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I have worked for myself my entire adult life, I invest my own funds and therefore do not even have clients or employees save one (I haven’t fired myself yet but I’ve come close a few times) so I can wear almost any watch in my home office without fear of reproach (if you don’t count my cats) or judgement. Of course job description matters but so does culture and nationality.  I’m pretty sure most people would admit that there are certain watches that an entry-level employee could not wear on a trading floor. Likewise if you were a partner in a law firm it might look a little strange showing up to a client lunch wearing a Timex.
For the sake of argument your 28-year-old nephew has just graduated a top tier law school and already has an MBA. He’s going to start working at a prestigious law firm in whatever country you presently reside in what would be the appropriate wristwatch for his job description and level?
Beyond that any general remarks and opinions about what you think a wristwatch says in relationship to different jobs and working environments in your particular neck of the woods would be interesting.
Got my son an Omega Speedmaster when he graduated college and an IWC Portigieser when he landed his first serious job
A Cultural Curiosity...
I have worked for myself my entire adult life, I invest my own funds and therefore do not even have clients or employees save one (I haven’t fired myself yet but I’ve come close a few times) so I can wear almost any watch in my home office without fear of reproach (if you don’t count my cats) or judgement. Of course job description matters but so does culture and nationality.  I’m pretty sure most people would admit that there are certain watches that an entry-level employee could not wear on a trading floor. Likewise if you were a partner in a law firm it might look a little strange showing up to a client lunch wearing a Timex.
For the sake of argument your 28-year-old nephew has just graduated a top tier law school and already has an MBA. He’s going to start working at a prestigious law firm in whatever country you presently reside in what would be the appropriate wristwatch for his job description and level?
Beyond that any general remarks and opinions about what you think a wristwatch says in relationship to different jobs and working environments in your particular neck of the woods would be interesting.
Of course it is a plus. But Talent is everything and you can allow yourself some extravagance. [nt]
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When i graduated ...
from a top tier law school back in 2001 and joined a prestigious law firm in 2002 (i was about 25 years old but i didnt have an MBA), my watches were Sandoz, Fossil, Swatch and Kenneth Cole.
I got my first Rolex (a two tone datejust) when i was 30 years old after i got married. Gift from the wife. Well, my other watches above (save for the Sandoz from my dad) were also gifts from my ex girlfriend (now wife).
That said, i dont think people notice our watches except those into watches. Definitely most people dont care.
So he can wear whatever he wants.
Lawyer when I was 25, I waited for my 34th birthday to gift myself a GMT MASTER. ;) [nt]
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I had my share of conundrums
The most polarizing occasion was when I wore my RO while managing a 6 star hotel reception. The amount of work was tremendous and I always had to get my hands busy - be it covering the bell desk or rooming a guest. I think the guests liked it and I had a few nice comments for it, that someone from management was treating them well. There were occasional people who had the green eye but I didn’t bother, I just did my best at the job. I had a superior who was envious at it, but I did not bother. I had more balls than him.
Time has spoken and while he is a GM of a 4 star chain now, I am somewhere completely different and in a hell lot more abundance. Lookung back on how small people can behave, when faced with the green eye, I felt better when I just remained true to myself.
Brioni jacket and JLC Geophysic today
Time has spoken and while he is a GM of a 4 star chain now, I am somewhere completely different and in a hell lot more abundance. Lookung back on how small people can behave, when faced with the green eye, I felt better when I just remained true to myself.
Unapologetically me today, my suits are from Kiton, Brioni, Caruso, Tom Ford. My shoes are Crockett and Jones, Garziano and Girling, Pierre Corthay, Church’s etc. My watches are many.
I never let the small people bring me down. They have a way to drag good people down to their miserable level so they have company.
Brioni jacket and JLC Geophysic today
I got my first "good" watch at the age of 39.
It was a Rolex DateJust when I joined the ranks of "higher" management in my company.
Omega and IWC
Got my son an Omega Speedmaster when he graduated college and an IWC Portigieser when he landed his first serious job
I was about 35 (half a lifetime ago)
Promoted vice president of the company, traveling around the US and Europe, so I bought myself a Breitling Aerospace.
I entered into my profession in 1981--advertising. Being the beginning of what was considered at the time 'the decade of conspicuous waste', your suit, shoes, car, and watch were important.
This was especially so among advertising agencies. It was a showy business back then.
And, taking the word 'conspicuous' literally, Rolex was the most obvious choice since everyone, even non-watch enthusiasts, recognized the name. It's also the only high-end brand I knew of at the time. So my first real watch was a DateJust when I was in my early 20s.
It wasn't until I started noticing clients wearing watches I didn't recognize that made me curious as to other brands, which lead me to trading in my Rolex for a VC, then a PP, then adding an AP...and so on.
Interesting
My father was at DDB in the sixties...he was in many ways Don Draper...Stans job but Dons past and persona...he became a still life photographer in NYC and was very successful in that sixties way...he once told me I could afford a Ferrari but I wouldn’t want my clients to see me in one...which is the statement that prompted this thread.
Yes, the '80s ended up being the last decade that the general population believed advertising was so glamours, your father was deep in the thick of it during the '60s...
...Just think about how many TV shows and movies back then who's main characters were ad men.
I once made my wife watch a few episodes of Mad Men with me to give her an idea of what I used to do for a living. I had Don Draper's job, creative director, and when my wife saw Don discussing a project with his creative team during one scene, she said, "that's what you did?". I said "yes", to which she replied, "you mean you didn't really DO anything?". All I could do was laugh...I guess in a way she was right.
I once made my wife watch a few episodes of Mad Men with me to give her an idea of what I used to do for a living. I had Don Draper's job, creative director, and when my wife saw Don discussing a project with his creative team during one scene, she said, "that's what you did?". I said "yes", to which she replied, "you mean you didn't really DO anything?". All I could do was laugh...I guess in a way she was right.
Not at all...I believe ad creative is a true talent
..either you have it or you don’t. The Don Draper character was truly my father. Some of the details were eerily similar. There was a scene where Sally wakes up in the upper east side apartment...that was an out of body experience for me. It was like having your entire childhood played back to you (my dad had a giant ‘64 olds cutlass blue) ...Matt Weiner is a genius.
I think depends on firm and partners.
I started in law after over 15 years of finance and fintech systems at a firm that lost its core of IP attorneys, I handled all the IP for our Philly Office so the partners didn’t care what I wore, which was usually a very expensive timepiece, but that I could handle internal referrals and manage the docket. I came into the firm, even before passing the bar, as THE IP lawyer counseling clients and negotiating with other counsel, this is a weird situation because they treated me like I was already Of Counsel, just a weird situation that turned out to my benefit.
That’s not always the case though, firm culture matters, I was a Summer at a 1000 plus lawyer firm a couple of years ago and saw many many partners starring at my lower level Lange and Cartier Diver, I am not sure the impression I made on them, but I felt uncomfortable at times. Sometimes I did feel like some Associates were gunning for me, in a bad way.
I think it’s culture, people you deal with, and your own personality.
Know sb working as a jurist for an agricultural insurance company
Wearing Daytona and golden Rolexes, drives Porsche. Puh, I think he is in the wrong business.
Well said! [nt]
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Many a time Ive looked down at my wrist and thought why do I keep this guy at the firm!?!😂
Many a time Ive looked down at my wrist and thought why do I keep this guy at the firm!?!😂