‘I get all twitchy when I see people wearing something that really doesn’t belong’: A watch for every summer occasion

I’m in a tricky spot. As a full-time watch journalist, I’m duty bound to emphasise the life-long quality of a good timepiece (I’m also allowed to say ‘timepiece’ without sounding like an idiot, although it’s a close call). But I also know that there are thousands of really great watches out there, enough for every possible environment or social situation, and I get all twitchy when I see people wearing something that really doesn’t belong. Thick dive watches with suits, for example. Now, I am aware that a lot of strict style rules are really tedious and not everyone can afford dozens of luxury watches, so think of this more as an exercise in picking the right tool for the job. A best-case scenario for all your summer occasions.

This is the Country Life guide to summer dressing for all the complete and utter watch addicts out there. Everyone else, take heed — even if you aren’t going to buy a fistful of new watches to go with your next linen shirt and deck shoes, there will be something here for you too.

The Festival

A summer staple whether you’re a mud-loving Glastonbury veteran, taking the family to Bestival, or losing yourself at Creamfields. A fancy, delicate watch is just one more thing to worry about, but your phone battery will die at some point, and you’ll need to know those set times. So make it something sturdy, waterproof, and not a family heirloom. Bulova’s bright and breezy Snorkel, a quartz dive watch on a rubber strap with a bioceramic case, is a reasonable start, as is Swatch’s Scuba Fifty — a watch produced in partnership with its more luxurious sister brand, Blancpain.

Both are available in sensible or sensational colour ways — which brings me to the other festival-going option: something that brings the party spirit. This summer, I’ll be looking at one of the many watches that does interesting things with luminous material, like Oris’s ProPilot Holstein Edition, whose dial reveals the brand’s bear mascot by night, or the Bell & Ross Diver Lum Outline, with its Tron-like luminous stencils. Perfect by day, and even better by night.

The Wedding

By now I think we’ve all had it drummed into us that the summer wedding outfit can be a bit more interesting than a blue suit (thanks Percival!). Obviously, this is one area where dress codes should still mean something, but whether you’re toughing it out in morning dress or mixing it up with separates and losing the tie, my watch advice would be the same: something small and simple on a leather strap. If it can be gold, so much the better: Omega’s under-the-radar Seamaster Cortina is a great option. Ignore the fact it’s been made to stir up anticipation for next year’s Winter Olympics, it looks cracking with formalwear thanks to its 37mm diameter and vintage-inspired lugs. It’s also worth noting that Omega just released a set of 30mm Seamaster Aqua Terra models with a new automatic movement; something it says brings the same level of quality in a smaller-than-ever diameter.

Alternatively, you could always go for a vintage watch — the width and height are guaranteed to work well with formal outfits and will be a potential conversation starter too. Just don’t spill too much Champagne on them when you take the dancefloor by storm.

The Major Sporting Event

To many of us, summer means sport. It means test matches, Wimbledon, and Grand Prix — maybe a spot of golf or sailing, not to mention Ascot, the Henley Regatta, the boat race… The list goes on and on. These days, most of these events have a luxury watch sponsor (as we discussed here), but thinking that you have to wear a Rolex Day-Date to the tennis or TAG Heuer’s new Monaco ‘Stopwatch’ edition to Formula 1 is a bit on-the-nose. (Although do take a look at Rowing Blazers collaboration with Seiko — it cuts against the grain of expensive luxury brands and brings a little fun to proceedings.)

These events have become arenas of self-promotion, as well as athletic prowess, which means that the summer sporting calendar has become the place to show off a newly acquired watch. And why should the A-list stars have all the fun? Pick something brand new, hard to get, or both, and reap the social media rewards. Right now I would plump for Tudor’s Black Bay 54 Lagoon Blue edition, Breguet’s 250th anniversary Type 20 chronograph or Piaget’s Polo 79 in white gold.

The Holiday

I advise taking a minimum of two watches on holiday, but also a maximum of two. So really, just two. Taking your whole collection so that you can take endless Instagram shots by the pool is not only trying too hard, it’s likely to prompt tricky conversations with the customs officers and potentially with your insurers. The two categories of watch you need are: something practical yet fun that can survive a beach trip/island hike/jetski adventure, and something a bit fancier for dinner.

First up, I’d suggest the newest edition of Longines’ Legend Diver, with its clean white dial. Any version of Doxa’s polished steel Sub 200, and Nomos’s Club Sport World Timer, which might be the best all-round utility watch launched this year, would also work well.

The ‘something a bit fancier for dinner’ category is one I’d also describe as ‘trying out a look that you might not get away with at home’. In that spirit, you could pack a Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph, also in white, a Zenith Chronomaster Original Lapis Lazuli, which will go well with some Mediterranean sea views, or if you’re feeling really brave, H. Moser & Cie’s Pioneer Spiced Aqua in shades of blue and orange with a white rubber strap.