Home / Watches / Affordable Watches

Here’s Proof an Affordable Dress Watch Can Be Bold, Vibrant and Still Classy

Time & Tide partnered with Dennison for a brilliant gentleman’s date night watch.

Close-up of a wristwatch with a silver case and a brown leather strap. The watch face features a colorful, iridescent mosaic pattern in shades of blue, purple, and green, with silver hour and minute hands. The crown on the side of the case has a small engraved logo.Dennison
Add Gear Patrol as a Preferred Source on Google
black and white headshot of brad lanphear

By Brad Lanphear

Published

·

Updated

If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Andrew McUtchen, founder of Anglo-Australian watch editorial and retailer Time & Tide, set out to make an affordable dress watch with the flair and elegance offered by luxury brands like Piaget and Audemars Piguet.

As he puts it, a watch that most men will only take out on date night.

Square wristwatch with a polished silver case and a unique iridescent mosaic dial in shades of blue and purple. The watch has silver hour and minute hands and the brand name "DENNISON" printed on the dial. It features a brown suede leather strap with visible stitching, placed on a textured dark brown leather surface.
The DateNight has a herringbone mosaic dial made with Australian mother-of-pearl.
Dennison

Fortunately, he knew exactly which brand to work with, and it was conveniently located in London, England, home to one of Time+Tide’s two (soon to be three) Discovery Studios.

McUtchen connected with Dennison, a British brand with a rich history that was revived in 2024, and its co-reviver, Emmanuel Gueit. They created a new dial and strap combination for Dennison’s signature cushion case two-hand dress watch.

Gueit is among the most respected living watch designers, with credits including the Royal Oak Offshore and Rolex Cellini. His father, Jean-Claude Gueit, designed the original Piaget stone dial watches that inspired Dennison’s flagship design.

A wristwatch with a square, silver-colored case and a dark, iridescent, mosaic-patterned dial. The watch has silver hands and a gray suede strap with visible stitching and a tan underside. The watch is displayed on a surface combining black leather and wood textures.
The DateNight comes on a gray Molequin suede strap.
Dennison

McUtchen and Gueit, now the head of watch design at Tiffany & Co., created a watch that looks like it should cost six figures but is affordable enough for most men to justify infrequent wrist time. It is affectionately dubbed the DateNight.

A polished steel version of Dennison’s cushion case frames a vibrant herringbone mosaic of mother-of-pearl tiles. It is complete with a gray suede strap from French brand Molequin.

A pearly mosaic

The star of the DateNight is the dial texture. Like Time & Tide, it is an intercontinental venture between England and Australia.

Square wristwatch with a polished silver case and a mosaic-style iridescent blue and green dial. The watch face features silver hour and minute hands and the brand name "DENNISON" printed near the bottom. The strap is dark gray suede with visible stitching. The watch is worn on a wrist with a black leather jacket sleeve partially visible.
The DateNight’s 34mm rounded-square case complements any size wrist.
Dennison

The British watchmaker sourced mother-of-pearl tiles from Down Under to assemble into a herringbone pattern. Each tile uses a thick layer of the mollusk-generated mineral that exposes shades of blue, purple and green as it reacts to light.

Gueit cited the Northern Lights as inspiration, choosing different colored backings for each tile to enhance the range of colors exposed. Because mother-of-pearl is generated in random patterns, no two tiles are identical, meaning no two DateNight dials are identical.

Square silver watch with a blue iridescent herringbone-patterned dial, white hour and minute hands, and the brand name "DENNISON" printed in white. The watch has a white leather strap with visible stitching.
Dennison offers an additional white leather strap for the DateNight.
Dennison

The only details obscuring the mosaic dial are the narrow lancet hands and the Dennison logo printed on the flat sapphire crystal. Both details are found on all the watches Dennison has produced since its revival.

A special occasion watch

McUtchen claims that few men invest in “special occasion” watches anymore because exceptional dress watches are expensive. Since returning to the scene, Dennison has become one of the best bargains in the elevated dress watch market.

A close-up of the back of a wristwatch with a polished silver case and a tan leather strap. The case back features an engraved architectural design and text including "DENNISON," "TIME & TIDE," "SWISS MADE," "AID," and "Collection." The watch is resting on a wooden surface with a glass object partially visible on the right.
The DateNight caseback features an engraving of Time & Tide’s London showroom entrance.
Dennison

The DateNight is right there with the British watchmaker’s stone-dial offerings on the short list of the best dress watches in the $1,000 range. Mother-of-pearl dials are emerging as the hottest new trend in watch design, and few are this affordable.

As far as I can tell, McUtchen accomplished his goal. The DateNight is a gorgeous dress watch that makes a statement without shouting. It also has a legendary designer behind it, which is nearly impossible to find in an affordable watch.

It is within a reasonable price range for most men looking to invest in a nice watch. With the trajectory Dennison appears to be on, a limited edition reference like this will only go up in value.

Availability and price

Here’s the catch: landing a Dennison DateNight takes some effort. It is being sold exclusively through Time & Tide and there is a tight 24-hour window to order it online, starting at 8:00 AM EST on August 27.

On top of that, only 200 pieces are allotted for the online sale.

After that window closes, the watch will still be available, but it will be sold exclusively in person at Time & Tide’s Discovery Studio showrooms in London, England, and Melbourne, Australia.

Square-shaped wristwatch with a polished silver case and a textured dark gray suede strap. The watch face features a unique blue and purple iridescent herringbone pattern with silver hour and minute hands. The brand name "DENNISON" is printed in white near the bottom right of the dial.Dennison

Time & Tide x Dennison ‘DateNight’

Specs

Case Size 34mm
Movement Ronda caliber 1062 quartz
Water Resistance 30m
About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

Read More

,