Few things speak to a mans lifestyle like his timepiece. Be it luxury or functionality, a man demands a lot from his watch. Its true that that the timepieces of today are multipurpose tools that provide the user with precision information on not only the time and date, but also atmospheric conditions, and navigational information. No these are not your fathers watches.

So how is a man to know what to choose? What style and features do you require? These are the things that we are going to cover here.

Q: How many different types of watches are there?

A: Far too many to cover here. For now lets just stick with the three most basic types; Sports, Casual, and Formal. Anyone who is serious about their timepiece will tell you that a man should own a different watch for each individual style, I'm more of a pragmatist. I believe that most guys can get by just fine with two, a sports watch and a formal watch.

Q: So when do I wear my Sports/Casual/Formal watch?

A: It's simple, use common sense. If you are going fishing, playing tennis, golfing (although there is some debate on this one), working out at the gym, or playing football, wear the sports watch. There is a simple rule I always follow, if I'm wearing sneakers I wear the sports watch. The other watch you should own depends on your lifestyle. If you attend formal (black tie) events often enough to necessitate a formal watch, then by all means you should have one. The right style of formal watch can work at a casual event, however that's a one way street. A lot of men make the mistake of thinking that a nice casual watch can substitute for a formal watch. It can't. Period.

Q: Am I going to have to take out a second mortgage to buy these things?

A: Watches are no different than any other item, there are several varying levels of price (and quality). Now while there are some pretty easy ones to spot such as a TAG Heuer or Omega (see below), there are also a lot of very affordable alternatives to these several thousand dollar status symbols. Bulova offers a selection of very nice formal dress watches, with several under the two hundred dollar mark. As for a sports watch, the Nike Lance Chrono (yes that Lance) is a solid choice. With models ranging in price from just over a hundred all the way up to three hundred.

Remember, these are not interchangeable. Wearing a sports watch to a casual or formal event is a huge no-no that can ruin an entire outfit. Again, a good rule of thumb is to gauge the type of watch with the type of shoe you are wearing and adjust accordingly.

To learn more, visit my website at http://www.squidoo.com/A-Guide-To-Mens-Watches