Dress Watch

What is a dress watch? There are many opinions even about its definition but a couple of things are certain. It is a watch that inherits the tradition of the pocket watch. It is also a watch that looks best with formal attire. Sports watches are a branch that originated from dress watches but now sports watches are considered mainstream. For this reason dress watches are facing a crisis these days but if you look closely there are many beautiful pieces. They are the result of faithfully carrying on the history of watches.

Patek Philippe
Calatrava Ref. 6119

As if acknowledging the era of sports watches watch companies are reluctant to release new dress watches. However if you are the king of watchmaking that is not an option. Patek Philippe launched the completely new dress watch Calatrava Ref. 6119 (2021) to prove its royal dignity.

The first Calatrava Ref. 96 released by Patek Philippe
© Monochrome

It inherits the Clous de Paris guilloché bezel from the previous Calatrava Ref. 3919 (1985). The dial and indexes are styled to evoke the first Calatrava Ref. 96 (1932). Although the Calatrava Ref. 6119 continues the tradition the case diameter has been increased to 39mm. As if conscious of the need for dress watches to evolve the larger size and thickness of around 8mm give it a substantial presence.

Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R, 6119G
© PatekPhilippe

The Calatrava Ref. 6119 is satisfying in appearance alone but its core is the newly developed manual movement. In an era when there is little demand for new manual movements the development of this caliber further demonstrates the dignity of the king. The engine of the Calatrava Ref. 6119 is Cal. 30-255 PS. Decoding the caliber number it has a diameter of about 30mm a thickness of 2.55mm and a small seconds specification. The generous 30mm diameter allows for two mainspring barrels providing about 65 hours of power reserve. This once again shows that dress watches must evolve. The Calatrava Ref. 6119 is a perfect harmony of tradition and innovation.

Calatrava 5196R

Silver

Calatrava 5116R

36mm, White

Audemars Piguet
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet

When you think of Audemars Piguet the Royal Oak immediately comes to mind. Other watch companies without an iconic piece may envy this but relying too much on a single watch or collection is not ideal. For this reason Audemars Piguet has tried several times to create collections to support the Royal Oak. However dress watch collections such as Jules Audemars and the oval-shaped Millenary have been discontinued.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Ref.15210OR, Ref.15210ST
© Audemarspiguet

The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet could be a game changer. Unlike previous attempts to fit the dress watch mold Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet aims to define the dress watch of the future. With a diameter of 41mm and a thickness of over 10mm it has the volume of a sports watch and offers a similar wearing experience. While it may look ordinary from the front many unique details are hidden from other angles. Skeleton lugs an octagonal middle case three-dimensional curved glass and a carefully crafted lacquer dial and indexes break the stereotype that dress watches are boring.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 2020 / © Swisswatches

With the launch of Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet the new generation of movements is shared with the Royal Oak providing a sense of reassurance. With boldness and intensity never seen before Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet is set to define a new future for dress watches.

Code 11.59 15210ST

Blue/Guilloché Sunray

A. Lange & Söhne
Lange 1

A. Lange & Söhne ushered in the modern era in 1994. During the period when Germany was divided into East and West A. Lange & Söhne was in East Germany and was effectively closed.

Introduction of the first collection in 1994 / © Lange Uhren GmbH

With the fall of the Berlin Wall A. Lange & Söhne reopened and unveiled a watch to represent the company. One of them was the Lange 1 which was an unprecedented style. It adopted a frame-like layout with a small dial inside the main dial and functions such as a power reserve indicator arranged around it. The big date display with two large windows was also introduced for the first time with the Lange 1. While this is now seen in other brands it was not found before 1994. Inspired by the opera clock on the stage of the Semper Opera House in Dresden it features distinct German elements.

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Pink Gold
© A.lange&sohne

In this way A. Lange & Söhne sought to clearly differentiate itself from Swiss watches with its functions and details as it entered the modern era. This strategy was successful. The Lange 1 quickly became the representative watch of A. Lange & Söhne. Since then the Lange 1 has been the foundation for the introduction of moon phase world time perpetual calendar and tourbillon models further enhancing its originality.

Lange 1 191.032

38.5mm, Silver

Lange 1 191.039

38.5mm, Silver

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Master Control Calendar

Why are dress watches not attracting much attention these days? It may be because they seem to lack distinctive features compared to sports watches where functional elements are integrated into the design and details. Their small size and thinness may also make them seem less assertive. In short dress watches are considered plain. However there are dress watches that have consistently maintained their popularity. The Master Control Calendar by Jaeger-LeCoultre is one such watch.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar Ref. Q4148420
© jaeger-lecoultre

A full calendar that displays the date day and month combined with a beautiful moon phase that shows the shape of the moon tonight leaves no room for plainness. The dial is so full of functions that it may even appear complex. The Master Control Calendar has a long tradition.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Pink Gold Triple Calendar (1946) / © phillips

Jaeger-LeCoultre Meteorite Dial Master Calendar / © Quillandpad

In the 1940s you can find watches with tear drop style lugs and the same functions. In the 2000s a meteorite dial version was released. When 8-day movements were in vogue an 8-day power reserve version was also introduced. While the materials and movements have changed over time the combination of full calendar and moon phase has remained constant. The latest version of the Master Control Calendar is also popular for this combination. However the Master Control Calendar is not just traditional. The pointer date jumps in place as an animation. This is why there is a large gap between the 15th and 16th on the date display. The pointer date jumps to avoid covering the moon phase and seconds hand.

Master Control Calendar Q4148420

40mm, Silver

Cartier
Tank Louis Cartier

If you could have only one dress watch the Tank Louis Cartier by Cartier is an excellent choice. It demonstrates the elegance and refined details that only a jewelry house can bring to watchmaking. The craftsmanship and expertise accumulated in jewelry making are fully displayed.

Tank Louis Cartier © Cartier

Despite its small appearance the name Tank conjures up a heavy and cold metallic image. You may wonder why it was given such a name. It is because Louis Cartier created the watch after hearing about the introduction of the tank as a new weapon. As a Frenchman suffering during World War I he hoped the tank would end the war. He reflected the image of the tank in the watch and the long lugs on either side of the rectangular case resemble the tank as seen from above. Although born from a jewelry house the Tank is an elegant design contrary to its name and image. More than 100 years after its creation the Tank has produced many descendants but the original Tank Normale and Tank Louis Cartier have maintained their original form. For this reason if you plan to own it for a long time or pass it down to future generations the timeless Tank Louis Cartier is an excellent choice.

Tank Louis Cartier SM WGTA0010

29.5mm x 22mm, Silver