Top Watches For Social Peacocking

Watches have been a status symbol ever since they were invented. It once took a king’s purse to afford even a modest timekeeper. If you pulled a pocket watch out of your coat in 1750 you were one hell of a big deal. Fast forward to today and things are different, but in some ways surprisingly the same. There is a big difference between today’s mass produced watches and luxury timepieces that focus on design, quality, and complexity.
Upper range timepieces in today’s world aren’t strictly necessary or novel from a technological standpoint, but they do have something to say about who is wearing them. In social contexts people look at your watch to determine things like your social position, level of education, taste, and of course wealth. Sometimes you want the right watch to make a good impression, other times you merely want to fit it. Below are some top picks when it comes to brands that fit the bill just right in various situations. Allow me to preface the choices below by saying that these are not the only watches good for their intended purposes – but in my opinion typify what each situation calls for. So if your favorite brand or the one whose name is on the watch you are currently wearing is not on the list, feel free to submit your complaints or compliments in the comment box below.

• To Impress Business Colleagues

A man in Switzerland once told me with grave seriousness that “you aren’t taken seriously in business in Europe if you don’t have a good mechanical watch.” That might also hold true for Asia, and other parts of the world. Probably less so in the United States. Assuming you are in the type of meeting where your watch will be noticed, you must play a delicate balancing act of trying to show people you’ve done well and have good taste, while at the same time indicating that you aren’t irresponsible with your money. Because that might mean you are irresponsible with their money too. Thus, business friendly watches should be conservative and classy, as well as a signal of success. Probably the best brand is Patek Philippe.
Next to Rolex , Patek is the top high-end brand in the world and also comes with an average price several times that of a Rolex. Patek Philippe watches are also known to retain value quite well. These are also timepieces very well-regarded by watch lovers and aficionados. To some they might not look exciting at first, but these are a AAA investment when it comes to horology. Here is the Patek Philippe ref. 5270 priced at $176,3000.

• To Show Wealth, Casually

One of the more modern allowances afforded to rich people is the ability to dress however they damn please. These people are known to exist in what is called the “leisure class,” and the idea is that you have enough money to be regularly on vacation or taking time off, and thus not in work attire. The leisure class works smart and thus spends a lot of time relaxing and doing as they want in less than formal attire.
With casual dress being the status quo, how do they communicate that they are in the leisure class versus the unemployed class when they show up to get coffee at 2pm in the afternoon? The answer is by wearing a high-end steel sports watch – with maybe just a little gold. A popular choice is always a Rolex. Everyone has a Submariner, though that is never a bad option. Consider the slightly larger Explorer II model that is reminiscent of an historic model and also very sporty. Price for the Rolex Explorer II is $8,100.

• When You Want to Impress Your In-Laws

Do you remember the way you felt when you first had to meet the parents or extended family of your current (or past) significant other? What you probably wanted was for them to like you, and give you their seal of approval. You careful chose what you wore, how you acted, and how you treated your significant other around them. No matter what, you knew that an aunt or mother was going to look you up and down carefully. So what watch works best when trying to impress them, in the right way?
The ideal timepiece says a few things about you. First that you have good taste and are success. Second that you are sensitive and perhaps a good family person, as well as someone who values tradition. Finally, it says that feel comfortable bringing nice things into the homes of others without trying to show off. This is another tricky call but a brand with a lot of options to succeed in this endeavor is Cartier. You’ll find a lot of First Ladies wearing Cartier women’s watches, as well as on the wrists of European family men. People who wear Cartier often describe themselves as art lovers, and are the type of people who like to treat themselves well as they do the people around them. At the same time, Cartier wearers often wear their watches for years and years, showing everyone that you are the type of person who is in it for the long haul. Seen here is a Cartier Santos 100 that retails for $6,950.

• Something Watch Snobs Will Approve Of

People like to ask me what my favorite watch is. My typical (honest) answer is that I don’t have a favorite. Why would I dedicate so much of my time to writing and learning about watches if I already knew what I liked best to the exclusion of all else? Most decent brands have things I like, and things that aren’t for me. The myriad of watch types and designs out there exist because tastes are beautifully diverse. Having said that, it is nice to know what brand to choose when you know you will be around a discriminating group of “in crowd” watch lovers.
Few brands are universally loved and respected, and none produce models that everyone likes. However, a brand like Swiss Jaeger-LeCoultre comes awfully close. A few things separate Jaeger-LeCoultre from competitors. First, Jaeger-LeCoultre produces not only their own movements in-house but also many of their cases, dials, and other components. This is quite atypical and gives them impressive flexibility when producing new watches. Jaeger-LeCoultre is also very successful at making a large range of watch types in a broad price spectrum. Not only do they make a fantastic watch for $10,000, but they also make some of the best watches at $100,000 (and up). They will also make you a wonderful dive watch as well as dress watch. If you want the best chance at instant cred with a timepiece aficionado, then go with a Jaeger-LeCoultre. Seen here is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Perpetual in 18k rose gold priced at $34,700 (just under $20,000 in steel).

