Black tie events require a certain standard of elegance, and men are expected to come in their best tuxedos—so leave the sports watch at home. You want something that accents your whole outfit, not something that steals the show. So, your best bet? A classy dress watch. The golden rule for dress watches is simplicity. You don’t need to worry about practicality or accurate timekeeping—in this (sporadic) case, less is more.

If you don’t know what to wear, Rolex’s Perpetual 1908 is a timeless classic that balances functionality and aesthetics.