Dress Watches

Thickness matters more than diameter here. Anything past about 10mm starts to catch on a cuff, and the very best dress watches sit under 8mm, which constrains the movement and is why thin automatics cost what they do. Lug-to-lug and case profile do the rest of the work.

The conventions are worth knowing even if you break them. Roman or baton indices over Arabic numerals, a polished case rather than brushed, and a strap that matches your shoes rather than your watch. Longines and Frederique Constant do the classical version properly in the middle of the range, Hamilton and Tissot at the value end, and Czapek and Glashutte Original at the top for anyone who wants the movement to be as considered as the dial.

Dress Watches holds 508 models across 66 brands, from £15 to £99,995. Half cost less than £725, and a quarter less than £149. 200 of 508 are automatic. 137 are stocked by more than one retailer, giving 647 offers in total. Longines lists more references here than any other brand. Prices are checked nightly against the retailers’ own feeds.