• Because You Can Appreciate The Best, And Can Also Afford It

The world’s most expensive timepieces go by various names. Some people call them “mega watches,” and others “ultra high-end luxury.” I enjoy it when people call them “super watches” in line with super cars and perhaps super heroes. The idea of a super watch is not one that is bedazzled with many carats of diamonds or made with a unicorn leather strap. Super watches are more about intense levels of hand-assembly and decoration, as well as amazing mechanical complications.
You don’t need to go very far to look for watches that are priced over $100,000, and surprisingly you don’t need to go much further for watches over $300,000. When it comes to watches priced over $500,000 – $1,000,000, then you are starting to get into serious super watch territory. Super watches need to be exclusive, and offer something that no one else can provide. If you are spending half a million dollars on a watch, a bit of the part of that price is the fact that only a few other people can get it (and that ideally, other people actually want it).
A great choice in this category is Greubel Forsey. Most of their watches are in the $500,000 plus range, and it is not unknown for a Greubel Forsey watch to break the $1,000,000 mark. In addition to being highly complex and dazzling to watch, Greubel Forsey arguably employs the world’s best movement decoration practices on its watches. Each piece takes month to create, and most of that time is hand-decoration of each individual part. If you want to impress the world’s top connoisseurs, a Greubel Forsey will do it. Seen here is the Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon Technique in platinum priced at over $600,000.

• To Help Lure A Lady

They say that men principally buy flashy cars in order to attract women. That isn’t universally true in some enthusiast circles, but on a mass level it is probably very accurate. Men like to collect nice things to show women they have good taste, money, and are active members of our species who’d be a fantastic choice to share genes with. A lot of guys invest in luxury watches to impress and attract women. Of course what you wear will help determine who (if anyone) you attract, but the question is what message do you want to convey.
Men who wear lots of diamonds or gold may come across as playboys who aren’t serious or someone who has a lot to compensate for. Watches too classic in taste may have a sobering effect and tell women that while you may be successful, you cold be boring to speak with and potentially not active. Something too sporty will alienate women, telling them that you are more interested in your toys than them. A good choice is an Italian Panerai. Over the last 15 years or so the brand has seen various period of high success, helping to usher in a permanent shift in the size of men’s watches (to be larger), and also creating a cult-like fan base. Panerai watches often look similar to each other, but the high-end sport watches are rare for offering active looks while also appearing elegant. It says you are strong but won’t scare her off like cartoonishly-size tire on a 4×4 truck. Seen here is a Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days (PAM422) the retails for $11,200.

• For Fitting In With The Kids

If there is any demographic in the world that isn’t prone to wearing a watch it is those under 25. Not only are timepieces generally expensive, but the youngest generation grew up with mobile phones and other devices to tell the time. Unless they had family members who gifted a watch to them or got them into timepieces, chances are that young people aren’t going to know or care much about watches. That is aside from the fashion aspect. To impress a younger demographic your watch needs to be “cool.” Colorful and urban, your watch needs to look like it fits into their “now,” and not your yesterday. Kids have no love for the past as they barely recognize their own, so if you want to fit in with a younger crowd you’ll need something they can identify with today.
This year Casio G-Shock celebrated its 30th anniversary. Nevertheless, the “do anything” quartz watch feels just as fresh as it did in the 1980s. With durable plastic cases, G-Shocks are favored by everyone from soldiers to urban warriors. Casio has done a fantastic job of turning the G-Shock into a fashion item as well as a high-function inexpensive collection of timepieces. You’ll find dozens (and dozens) of G-Shock models in most any color and style you can think of. The hippest G-Shock models today come in colorful cases, and surprisingly feature analog, or analog/digital dials. Yes, the digital watch that almost killed analog watches is now surging with analog models. G-Shock watches are easy on the wallet, simple to wear, dependable, and quite fun. Perfect for being a kid or just getting along with them. Seen here is the Casio G-Shock GA100A priced at $110.745TDBanty 130805
From:http://www.forbes.com/sites/arieladams/2013/06/27/top-watches-for-social-peacocking/