I Love a Dainty Watch, But I Tried On This Men's Style, and Now I'm Obsessed

The fashion world is currently enamored with watches, especially ones designed for and worn by women. Instagram is loaded with them, showcased on wrists and stacked alongside sculptural bracelets or in a decorative box to show off a growing collection. In a retail space once dominated by men, women are embracing these meticulously crafted and categorically luxurious investment items with open arms.

In the past, celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez dabbled in larger timepieces, but this time around, most of the watches that are trending among women are rather dainty in size. Think smaller Tanks and Baignoires and Lady Datejusts.  While I am nothing if not smitten with all three of the aforementioned styles, I'm also someone who spent her early 20s in a men's Seiko stolen from her father, which is why I've always had a soft spot for bigger, more substantial timepieces when time is taken to choose the right one and, of course, it is styled just right. 

One trick to styling a men's watch is to stick with cases that are 40 millimeters or below. Anything larger than that tends to be overly showy, a trait that's best avoided, especially for an everyday watch. (Luxury watches are expensive and sought after, so you don't want to draw an abundance of attention to yours. In 2022, nearly 7000 Rolexes were reported stolen or missing, according to data from The Watch Register.) I also prefer to go for classic color options and minimal designs that can be dressed up or down and will fit seamlessly with my existing jewelry collection and wardrobe. 

Versatility is what first attracted me to the Ingenieur Automatic 40—a Swiss-made men's timepiece by IWC, a luxury watch brand out of Schaffhausen, Switzerland, that was founded in 1868 by Boston watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones. I was kindly invited by the brand to attend an event in Las Vegas ahead of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix at the end of last year (IWC has partnered with the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team since 2004) and even more kindly tasked with picking out a watch to wear for the occasion. 

Though I carefully studied each one, I pretty much knew straight out the gate that this Ingenieur was the one for me. The style first launched in 1955 with the intention of building a timepiece that was durable at its core while still being a touch sporty, elegant, and ultimately wearable. The Automatic 40 was only released in March of 2023. Inspired by Swiss watchmaker Gérald Genta's Ingenieur SL from the 1970s, the redesigned take has a bolder overall look. The devil's really in the details, though, from the dial's unique design to the combination of satin-finished and polished surfaces on the bracelet, bezel, and case. Immediately, I began thinking up ways to style it, inspired by the challenge of making a sportier watch primarily designed for men feel natural on my wrist and with my not-so-sporty wardrobe. 

Scroll down to see how I seamlessly incorporated a men's watch, IWC's Ingenieur Automatic 40, into three outfits.