Watch Ideas for the Groom & Groomsmen – Get Wedding-Ready

If there’s one thing that’s important on a wedding day, it’s getting everyone where they need to be on time. Wedding watches for men not only make a very special gift for the groom and his friends but also ensure that the ceremony runs like clockwork.

In this article, we’ll take a look at wedding watches for men and why wearing a watch on your wedding day is so important. We’ll discuss how to choose the perfect groomsman watches that will be treasured long after the confetti has been swept away. We’ll take you through the different types of watches, their key features, and give you tips on how to style wedding watches for different themes.

Why does wearing a watch matter on your wedding day?

If you’ve ever been to a wedding, the image of a groom glancing nervously at his watch as he waits for his bride to arrive is ingrained in your memory. For ushers and the best man, a wedding watch is vital to keep everyone on track and prevent any unnecessary delays in the ceremony.

While the groom may have an everyday watch he wears for work, on this special day, something a little more distinctive is in order to match that elegant morning suit or top hat and tails. Even a more relaxed beach wedding deserves a timepiece that captures the moment’s significance.

Giving watches as a wedding present is also a tradition. While the bride’s Maid of Honour and bridesmaids are often gifted jewellery, the groom’s entourage are sometimes given groomsmen’s watches to mark the occasion. It’s a way of thanking your friends for helping you get through the most important day of your life and making sure that there’s no embarrassing silence when the vicar or registrar asks if you have the rings.

Wedding watches for men don’t have to be overly expensive, especially if you have several recipients to buy for. However, if you’re buying a watch for the groom, you can spend a little more on a watch that he’ll treasure for years to come.

How to choose the perfect wedding watches for men

Choosing the perfect wedding watches for men will depend on three key factors:

• The dress code – A formal occasion means that your men’s wedding watches should be suitably elegant to match the dress code. If things are a little more laid-back, a relaxed alternative is more in keeping, such as wooden or minimalist watches.
• Comfort and durability (as well as accuracy) – The last thing your groom and his party need to worry about is wearing uncomfortable, heavy watches all day. Wedding watches for menshould be lightweight but robust enough to withstand a few splashes of champagne or an errant piece of wedding cake splashing the face. They should offer reliable and accurate timekeeping, too – the groom and his best man need to be at the church on time, or you can put the celebrations on hold.
• Budget – Weddings are expensive, and if we’re completely honest, wedding watches are fairly low-priority expenses unless they’ve been specifically requested by the groom. Think about the budget well in advance, and our top tip: Don’t forget to factor in engraving costs.

Watch ideas for the groom

Even if the ‘man of the hour’ never normally wears a timepiece, a wedding watch makes a perfect addition to his outfit on his special day. If the bridesmaids are resplendent in their bridal jewellery, it’s only fair that the groom should have something special to mark the occasion too. Here is a list of suggestions to suit almost every type of wedding, from a full formal do to a chilled-out beach wedding or woodland marriage ceremony.

Classic dress watches – Vintage chic meets modern flair; classic dress watches are the epitome of style. Simple yet beautifully crafted faces with masculine features, paired with either a bracelet or a leather strap, bring all the elements together in perfect harmony. If you want to present a timepiece that he’ll treasure, an elegant dress watch ticks all the boxes. Dress watches range in price from affordable to luxury, with brands such as Montblanc taking you up into the thousands of pounds for a truly exceptional watch. For a great mid-range budget, PINDU Design watches also incorporate a touch of modernism into their dress watches, with exposed workings for a contemporary-meets-Steampunk look.

Luxury statement watches

If money is no object, a luxury statement watch is an ideal gift for a groom on his wedding day. From Rolex to TAG Heuer, Seiko or Breitling to fashion house watches from Hugo Boss, Gucci, and Tommy Hilfiger, luxury statement watches are timepieces you want to show off. They can also capture an element of the groom’s personality and complement it.

