There are some days in a person’s life that are destined to be their greatest: the birth of a first child, a special birthday or for some of us horophiles, the opening of our first luxury timepiece. Another obvious one, of course, is our wedding day.
I got engaged recently, and while thoughts of dresses, flowers and venues are exciting, the inner watch nerd in me instantly began to debate which watch I would wear on my wedding day. I know a watch isn’t the first accessory most women think of when they consider their wedding jewellery, but a beautiful piece of wristwear is essential in my eyes for such a big occasion.
Wedding watches are typically more common for men, but in the same way, the wedding watch you choose should be something special. We’re not talking the sweaty smartwatch you wear to the gym or that cheap knock-off you bought abroad, we’re talking about something refined, classic and ever-lasting. A watch you can look back on with fond memories, and wear for the rest of your life.
Tudor Black Bay GMT - Credit WatchGecko
What Should We Look for in a Wedding Watch?
Traditionally, one of the most obvious characteristics of a wedding watch is an elegant aesthetic. It should be something fairly understated, so not to draw too much attention away from your dress or suit, but something that brings other elements of your look and the theme of the occasion together.
No-fuss attributes such as clean white dials, metal and leather straps and polished stainless steel cases are a good choice. But alternatively, it would be a nice addition to pair the metal of your wedding band and/or cufflinks with a watch with a matching case material.
Truthfully though, the key to a great wedding watch – especially if you’re looking for his and hers wedding watches that match - is to find something that rightfully represents you and your partner. It should be a timepiece that makes you feel good and confident, something that feels special and significant to you to embody the big day.
If you’re looking for a wrist companion to accompany you down the aisle or you’re shopping for a luxury wedding gift for the couple, here are some of our favourite his and hers luxury wedding watches…
TUDOR Black Bay GMT
A great place to find matching his and hers wedding watches is the TUDOR Black Bay collection. Not only does the design hold a lot of significance for watch fans, seamlessly weaving together the Swiss watchmaker’s past and present, but there’s an almost absurd amount of design variation available. Cases come in 31mm, 36mm, 39mm and 41mm in metals of steel, bronze or bi-colour and with dials of black, blue, grey, silver, gold and champagne. TUDOR Black Bay watches are simply executed, so they won’t distract too much, but they are also equally noticeable for their iconic snowflake hands and chunky bracelets. You will also have no excuse for being late to the ceremony with each design powered by an in-house COSC-certified movement.
Omega Aqua Terra
Omega Aqua Terra - Credit WatchGecko
Of all the “his and hers” wedding watches listed here; one I’m leaning closely towards is the Omega Aqua Terra. There’s something about these watches that perfectly straddles the line between dressy and casual. They have beautifully symmetrical cases in stainless steel and unassuming dials in a brilliant array of sunray-brushed colours. The 38mm model feels like a nice choice for the groom while the smaller 34mm cases are a good size for the bride. Many brides will certainly appreciate the mother of pearl and diamond-decorated displays of the latter. Omega Aqua Terra watches are typically presented on polished and brushed bracelets with rounded links and powered by one of Omega’s chronometer-rated automatic movements.
Longines DolceVita
Longines Dolcevita - Credit Longines
Bremont Solo
For a slightly more casual, laid-back look, the Bremont Solo collection is a solid choice. These watches are technically pilot’s watches by nature, offering decent-sized crowns and large legible markings on the dial. Despite this however, they evoke a clean, refined aesthetic that would suit a relaxed couple on their wedding day. The Bremont Solo 37 and Solo 34 are our personal “his and hers” preference, both nominating Bremont’s trademarked Trip-Tick® case construction, highly polished surfaces and automatic winding chronometer-rated movements. A white dial for the bride and a black dial for the groom is an obvious choice.
Breitling Navitimer
Arguably one of the world’s most iconic timepieces, you can’t go far wrong with a Breitling Navitimer on your wrist for the big day. Putting the chronograph variations to one side for another occasion, the time-only Breitling Navitimer Automatic is beautifully refined. Compared to typical dress watches, the Breitling Navitimer has a little extra spring in its step thanks to the unusual, beaded bezels and detailed dials printed with multiple scales. Once again there’s several dial colours and case sizes to choose from. Pick from 41mm, 37mm and 35mm plus straps of fine-link metal or comfortable leather.
Breitling Navitimer - Credit WatchGecko
IWC Portugieser
IWC Portugieser - Credit WatchGecko
Our final offering of his and hers wedding watches is the IWC Portugieser. Straight-forward aesthetics are the essence of the Portugieser watch, originally created during the 1930’s by the Swiss watchmaker. Very little from the design has changed since then; there’s the same slim bezels, slender cases and feuille hands in sizes varying from 40mm to 44mm. Truthfully, the IWC Portugieser may be a little big for most female wrists on their wedding day, but you could easily match with your partner by choosing the similarly elegant IWC Portofino. Both choices are powered by automatic-winding movements and are habitually completed by alligator leather straps.
So there you have it, our run-down of his and hers luxury watches for a wedding day. Did we hit the nail on the head? Or do you think we missed a major player? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to know what you’d wear on your wedding day, or if you’re already married, what you did wear?
