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In what settings, professions, and social circles are luxury watches considered acceptable?
I only own one relatively quite dress watch, but this is a question I like to ask myself as I browse some of the more imaginative offerings on this forum from brands like Urwerk, MB&F, and DeBethune. For those who own watches that could be considered "flashy", I'd be curious if you would share in what situations you wear them and when you avoid doing so.
I work at a defense research laboratory, a more austere environment where it would almost certainly be frowned upon to wear these things. In this setting, very few people know anything about high end luxury watches. Wearing something like a gold Royal Oak here would come off as incredibly ostentatious, and it may even raise concerns during a security clearance interview.
However, my main hobby is poker. In the world of poker, I would say that luxury watches are encouraged. They are quite commonly spotted at higher stakes games. On past trips to places like Vegas and Monaco, I've played against a variety of interesting characters wearing some very impressive time pieces. Most often, they are the typical sports watches like Rolex, AP, Richard Mille, Nautilus, etc.
I wear what I feel like wearing at the time. Don't really care what others 'might' think is appropriate or not. [nt]
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At the end of the day, you'd be surprised that either people won't notice, or if they do, they won't care... or you'll
have the ones that will judge (negative). Can't really do anything about the negative ones. Plus who decided what's appropriate anyway? It's just a set of rules other human beings no smarter than you or I follow because "that's how it's always been." #zerof*cksgiven đ
For your situation
I agree with your thoughts about flashy watches in your work environment. Just wear a classical independent with fantastic finishing and no one will be the wiser.
For your hobby it sounds like it's anything goes.
For your hobby it sounds like it's anything goes.
I was just sharing my job/hobby background as an example
But I have no interest in wearing my MG Tefnut or any other watch to work. That's just out of a personal desire to minimize any distractions while working. The question I was interested in was if there were any other particular settings where people find it okay to wear less subtle luxury watches. For example, I'd imagine it's also perfectly acceptable for anyone working in the luxury goods industry in general.
This is the perfect answer.
So many âluxuryâ watches out there that wouldnât even get a second glance.
Anything low key doesn't count towards my question however
No one I know would give a Patek minute repeater a second glance, so of course a watch like that can be worn by just about anyone in any setting. I'm more curious about when it's okay to wear the types of watches that will immediately raise questions and eye brows. Think large, gold, iced-out, crazy design, >=$100k, preferably all of those together with one or more tourbillons 
Itâs more about the style of watch.
I do consider them depending on occasion and attire.
If no one at your office knows anything about "luxury watches" how would they know if you are
wearing one or not?? Wear what you want, I decided some time ago that life is too short to worry about trivial things.
I also work in a research environment my friend, and trust me, mine is perhaps the single worst possible in terms of fashion or watches...
I'm a tenured full professor of mathematics at a US university.
Be yourself, be strong, and people will like you -- or at least they'll get curious. Personally, I even asked to devote a full paragraph of my university official bio to my rare handcraft Pateks; if the bosses that I don't have don't enjoy it that's fine, they can take it down anytime, along with my CV and publication list.
Everything is still up there, and everybody is happy, including myself. Actually, a couple years ago, the press office of the university even sent a journalist to write a long, beautiful piece about one of my Pateks (ref. 5089G-020 from the anniversary collection), which the undergrad students then reprinted in large font in their campus journal. Teaching has never been more fun than in the couple of weeks following that article ;-)
Again, my humble suggestion is to just be yourself, in every environment --- be it research, poker, or walking down the street. Life is certainly more fun this way
Cheers.
Cheers.That's an amazing Patek! Certainly a great choice for introducing anyone to the concept of watches as art.