For example, the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph is a refined timepiece with a bold, square design, infused with motor-racing heritage, and a price tag to match. Alternatively, the Versace Greca Extreme Skeleton Chrono has a striking skeleton dial and Greca detailing that adds flair without being too ostentatious. It’s also a little more affordable.

Personalised watches

It can be a £20,000 Rolex or a £100 Seiko, but if you add a personalised element to your groom’s watch, it becomes priceless. Personalised watches for grooms are a wonderful way of making the most nervous man in the church feel a little more reassured and valued on a day that traditionally revolves around his bride. A message engraved on the back of a special watch can make all the difference.

Our top tip: Make sure you leave plenty of time for the engraving, so it’s not rushed. Engraving is an art, and while many jewellers now use laser engraving, there are still traditional hand engravers who work with long lead times. When booking an engraving service, ask how long the job will take so that you’re not left panicking on the day of the wedding.

Minimalist watches

Simple, elegant, and truly timeless, minimalist watches make excellent choicesfor the groom. Look for crisp white dials combined with a black leather strap, the perfect selection for a formal or black-tie wedding. For a more contemporary look, brands such as Architect and Holzkern offer minimalist watches with different colour themes, clean, uncluttered faces, and sleek straps. Minimalist watches are the right choice for a modern wedding with a more on-trend theme.

Vintage-inspired watches

Timeless styling and flawless detailing, vintage-inspired watches take their cue from mid-century design classics. The best place to find true vintage classics is at specialist online dealers, who stock pre-worn examples of some of the finest watches ever made. For example, the Girard‑Perregaux 1966 Rose Gold is an exquisite combination of a sublime black leather strap with a pin buckle and a rose-gold case and white face. Watches like this capture that ‘Mad Men’ era look, where suits were sharp and men’s watches were much more than a simple timepiece. A vintage-inspired watch for a groom is best suited to more formal weddings.

Military watches

If the groom and his party are serving or retired military personnel, military watches are a fitting tribute to their service and their comradeship. These watches balance rugged field watch heritage, tactical styling, and wedding‑day elegance, making them ideal for a groom who wants a strong, purposeful look. Consider the Hamilton Khaki Field – a reliable and authentic option, while the Marathon GSAR is a stylish blend of rugged looks and understated elegance for a more relaxed wedding setting.

Engraved pocket watches

For a truly unique look at a vintage-inspired wedding or Steampunk-themed occasion, nothing comes close to an engraved pocket watch. While it may seem old-fashioned, the refinement of a draped waistcoat chain and the sheer individuality of a pocket watch are hard to beat. Adding an engraved message and a pocket watch makes a memorable watch for a groom.

Couples watch sets

A nice way of celebrating the happy couple’s special day is to present them with a couple’s watch set. These are usually identical watches, with the bride’s watch a little smaller than the groom’s timepiece. Our top tip: Look for watches with a blue dial, as this will definitely tick the ‘Something Blue’ requirement.

Themed groom’s watches

Fun and cheeky, themed groom’s wedding watches can feature cartoon grooms or even the groom’s favourite football team’s colours on the face. While they may not be suitable for a formal event, they’re great for a more relaxed wedding. Our top tip: Keep the humour clean and on point. The last thing you want to do is upset the bride and groom on their special day. It may be a chilled-out affair, but it’s still one they want to remember for all the right reasons.

Sports watches

From Rolex diver’s watches to Garmin sports watches, this category covers a myriad of possibilities. If your groom is a keen scuba or free diver, a diver’s watch is a suitable wedding watch gift idea. If they’re into their motor racing, the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph is a luxury sports watch with the added kudos of having been worn by legendary actor Steve McQueen.

Budget watches

If you can’t quite stretch to a £7,000 TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph, there are plenty of budget watches that make great wedding watches for grooms. £50 will buy you a men’s watch that has plenty of style and finesse and looks good on the big day.

Wooden watches

Wooden watches have been a popular niche choice in recent years, appealing to those who care about sustainability and the environment and embrace a more holistic lifestyle. Many of these are handcrafted, and because they’re made of wood, each one will have a unique grain and pattern that ages well over time.

