10 Impossibly Elegant Dress Watches to Wear at Your Black-Tie Holiday Party
There are times when bells and whistles like helium valves, jumbo bezels, and lume-slathered markers should be kept firmly in the storage drawer in favor of something more understated and composed. Holiday galas, formal festive dinners, and black-tie events call for a solid, classic dress watch. Except that it should be a step up in some way from the classic day watch: a platinum case, a status-conferring high complication (one that is rendered with tasteful discretion), or a pop of subtle sparkle by way of diamond highlights or a rare stone dial. Here are 10 possibilities that are poised, elegant, and quietly luxurious for the holiday season—although, with the appeal of the dress watch on the rise, you should consider these year round.
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Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R-001
The Ellipse, first introduced in 1968, is one of the many shaped watches that emerged as a new genre during the late sixties and early ’70s. The Ellipse, despite being known for its distinctive chain bracelets, has always been a favorite of male collectors. Patek revived it this year after 15 years in development, and equipped it with the ultra-thin caliber 240, which makes it the slimmest watch in the Patek Philippe regular collection: perfect for slipping neatly under a crisp French cuff. $60,097
Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Chronograph Tourbillon Collection Excellence Platine
The Platinum Excellence line is a capsule collection, produced occasionally, only in limited editions (50 for this one), and always in platinum, including the dial, crown, pushers and buckle. Even the stitches of the leather strap are a mix of silk and platinum. Since it’s a chronograph, you can use it as a countdown function at New Year’s Eve parties, and in the process, show off the tourbillon in the 12 o’clock position. Price upon request.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Platinum
Since taking over as CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier in 2021, Guido Terreni has leaned into the brand’s legacy as a maker of high-level classic dress watches. Not by making dramatic statement pieces but by doubling down on refinement. “We are seeing a rediscovery of sartorialism, which is booming as a business,” says Terreni. “Gentlemen in their thirties are rediscovering how beautiful it is to dress well.” Enough said. $92,800
Breguet Classique Ref. 7637 Repetition Minutes
If any brand can stake a claim to the word “Classique,” it’s Breguet. The Ref. 7637 is the epitome of quiet elegance. While it appears low key on the dial, inside it comes equipped with watchmaking’s crème de la crème complication, the minute repeater. The hands and coin-edge caseband are pure Breguet, and the grand feu enamel dial and elegant star-shaped minute markers (with stylized fleur-de-lys at five-minute intervals) are subtly scream luxury. It contains the hand-wound caliber 567.2, which is so outstandingly decorated that flipping the case over to admire it is a must. Price upon request.
Rolex Perpetual 1908
Rolex drops its sports watch persona for a moment with this new collection that demonstrates it also knows how to do classic dress watches. The rice-grain guilloché pattern on the dial is everything, but especially here in the signature ice blue that Rolex reserves for its platinum editions. It’s a color that true aficionados will recognize from across the room as an elite model from the mighty Crown. $30,900
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon
High complications are made for moments of high occasion and pretension, but only if they are elegantly rendered. This souped-up Royal Oak is a long way from the RO’s sports watch roots. It’s an openworked tourbillon cased in AP’s proprietary sand gold alloy—a color that hovers between white and pink gold—and looks understated compared to most all-gold watches. CHF 250,000 (about $291,000)
Piaget Andy Warhol
Until this year, Piaget called this the Black Tie collection, but because the model, which was originally launched in the 1980s, was worn by Andy Warhol, Piaget received permission from the artist’s estate this year to officially name it the Andy Warhol collection. This malachite version in white gold demonstrates one of Piaget’s prowess in the use of stone dials. Combined with a ruby stud set and cuff links, it’s made for the holiday season but will look sharp year round. $51,000
Laurent Ferrier GrandSport Tourbillon Pursuit
Yes, it’s a salmon dial, and yes, it has the word “sport” written right on the dial, so there’s no hiding that. Yet, Laurent Ferrier has a way of making a sports watch look like a classic dress watch. You can’t even see the tourbillon that is also advertised on the dial and finished to perfection. It’s a stellar example of the emphasis on of the versatility of watches that waver between the dress and sports watch category. It is powered by the manual-wound tourbillon caliber LF619.01 with a double balance spring and an 80-hour power reserve. $190,000
H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Vantablack
This watch is the happy result of a marriage between tradition and modernity, with a classic case and minimalist markings coupled with state-of-the-art nanotechnology. The Vantablack dial (Vertically Aligned Nano Tube Arrays), an ultra-black coating that is considered the darkest substance in the world, puts the black in black tie. The subtle tourbillon hovering at 6 o’clock adds a punctuation of pizzazz to the otherwise stark dial. $82,500
Cartier Tank Louis Cartier
The Tank became synonymous with dress watch when Cartier invented it in 1922, just as watches were emerging as something you could wear on the wrist rather than hidden in the pocket. It was worn mainly by the bourgeoisie to confirm their status. The brancards were inspired by army tanks, but the design now represents personal victories rather than war-time inspo. On this one, a frame of 150 diamonds surrounding a black laquer center square place it firmly in the black tie category. $12,500
