Timepieces nowadays have the dual functions of being timekeepers and accessories. They offer various features that are intended for practical purposes, and are now widely accepted as fashion items that tell your style from what type of watch you wear to what type of clothing you wear them with.
This is not an isolated case for men or for women, as both use watches as status symbols and fashion items, aside from using the watch for its own original and intended purpose. This makes it important to understand how watches should be worn with different accessories in mind. In this article, we’ll tackle how wristwatches can be matched with the ultimate wrist accessory: bracelets.
Men Wearing Bracelets
Bracelets come in various shapes, sizes, and designs. As such, the accessory has been used as much by men as with women. Because it gives good accent to the style being worn, they are constantly used in conjunction with watches and other accessories as well.
Are bracelets important for watches? Well it actually depends on you. Some prefer avoiding any type of pair ups when it comes to watches, as other dangling accessories might disrupt or outshine the timepiece. There are also those who prefer having bracelets that accompany and complement the look of the timepiece. Both cases are right, and it depends on the personal preference and style of the wearer.
Women Wearing Bracelets
When it comes to women, there are a lot of flashier bracelets that can compete with the beauty of watches. This makes the combination of timepiece and bracelets a bit trickier. Gems, metals, and other precious stones have made women’s bracelets diverse and harder to complement with. This is because most of the bracelets tailored for women are meant to stand alone, leaving little need for other accessories to complete the look.
The beauty of women’s bracelets however does not mean that it is impossible to pair it up with timepieces. It may be a bit more complicated, but it is possible. When it works, it delivers impeccable results. A stunning timepiece matched with the perfect bracelet can greatly amplify your overall style and presence.
How to match Bracelets with Watches
There are some general rules to consider when pairing up watches with bracelets. As both usually occupy the same wrist, it is important to consider how both can be harmonized so that the bracelet complements both the watch and your entire outfit.
Only one flashy wrist accessory
The most important rule when it comes to pairing up both accessories is that the timepiece must always outshine the bracelet. The watch should be the only bulky wrist accessory that is noticeable and flashy, as it is the most important and functional equipment at your wrist. This isn’t to say that bracelets are not important parts of your personal style, but they are usually worn in order to complement and amplify your entire get up, which includes the watch.
A common mistake when it comes to accessorizing is the pairing up of a great-looking watch to an equally flashy bracelet. This creates a bit of tension over what accessory should be the one grabbing the spotlight. It might not be too big of a problem, but it definitely devalues the aesthetic qualities of the watch, and overall, your style.
Multiple thin accessories can be used with a watch
It should be noted that there isn’t a rule saying that you can only match one bracelet with the watch. In fact, you can wear several bracelets alongside your timepiece. However, make sure that the bracelets won’t outshine the strength of the watch and that the bracelets retain their purpose as accents, or amplifiers of your style.
A good example is the combination of field watches with several thin rope bracelets. The field watch is already a noticeable accessory on the wrist because of its size and rugged appearance.
The thin rope bracelets serve as complementary accessories for the main attraction, which is the watch. Separately, they do well on their own. When mixed together, you get a very stylish look that cements your overall style depending on the occasion.
Metal or bead bracelets for formal
Imagine preparing for a meeting. You get your sleek, metallic timepiece, put it on, and pair it up with your formal attire. The next thing you grab is a bead bracelet… Sounds weird, right?
When you attend formal gatherings, meetings, or social events, it is important to look sharp. This description fits sleek watches perfectly as they enhance the style of the wearer. You can further accessorize this style in the form of metal bracelets.
You have to be careful, though, as these metal accessories need to complement each other very well so as not to ruin the sharpness of your get up.
For men: Rope or rugged bracelets for informal
The same situation goes when it comes to sports or field watches being paired up with metal bracelets, as they just don’t go well together.
When traversing forests, you opt for a functional and rugged design when it comes to your attire and watch. This fits the necessities required by the area, as outdoor adventures may get a bit too physical, requiring the need for sturdier and battle-ready timepieces. This same ruggedness and outdoor-freshness is something that rope bracelets are excellent at complementing.
For women: Charm or bean bracelets for informal
There are a lot of occasions when women can wear a flashy bracelet to complete her entire look. When paired up with watches, the wrist becomes overpopulated and the original style becomes overpowered, making the combination ineffective. Although casual wear can be matched perfectly with several types of bracelets, it is still important to consider how better it can be to match them with timepieces.
A good combination to consider is thin, bean bracelets with a good dress watch. Alternatively, a low-profile charm bracelet can also amplify the beauty of a good timepiece. Although these bracelets are perfectly fine on their own, they have low profile variants that make them perfect with watches. It cannot be stressed enough that the watch should always shine the brightest on your wrist, so matching it up with low-profile yet beautiful bracelets will boost your look.
Alice Carroll
Thanks for the tip that thin accessories can easily be paired with a watch. I plan to give a friend of mine handmade bracelets as a gift this Christmas but he tends to wear watches all the time. Maybe opting for more subtle designs will help him be able to wear the bracelets along with the watch.