In my opinion however, I think your higher position in the academic hierarchy does give you more social acceptability with regards to luxury watches. Hypothetically, I could imagine that if a student at your university was wearing something like a Greubel Forsey, it would probably rub other professors and students the wrong way. Would you disagree? My tastes are for simple dress watches and I can't yet afford anything too absurd anyway, so this isn't a problem I'm facing. I'm mostly just trying to wrap my head around when it is and isn't acceptable to wear something like an HM6 space pirate tourbillion
Agree that a GF on a student (assuming anyone would recognize it) might be more frowned upon, but in the sense that people would be thinking that someone else is paying for his/her watches..
In this case I agree more on the general point, perhaps because all the (little!) money that I made, I made it by myself, which is also a âvery Americanâ way to look at things. While Iâm genuinely happy for you if youâve earned a beautiful life (be it expressed with a watch, a car, a plane or anything else), I frankly tend to admire less those that run around enjoying things that someone else has paid for. In this specific sense, then yes, I understand less a student sporting a GF (even if there are students who work before college, so even then, who knows!), in the same way that while Iâm happy to wear my watches anywhere, I myself wouldnât enjoy to be seen traveling on a private jet..đđ
A friend of mine is a finance department chair at a major US university.
He loves his Rolexes (Rolii???) and wears them freely. I asked him about it, as he was doing from the start of his academic career, and he said there were absolutely no comments/problems whatsoever.
Agree, and in finance (meaning economics/business?) departments, that would also be generally looked favorably...
More generally, their dress code is on average much better than in other departments. Not to mention that a business professor (even without doing an administrative career) is among the highest paid faculty on campus, so the optics is also entirely consistent đđ
Plus, they all have side businesses.
Hedge funds, etc keep professors on payrolls to keep up with latest academic research.
Only very few people know my watches.
So I can wear what I want. Nobody cares. Trust the lawyer.
I'd say pretty much anything...
In white metal, modest size, no diamonds and on a leather strap and you would be good to go. While you may know what things cost, I dont think the vast majority of people could tell that a 5970P is any more expensive than a Breitling Chronomat on a shiny steel bracelet. Sad but true.
Try a vintage Rolex Milgauss... A summit of understatement. Personally, I wear what I want, depending on the mood of the day. [nt]
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Always fly under the radar
My rule is to be as unobtrusive as possible and fit in with the environment. Unwanted attention can be uncomfortable and in some environments, dangerous. In other situations, you'd call attention to yourself if you were "underdressed."
I completely agree!
Which is in large part why I'm curious about what settings people manage to wear more conspicuous time pieces without attracting that type of unwanted attention 
Afaik
in the weapon sales(aka.defense research laboratory)high end watches are not a problem , i think you guys make the highest margin comparing to other industries .
Our lab works on things like radar, comm systems, cyber security, etc. nothing directly weapons-related
But the reason I think they are more unacceptable in this line of work is due to the fact that money comes directly from the military and tax payer. So giving any impression that it is being spent in extravagant or irresponsible ways is definitely something to be avoided. I could see a notorious arms dealer sporting a Richard Mille if that's what you were referring to however
Exactly my knowledge
based on the movie Lord of War ,NC had a YG DD which is flashy enough to my tasteđ
I wear my Urwerk or DeBethune or other ,,flash,,watch whenever i want .
I dont care what others think . But do also own a few dresswatches . Just wear what you want , its your watch and your wrist and live .
it depends on who you what to put project yourselves in the workspace...
I wear watches of my liking when i'm with my family or when i'm out with friends.
in work space, i keep a very simple one that shows you've a taste but remains understated (or even invisible).
Best,
mahesh.,
Any watch. Any Occassion. Any Time.
No rules
I'm wearing this one today and it even has a white strap (and it's not even summer!!). The lady at the Post Office this morning said "I don't know what that is, but it looks very expensive!!" LOL!! She's right
Don't over-think it, the masses here are right, wear whatever makes YOU feel comfortable. When it comes to watches, I just do me. On those rare and horrible occasions that I'm forced to wear a suit, I'm more concerned that my shirt is pressed, my suit is tailored and my shoes are polished. I think people will take cues from that more strongly than the timepiece on my wrist.
NickO
