Why Do Men Wear Watches with Diamonds?

Last week in a staff meeting I noticed that my boss was sporting a Cartier Roadster with a diamond bezel. Immediately, I thought to myself, “Oh, so he’s one of those guys”, at the time not even knowing what exactly I had meant by that. I did know however, that I don’t see men wearing watches with diamonds too often so when I do, it does tend to strike an impression. Perhaps making a statement is entirely the intention to begin with.

A Diamond Bulgari Octo for Men

As a follow-up to my last post highlighting the Bulgari Octo with Diamond Bezel, I wanted to take a closer look at why some men even wear watches that have diamonds. The Bulgari Octo with diamonds is listed as a men’s watch and although beautiful and elegant, it would not be a good watch for a woman by any means, unless you are a female pro wrestler that is. It is pretty obvious that Bulgari released this version to appeal to “one of those guys”. And by that I don’t mean it in a negative way. I think it takes a great deal of confidence and security for a man to wear a watch with diamonds on it, almost like wearing a pink shirt. However it is a rarity in some parts of the world like the U.S. so let us examine some of the reasons why.

Diamond Watches for Women

The main reason why we don’t see more men with diamond encrusted and detailed watches is probably because the use of diamonds and other precious stones is more commonly associated with female watches. The addition of diamonds to any watch, no matter how big, sporty or masculine looking will almost always add a feminine tone to it. A simple BVLGARI BVLGARI with time and date functions is made instantly distinguishable as a female watch by replacing the baton hour markers with brilliant cut diamonds. Other discernable factors include:

• Diamond or gemstone set bezel or case
• Use of the color white in the strap or case
• Use of other non-neutral colors
• Smaller case size
• Mother of pearl dial

Of course these elements aren’t limited to women’s watches but they are certainly more common for such. So although many men may like the way diamonds look on a watch, they might feel that the look is a bit too effeminate.

Men Versus Women

There is a big difference between the reasons why men wear watches with diamonds as opposed to women. Women wear diamonds and gemstones more for fashionable adornment and the aesthetic look. That is not to say that you won’t see women wear diamonds for the idea of luxury and status. However you will see an equal number if not more women wear inexpensive watches with artificial diamonds or gemstones. These women are hardly emanating luxury. Sometimes they want to match an outfit or add a bit of sparkle to their wardrobe. A lot of times, women just want to be noticed and admired. One of the easiest ways to do that is wear big rocks that shine.  

On the flip side, you will almost never see a man wearing an inexpensive watch that has artificial diamond detailing. If he is wearing a watch with diamonds, it will likely be an expensive watch of a well known brand such as Rolex, Cartier or AP. It takes a special character to wear the “iced out” versions with fully encrusted diamond cases that even sunglasses won’t protect you from their blinding effect.

Men and Diamond Watches

What are the reasons why some men like to wear these types of watches? More often than not, it’s likely to be a statement of status. Perhaps it’s a reflection of what they’ve accomplished or a trophy for success. More deeply, it can be a lifeline for insecurity or a token of empowerment.

Often men who have achieved a high level of status and wealth will go about acquiring “the best” of everything whether that is cars, wine, living, clothing, shoes, watches and everything else in life. They will equate “the best” of something with whichever is the most expensive and often with wristwatches some of the most expensive ones are the ones with diamonds. They show more discernible value to the general public as opposed to million dollar ‘grand complications’ which true watch connoisseurs will opt for over any diamond watch in a heartbeat.

A show of “discernable value” in watches, I would venture to say is important to many men who have become successful and want people to know it. Of course there are exceptions where men simply like the look of watches with diamonds. Somehow I think it’s a rare occurrence but I would applaud it because the thinking would be more in-line with the way women think and operate. Women tend to wear watches with diamonds more for the way they make them look, the aesthetics. Men wear watches with diamonds for the way they make them feel, which is all that really matters when you are picking the perfect watch for you.

Please share your thoughts on men's watches with diamonds. Would you ever wear or purchase one?