Throwback Sundays: Six Watches to Wear With Shorts and Slippers

This week’s Throwback Sundays article was actually inspired by a recent encounter. The Deployant Team recently had a lunch session a few days back, and the author – who is known to dress sloppily – appeared in T-Shirt, Army-issued exercise shorts, and slippers. As usual, he became the butt of the jokes during the luncheon. But it got him thinking – what are some of the watches that you will put on your wrist, if you are wearing an extremely casual outfit? 

The first thought would be to wear something that is not fitted on a leather strap. Traditionally, watches with leather strap tend to lean on the dressier side, and hence it would be quite a mismatch if it was paired with something that is pretty much laid-back. This would certainly narrow our choices down, to watches that comes with a bracelet, rubber strap, or NATO strap.

There are other considerations as well, such as the design of the watch, as well as people’s perception of the timepiece itself. This sort of affects the pairing, although the magnitude of the effects might vary. So, what have we chosen? Let’s find out!

 

Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000

 

 

We begin the article with something that everyone is familiar with: the Casio G-Shock.

The Casio G-Shock is a timepiece that most of us had probably owned at least once. The collection, which first debut in 1983, is a line of digital watches that was meant to be both resistant to shocks. Soon, the watch had a following, due to its rugged and cool design, as well as its reliability. Well, together with its attractive price point, many of us certainly found it hard to resist.

The new GMW-B5000 collection, which was just launched recently, is the first timepiece in the “5000” series to feature a full-metal construction. We really like how this particular one looks. The use of stainless steel really accentuates the “wow-factor”, and it provides the watch (and the brand) a totally new identity. It is pretty much unlike any G-Shocks that we have seen before.

The watch is priced at S$799, which is a tad higher than the usual G-Shocks. However, we reckon that it is something that would work well for someone who wants something casual and yet different from the crowd.

 

SEVENFRIDAY P3/07 Kuka III

 

 

Next up, we have a watch that is known to be fun and casual. Cue the SEVENFRIDAY P3/07 Kuka III.

The P3/07 Kuka III is one of the latest pieces in the SEVENFRIDAY line-up. The timepiece is inspired by a particular robotics company named KUKA AG, in which its signature orange corporate colour became the theme behind this watch. The 47mm SEVENFRIDAY is fitted with the iconic rounded square case, and it is finished in black PVD stainless steel.

Powered by the self-winding Miyota 82S7 movement, the P3/07 has a 24 hour time display and a power reserve of around 40 hours. In addition, the watch also has a NFC chip embedded for verification purposes. There are only 750 pieces available, and it is priced at US$1,200 (approximately S$1,580).

 

Grand Seiko SBGX069 / SBGX269

 

 

When it comes to casual watches, Seiko is perhaps one of the no-frills brand that would come to mind. However, we thought of stretching it a bit further. How about a Seiko that is very well-made, but is always under the radar? Introducing the Grand Seiko SBGX069 / SBGX269.

The Grand Seiko SBGX269 (which is formerly known as the SBGX069 before the re-branding exercise) is one of the pieces from Japanese-based watch manufacturer. What is intriguing about this piece is in its movement, in which it is fitted with the quartz Calibre 9F62. Unlike any run-of-the-mill quartz movement, Grand Seiko took a lot of care to design, construct, and finish the it. In fact, it is so well-made that the watch has a supposedly unrivalled 50 years’ service interval. This is because Seiko seals the movement with a “sealed cabin”, in which the vacuum sealing ensures that the watch is air-tight with no debris in it.

Besides the movement, the attention to detail on the other aspects of the timepiece is amazing too. The watch features Grand Seiko’s Zaratsu polishing, and there is a nice combination of brushed and mirror-polished surface as well. The 37mm timepiece is truly a work of art, and if one is looking for a simple and casual timepiece that is reliable, then the SBGX269 might be the timepiece for you. It retails at ¥340,000 (approximately S$4,157).

 

Rolex Submariner

 

 

The Rolex Submariner is not on this list by chance. It is the author’s go-to watch, and it was exactly the same piece that he wore for the lunch gathering a couple of days back.

The Submariner is not just any timepiece, but an icon in our opinion. What makes it so iconic is the simple fact that it looks so timeless and beautiful, despite the passage of time. In addition, the movement – Calibre 3130 – is a solid workhorse as well. The self-winding movement boasts a power reserve of around 48 hours, and the latest iteration features Superlative Chronometer certification which ensures that the accuracy only deviates by +/- 2 seconds daily.

Priced at S$10,030, the 40mm Submariner is great timepiece for any occasion. This includes any moments that calls for a casual wear; it is so versatile that it does not look out of place with shorts and slippers at all. This is certainly a really nice timepiece to have in any watch collection.

 

Vacheron Constantin Overseas

 

 

In 2016, Vacheron Constantin revamped the Overseas collection. It was quite a welcoming change, and the new offerings had certainly impressed many of us in the industry.

One particular piece that had caught our eyes was the 4500V. The 4500V is the base model in the collection, with only an additional date function. While it may look simple, but that had allowed the timepiece to shine in terms of its finishing and movement construction. The self-winding Calibre 5100, which powers the 4500V, is a very beautiful movement. It features a stunning 22k gold rotor, and the movement is finished to the standards of the Hallmark of Geneva.

Another interesting aspect of the timepiece is the quick-strap change function. It is done by simply pulling a tab on the caseback, and that released the strap on the watch. In addition, Vacheron Constantin supplies three different strap options with the watch: in leather, rubber, and steel bracelet. This allows the owner to change the looks of his/her Overseas to suit the occasion or mood. The watch is priced at S$30,800, and for that you are effectively getting 3 watches for the price of 1.

 

Richard Mille RM50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1

 

 

Finally, we round up the article with the Richard Mille RM50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1.

The watches from Richard Mille has constantly amazed us. Often known for its outrageous price tags and incredible designs (as well as materials), the watch manufacturer is constantly going all out to improve and innovate, using cutting-edge materials to produce a robust, yet ultra-lightweight and complicated timepieces.

The new RM50-03, as its name suggests, is a highly complicated timepiece. The watch is fitted with a skeleton dial, featuring an array of indicators.  This includes the chronograph display, a power reserve indicator, a crown function display, as well as mainspring torque gauge. In addition, it has a split-second chronograph, as well as a tourbillon. Richard Mille had also used a combination of titanium and Graph TPT in its construction to keep it light. The material is said to be six times lighter, and 200 times stronger than conventional steel. Interestingly, the movement is also produced using the same material, and yet it is capable of withstanding shocks of up to 5,000G.

Alas, all of this comes at a price – at CHF 980,000 (approximately S$1.32 million). It would definitely be cool to rock this with casual attire, but we guess that this can only be done by a privileged few.

 

Concluding Thoughts

 

We have shared 6 different watches that we think could be paired with any casual attire. These watches cover different price points, although we recognise that as the prices go higher, there are pretty much many other options – other than the likes of Vacheron Constantin and Richard Mille that we have highlighted above. Some of the pieces that immediately comes to mind include the watches that have mentioned in last week’s Luxury Sports Watch article, such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus (or Aquanaut), as well as the Bulgari Octo. The same goes for the entry-level brands as well, especially now that there is an influx of interesting micro-brands from Kickstarter/Indiegogo.

So, what are your go-to watches with shorts and slippers? Let us know in the comments section below!