My car is as fast as many Corvettes/Porsches/generic fast car so I know the thrill of having a fast car. It's not as luxurious or awe-inducing as a nice Z06 though. People buy them for the wow factor is my point!!

The watch doesn't make the man, but it sure as hell puts him in a specific category. Some opt for an out of their price range watch to appear to be higher than they actually are. I put high importance on it, but have no means to get what I want, so I'm currently stuck with a $110 Fossil.

Or Fake, as often as not...I know twice as many college age guys who have fakes as who have real expensive watches. This is partly because I know a lot of international travelers, but still... I'm guilty of this, I've got (really really good) fake Rolex's and Mont Blancs from various China trips. I'll never try to pass them as real, though...in fact, i'd probably claim any real watches I had were fake.

However, my daily wear is a brand noone has heard of, specifically to avoid pigeon holing...people can't pass judgement on it because it looks classy, (well, as classy as a 2-lbs block of stainless steel can look) but they most likely haven't heard of the brand (vestal), so I don't get pigeon holed.

I haven't worn a watch since I was 17.

Cell phone = modern day pocket watch.

I don't need to impress people with how I look so its worked out well.

Well you're married and aren't interested in an affair. Some people in this thread are not married.

I wasn't married when I was 17 either ;)

Didn't have a cell phone then either, but a good sense of time and plenty of places to find it.

Did they have cell phones when you were 17? Still, no watch often can communicate *I'm poor*.

hmmmm I have never in my life tried to figure out if a person has money by whether or not they have a watch.

My daddy has lots of money....he doesnt wear one lol he hates them

I'm aware of the potential status symbolism in watches/jewelery for men but I choose not to worry about them.

Maybe someday I'll go for the 5000 suit, 12000 watch and pinky ring but right now, not so much.

I stopped wearing a watch because I found them annoying, I don't think that has changed.

You have no idea how disappointed I am that you don't wear a pinky ring. Next thing you know, you'll tell us you don't have a pimp chalice.

You honestly think this?

I don't think it, I know it as absolute fact. Many people think this way. I know some of them and believe it or not there are statistics available on this from Men's Health Magazine.

Quite honestly, seeing a man with nothing on him but a cheap wallet and keys does communicate quite a bit. Either they're obstinate, poor, or don't care about their appearance.

This isn't entirely true. What a watch (or lack of one) communicates is entirely dependent on how it fits in with the rest of the man's outfit. If, for example, I'm wearing torn jeans and an oil-stained shirt, the message is 'I'm working at something that gets me dirty.' This message does not necessarily reflect on an individual's economic status (although some might interpret it as such). Similarly, an expensive silk shirt and some nice chinos or slacks might communicate 'I am wealthy/successful' without a need for accessories.

I would argue that a cheap Casio communicates 'I'm poor/obstinate' far more effectively than no watch at all does.

I'll buy that.

Will, I expect better from you. This is a staggering generalization. I choose not to wear a watch. It is not because I cannot afford a decent one, and it is not because I do not have a sense of style. There are plenty of times when you cannot even see a person's watch, if they have one. What about if they wear French cuffs? Would you say that that person is poor? So if I buy a decent looking Fossil watch for $75 bucks I am suddenly classy and "unpoor?"

Why don't you wear a watch?

He didn't say you didn't have a sense of style or were poor, he said you appear that way. Big difference.

He didn't even say that - he said you CAN appear that way. Depends on the person making the observation I guess.

Green for the money and gold for the honeys.

Will, this is not 1950. Cell phones are ubiquitous and (I think) changed the expectation about men of 'our generation' wearing watches. It almost makes less sense to wear a watch and carry a cell-phone.

I don't like watches because they're ugly, heavy, and leave me feeling off balance like I'm going to tip to one side.. even with a cheapo plastic one.

Are you talking "40 something" or "20 something"? Generational stereotypes about wealth change, and I think that the time we're 40 somethings, watches will not be a sign of wealth.

HOLY SHIT! Are you serious! That means I have to go back and get my parents into some sort of social.. date! 1.21 gigawatts! Oh god the Lybians found me!
The watch, as I said above, is man-jewelry. It's the same thing as wearing a shirt with a collar. No one NEEDS a collar.
So the first thing you think of when you see this is "ugly"? And you think ALL watches are ugly? That's kinda hard to buy.
We're both 20 somethings and live in 2008. For both men in their 20s and 40s, a watch is a status symbol.

well I know Im not a guy but the yeah...that watch you linked to is ugly

so its not a status symbol for men in their 30's?

I have asked around today....real people in my life of all age groups and not one person seems to hold the same belief you do Will.

what do I know though, I think women that spend hundreds or more on shoes, clothes and jewelry are idiots with their money. Even if I was rich you wouldnt see me spending my money on stuff like that

It's a status symbol no matter the age, so long as one isn't 13 or under. Then it's more of a symbol for the parents.

What beliefs do the people you speak to hold?

I have to agree with will from a first impression stand point.

Looking successful will give people that mindset when dealing with you. I'm sure it matters at the local meatmarket as well with a lot of women. Its something almost subconscious as even the most expensive mass produced watch can be had by most people willing to live in debt, which is not uncommon.

