A Man’s Engagement Watch: The New Old Tradition

Recently there was a couple in our store looking at engagement rings. The groom-to-be jokingly suggested that if they were looking at a ring for her, he should at least be looking into an engagement watch. This got us to thinking about the idea of a watch as a men’s engagement gift.

While women have thousands of years of locking in the engagement ring as the traditional proposal gift, the notion of a men’s engagement gift has been loose at best. During the 1800s, gifts such as jeweled cufflinks and pins were a popular choice for men. After World War I, wristwatches moved into the scene as a symbol of status and accomplishment.

Today wristwatches look to be an ideal engagement gift for today’s man simply because of the ability to customize them to suit your needs. They can be engraved with dates and names, metals can be chosen to match engagement rings, and designs come in a whole range of styles, much like engagement rings. Every man needs a quality watch. And even if your man likes a little bit of sparkle, there are watches aplenty to suit his needs.

Browse our Men’s Timepiece Selection Now

1) Vintage

Bell & Ross timepieces are distinct and on the rise- celeb Tom Hanks frequently sport the trendy pieces at red carpet events. The Golden Heritage, shown above, brings to mind airplane instruments of old. The brown and tan dial screams vintage antique, without looking outdated and tacky. Added bonus, the longer you wear the watch, the more the calfskin leather strap will age, and the better your watch looks overall!

2) Classic

The Cartier Tank has been a crowd favorite since it first arrived on the scene in 1917. To call it anything less than an iconic timepiece, in our opinion, is nothing short of blasphemous! Looking for a wide variety of options? Cartier doesn’t disappoint- between the 6 sub-collections there are 48 variations of men’s Tanks available at the moment.

3) Modern

HYT has always been at the forefront of our minds when it comes to modern watch technology. The brand has taken liquid (something you generally try to keep any non-dive watches away from,) and infused it into the timepiece as a means of showing the time. But don’t let the price tag scare you! HYT is just one brand making waves when it comes to infusing modern technology with classic horology. Last month we praised Montblanc for creating an e-Strap, a watch strap that can instantly transform an old classic into a Smart Watch. If your guy already has a fine timepiece which he loves, but he’s also a fan of all things tech-savvy, this simple and extremely cost effective update might be the best way to go!

4) Sporty

Brands like Chopard and TAG Heuer really know sporty watches. Chopard’s Mille Miglia series appeals to the car enthusiast inside all of us. With leather straps embossed in tire-tread patterns, Arabic numerals inspired by speedometers on vintage cars, and power reserve indicators modeled after a fuel gauge, these watches are as cool as they are unique.

King Jewelers is an authorized dealer for over forty luxury Swiss watch brands in Middle Tennesse and South Florida including Bell & Ross, Breguet, Cartier, Chanel, Chopard, DeWitt, Harry Winston, Hublot, Jaquet Droz, Montblanc, and Roger Dubuis. King Jewelers is a member of the American Watch Guild and has been named a Leading Watch Retailer in North America by International Wristwatch Magazine. King Jewelers also offers expert watch repair and watch restoration at their retail locations in Aventura, FL and Nashville, TN.