted dial of the original, making sure to attract at least some puzzled looks peeking out underneath a cufflink-fastened shirt sleeve. You better be a fan of its design as it commands a 30% premium over a precious metal Vacheron Traditionnelle with the same movement. Price: US$33,400

Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde Platinum Grey

Stealth wealth has been all the rage in the luxury trend segment over the last few years, and few companies do it as well as Parmigiani Fleurier. In fact, it’s one of the core pillars of the brand, though Guido Terreni dubs it “private luxury”. The new Toric Petite Seconde is the epitome of that idea. On the surface, it’s a white metal watch with a grey dial. Not a hint of gold nor a speck of diamond in sight. On closer inspection, however, you’ll realise the case is actually 950 platinum, with a specially hand-grained dial finished to absolute perfection. To top it all off, the PF780 movement that powers it is crafted from solid gold, a true rarity in watchmaking. Price: CHF 52,000 (~US$62,000)

T+T Timeless pick: the secret is in vintage

Is this kind of cheating? Yes, yes it is. But it’s for a very good reason, so hear me out. While there are plenty of modern watches out there at all kinds of price points, nothing beats the true value proposition and understated appeal that a vintage watch has, in my own, (somewhat) humble opinion. How about a stunning condition, white gold Audemars Piguet, with a Spillman case and hobnail guilloché dial, powered by an automatic AP 2120 movement – for less than US$7k?

If you prefer Patek Philippe, a Calatrava 96 that inspired both the Baltic and 6119 on this list, but in one of its most iconic forms is one of the best vintage watches around, period. Admittedly, it is a fair bit dearer than the AP that preceded it, but there are few watches out there with the same kind of history behind it.

At many thousands of dollars, the previous examples are hardly value-oriented, I hear you say. So instead of spending thousands, how about a couple hundred? The world of vintage Seikos once again comes to the rescue, this time in the form of a 3mm thick, super-hard alloy-cased Credor tank, ref. 6730-5090, and one of my most worn watches of 2022. Having snagged it for just over A$300, there is a wide margin between it and the vintage Holy Trinity pieces and one that’s filled to the brim with excellent options – Omega Constellations, Universal Geneve Silver Shadows, Girard-Perregaux Gyromatics, not to mention the overwhelming number of Seiko, King Seiko and Grand Seiko variants.