Same as mine...they've never considered a man's watch or lack of one a symbol of their wealth...some elaborated to say if a person were going to judge them for their watch, or again lack there of....that really wasnt the kind of person who's opinion they valued.

*shrug* maybe I just dont associate with materialistic people cause they bug the ever living crap out of me

It is materialism, of course, but materialism is quite normal. Wearing a nice watch doesn't give my life meaning, but rather gives me superficial comfort. Like getting a hair cut. I could grow my hair out and not comb it or put stuff in it, but I'd not like the way I look.

Materialism enjoys a rather bad reputation, but I can't for the life of me figure out why. As long as it's tertiary to other, more fulfilling life goals and aspirations it's perfectly normal and perfectly healthy.

Materialism may be normal for YOU....its not for me. I cant for the life of me understand why in the world a person should be judged for they watch they do or dont wear (as the OP was about watches, I wont mention other "status" symbols)

I can promise you my child will not be taught to check a man's watch when establishing the worth of the person

Unless the watch is incredibly expensive/requires regular maintenance (e.g. Rolex), I don't think there is much that I would consider "beyond my means", and I am not a wealthy person. A good watch will last possibly decades, so when you look at the cost over time, spending $300, even more, on a watch is not a great expense.

The reason I might be willing to spend a goodly amount on a watch is that watches are almost the sole "accessory" that men might often wear, or at least with my type of style. I don't wear necklaces, piercings, bracelets, or rings that are solely decorative, so all of the focus/money that might otherwise have gone into those areas can be placed on the watch.

You misunderstand, it's not at all about the "worth of a person" at all. It's simply about discerning facts. $2300 watch? This man probably has money. Nice looking watch? He probably has good taste.

You yourself just changed your hair cut not too long ago. That is a superficial change that was not made for any deeply meaningful reason. It doesn't reflect on your character or worth.

I recognize that wearing a watch can be a small part of an overall first impression, but I think that it should be clarified considerably, to say something like "wearing a nice/expensive watch." Having a Tag, Rolex or Bulova may convey a certain impression, however as others have said I do not believe that it conveys "poor" to not wear one. There is something vaguely gentlemanly about wearing a watch with a nice suit, and I do not deny that it can be a nice accessory, I just take exception to the concept that not having one is an impression of "poorness." I believe that shoes probably convey as much as a watch, if not more.
I used to wear watches, but found it annoying to have to constantly put them on and remove them. Put them on for work, take them off for workout, put them on for dinner, take them off for bed, for something that was sort of unnecessary since the mid 90's when I first had a beeper/phone. I used to have a nice G-shock that i never worried about, but it got caught in the rigging of the boat I race on and pulled the pin from the band and "bloop" into the water it went, never to be seen again. Imagine how annoyed I'd be if that was a couple grand down the drain!
As an aside, my arms are fairly hairy and most nice watches with metal bands pulled the everloving jesus out of my arm hair, but I found leather bands too constricting. I will probably get another one at some point just for work, as it is nice to keep track of the 50-minute hour with clients.

you said yourself that a man with no watch would/could be perceived as poor...Im telling you that I would not be of that opinion, its as easy as that

Yeah, I have friends who own one or two Rolex watches (each) and some are worth much much more than my car. But then, these guys can really afford them....so the whole idea of trying to buy a so-called expensive watch & "pretend you have money" is pretty humorous.

It's so 1980s. Move on posers/Flush.

Hold on everyone, I don't want to look poor, so I'll be sporting this. I can barely read the flippin' thing, but I have a watch, so I'm not poor!!http://www.fossil.com/webapp/wcs/sto...agePath=PH1089

I don't wear a watch because I hate having one on my wrist, I find them to be uncomfortable any annoying. Also I hate my skin, it needs to breathe at all times, and if I put anything on it that does not breathe it starts to sweat and I get irritated.

Now having said that, I own a Rado that looks kick ass, all black, 4 diamond markers for the time. Nice and simple, but amazing looking at the same time. I have only worn it about 3 times, all with my suit, and that is the only time I will ever wear it.

Having said that, I did not pay a fraction for it what it is worth, and buying it new would have been absolutely insane.

I will stick to my cellphone for daily time-keeping. And I also don't have a retarded trendy phone like the RAZR either, now if that isn't a useless cell phone than I don't know what is.

I'd be embarrassed to be seen in that lol does it glow in the dark?

You're taking it a bit out of the context.

As long as the watch is stylish, you will make a favorable impression on those who care. Those who care are more than you think. My boss is one of them. He is a watch fanatic and has a couple of watches that cost in excess of $200,000. To him, a good watch means having a sense of style.

So while the Fossil you linked to might look good on a kid or on the beach, something like this Tissot Le Locle will automatically upscale you in the eyes of many people.

http://www.worldlux.com/products/tis.../fullsize2.jpg

Whereas I appreciate a nice looking watch, I'm not sure I would ever stretch to buy one. I do have a very nice 18K gold watch I inherited, but aside from that I have a $150 Skagen as a "dressy" watch and Timex Ironman (about $50) as my day to day watch and the one I wear while training (running, swimming, cycling).

I absolutely love the SRT-4, don't get me wrong, but it's not as fast as a vette.

And what's this obsession with making cellphones so tiny? They keep making them smaller, yet they keep putting more and more crap in there that a phone really doesn't need.

That's entirely subjective.