Key takeaways
- Match your watch metal to your belt buckle and jewellery.
- Match the formality: dressy watch for formal outfits, bolder watches for casual looks.
- Use the dial colour to tie the outfit together.
- When in doubt, a silver watch with a classic dial works with almost anything.
Your watch is the one accessory you wear every day, so it should work with what you wear. You don't need a rulebook: four simple guidelines are enough.
In this guide
1. Match your metals
Silver watch, silver buckle and jewellery. Gold with gold. Rose gold works beautifully with warm tones like camel and brown. Mixing metals is fine too, especially with a two-tone watch. More tips in Silver or gold watch?
2. Match the formality
- Suit and formal: a slim, clean watch that slides under the cuff. See What watch to wear to a wedding.
- Smart casual: almost anything goes: an integrated bracelet, a chronograph-style watch or a coloured dial.
- Casual and sporty: bold dials, dive styles and sport watches.
3. Use the dial colour
A dial can echo a colour in your outfit: a blue dial with denim or a navy suit, a green dial with olive and earth tones, a black or white dial with almost everything.
4. Leather? Match it
With a leather strap, aim to match the colour of your shoes and belt roughly: brown with brown, black with black. With a metal bracelet you don't have to worry about this.
Shop the look
One watch for everything?
Choose a stainless steel watch with a classic dial in black, white or blue. It works from the office to the weekend. Read How to wear a watch for more styling tips.
Frequently asked questions
Should my watch match my belt?
Ideally the buckle metal matches your watch, and a leather strap matches your belt colour.
Can I wear a gold watch with a silver outfit or jewellery?
Yes. Mixing metals is common; a two-tone watch makes it look intentional.
What watch goes with everything?
A stainless steel watch with a classic black, white or blue dial.