Watch ideas for groomsmen

Any of the watches for grooms we’ve mentioned above could also be given to his wedding party. Groomsmen’s watches should complement but never compete with the groom’s choice of watch. They should be in keeping with the tone of the event, so dress watches for a formal wedding, military watches if they served together and the wedding has a military theme, or wooden watches for a woodland or barn wedding.

The key considerations are that the groomsmen’s watches are appropriate for the event and that they offer the groom’s friends and family something to treasure as a memory of the day.

They also need to be accurate to ensure everyone arrives at the church or venue on time.

Styling a watch for the wedding theme

As we mentioned above, wedding watches for men should align with the theme. Cheeky groom-themed watches have no place in a formal event at a country house, while elegant dress watches may look out of place at a beach wedding. The choice is always yours, but here are a few suggestions for styling a wedding watch to match the theme:

• Outdoor barn wedding – A more relaxed, rustic environment suits wooden watches or vintage styles best. If the groom is wearing a waistcoat as part of his wedding outfit, a pocket watch would also be suitable.
• Black-tie wedding – It’s time for elegant dress watches with minimalist dials and clean leather straps to complement the gravity of the event. Slim, discreet timepieces with uncluttered designs and no superfluous extras, such as pedometers and stopwatches, are the order of the day.
• Beach wedding – A more relaxed, intimate setting calls for lightweight watches, simple, minimalist designs, and a personalised element. Our top tip: Choose a wedding watch with good water resistance and avoid exposing it unnecessarily to sand.

Mistakes to avoid when choosing a wedding watch

It’s quite difficult to ‘get it wrong’ when you’re choosing wedding watches for men, but there are a few little faux pas you can avoid to make sure everything goes well on the day:

• Avoid wearing oversized sport watches – They can look clunky and awkward, especially if the wedding is a formal affair.
• Be wary of mismatched metal tones – If your wedding rings are white gold or platinum, pick a watch with a white metal case rather than a rose-gold one to avoid drawing attention away from the rings.
• Check the condition of the watch strap – If your groom or groomsmen are wearing vintage watches, ensure the watch straps are in good condition to avoid any embarrassing mishaps in the middle of the ceremony, or wedding watches getting accidentally stepped on during the bride and groom’s first dance.
• Don’t choose a colour that clashes with your suit – if your suit is blue or grey, avoid a watch colour that clashes, such as red or orange. Safe options include clean white dials and muted leather colours, such as black or brown, for straps, or white metal bracelets.

Engraving: Should you add a special message to the watch to remember the wedding day?

Engraving the groomsmen’s watches is a nice personal touch but do bear in mind that it may reduce the resale appeal for some collectors. This is especially important for high-end timepieces, where unblemished authenticity is crucial to their resale value. Should the groom want to move the watch on, an engraved message may make it almost impossible to sell for the watch’s true value.

Does the watch need to match the wedding ring?

It certainly helps by avoiding overwhelming the most important piece of jewellery of the day, the wedding rings. It’s not necessary, but it gives a polished look, particularly for formal events.

Should all the groomsmen wear the same watch?

Again, they don’t have to, but wedding watches for men that match introduce a nice element of continuity on the day. It also makes them all feel that they’re equally appreciated.

Should the groom’s watch strap match his shoes?

While not essential, matching leather straps to shoes is a traditional style rule.

Keep your watch (and wedding) safe with TH March

For over 135 years, TH March has provided competitively priced specialist insurance for high-value items, including watches. Our insurance provides financial reassurance with cover for theft, loss and accidental damage, with quotes designed around your needs.

For special items, we can arrange repairs or replacement through a jeweller of your choice, with full support from our team of insurance experts. And if you’re planning your wedding, our Wedding Insurance can help protect you against the unexpected costs that could affect your special day.

Find out more about our Watch Insurance and Wedding Insurance, get an instant, no-obligation quote online, or contact one of our team today for more information.