Fun combinations: how to enjoy watches and bracelets together.

Whether at work or in your private life, wearing a sleeveless cut-and-sew top or a short-sleeved shirt without any accessories on your wrist can leave a somewhat plain impression. That's why we'd love for adults to wear a "wristwatch," an item that lets you express who you are. Even now, in an age when you can check the time on your smartphone and smartwatches have become popular, wearing a watch that reflects your own personal style remains a mark of adult sophistication.

The possibilities of watches and bracelets

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Many of us, back in our student days or when we first started working, admired the way a senior colleague or a stylish friend would casually wear a beautiful watch. Even now as adults, a watch still feels like something to aspire to in some way. A "wristwatch" is an item used in everyday life, yet it's often something we acquire on special, non-everyday occasions—as a reward to ourselves or as a gift to mark a milestone in life.

LIP Watch MACH mini

Originally serving as "a way to know the time," the wristwatch was once an essential item for students and working people alike. But with the spread of mobile phones and smartphones, it has gradually shifted from being a "daily necessity" to more of an "accessory." As the term "jewelry watch" suggests, people now change watches the way they change outfits, rotating between two or three watches with different moods.

Watch ESTHER

And unlike earrings or necklaces, which you can only see yourself in a mirror, a wristwatch, bracelet, or ring is an accessory that both you and the people around you can see. What we'd like to recommend this time is layering a bracelet with the watch you wear every day, to make it look even more appealing. Why not add some color to the wrist you use every day, working hard for yourself, in a way that feels true to who you are?

Watch designs and types

Let's start by looking at watch designs.

Strap materials

The main strap materials are "leather," "metal materials such as stainless steel," and "fabric such as nylon."

【Leather】

Watch BEVERLY

When you think of a wristwatch, the classic choice is a leather strap. You can enjoy the way the texture changes and molds to your wrist over time, a quality unique to leather, and it's relatively comfortable for those with metal allergies. Unlike metal straps such as stainless steel, leather is a strap material that's relatively easy to wear even in formal settings.

However, due to the nature of leather, it's vulnerable to sweat and water, which can accelerate wear, so some care is needed. If you use it for a long time, you'll need to replace the strap periodically.

【Metal materials such as stainless steel and gold】

ARNE JACOBSEN Watch ROMAN

Unlike leather, a metal band shows little wear and comes in handy in business settings. It pairs easily with both suits and office-casual attire. Most metal bands use stainless steel, which rarely causes allergies, but if you tend to sweat and are prone to metal allergies, it's worth paying attention to the strap material.

Because it's made of metal, it tends to be relatively heavy, and scratches can be more noticeable.

Quartz Black Dial QMD02B

【Fabric materials such as nylon】

Field Watch Sterile Black

The third option is a casual-looking fabric strap, made from materials like canvas or nylon. These straps are often washable when dirty, which is convenient, but on the other hand they're not well suited to formal settings. They're highly durable, making them a great choice for a watch to pair with casual weekend outfits.

Differences in face/dial size and strap width

From left: Watch M37 BLACK, LIP Watch Churchill T24, ARNE JACOBSEN Watch ROMAN, [Special Order] Watch Konairo Iwamurasakigumo Ladies

We gathered four watches carried by ZUTTO. A small face with a thin strap gives a delicate impression, while a large face with a thicker strap creates a unisex look. A rectangular dial, meanwhile, gives off a classic, stylish impression. If you're gathering two or more watches, it's also fun to collect different face shapes.

Here's roughly how much strap widths can differ. A width of around 2cm creates a unisex design, while a width of around 1cm gives a delicate, elegant design.

Examples of watch and bracelet combinations

Once you've settled on a watch, the next step is the bracelet. Matching colors, mixing materials, or coordinating by origin—choosing freely according to your own taste and putting together a look is part of the fun.

Pairing similar colors together

For example, here we've picked out gold to match the gold thread in this bracelet. It's not a pure "gold," but even if the shade is slightly different, as long as the underlying "gold" tones match, there won't be much of a noticeable difference.

Combining different materials

Here, a casual watch with a nylon strap is deliberately paired with a silver bangle—a combination of contrasting materials. Since the watch is resistant to scratches, choosing silver on purpose might be a good option.

Combining pieces from the same country of origin

Watches are made all over the world, but each country's pieces tend to share a certain distinct atmosphere.

For example, this Hanamokko watch and the 000 linen silk bracelet are both made in Japan. Both have a gentle, enveloping softness and an appealing natural coloring, and they seem to share a similar mood. Since the bracelet is made from thread, it's wonderfully lightweight and unlikely to scratch the watch, which is another nice point.

For watches you don't want to scratch, choose a bracelet made of a lightweight material

wayu artisan Bracelet Set of 2

For stainless steel watches, pairing them with a lightweight, scratch-resistant bracelet gives you less to worry about. GUANABANA nylon bracelets are a great choice for this.