From Jay Z to Jordan Belfort: 9 types of men who wear luxury watches

Manners make the man, as the saying goes. But everyone knows there's more to it than that. Most of us can instantly get a read on people from dozens of little clues in their appearance and behaviour: from their accent to their shoelaces. Among these social pointers, the presence of a luxury watch can be a big tell. And not just any luxury watch, but the specific make and model can say a lot of about you as a person.

As a fun experiment, we thought we'd reduce the infinite complexity of the human species into a series of oversimplified stereotypes to illustrate the kind of people you'll meet in life and the how you can spot them from their timepieces. Without any further ado:

Real life stockbrokers may largely be Excel-obsessives with maths degrees, but that doesn't stop us believing the Hollywood caricature of phone-slamming sociopaths indulging their heavy narcotics problem. Those who want to live up to the well-dressed hype are going to need an iconic luxury watch - ideally one known to appreciate in value over time. There are none that fit the bill better than the Rolex Submariner.

Everyone knows this guy - he thinks he's the life of the party and likes to make extravagant gestures to burn cash. You'll find him showing off his success either with a big, flashy pilots watch from Breitling or maybe the most luxurious brand of all: Patek Philippe. Admittedly, these are some of the best watches for men ever made, so ...maybe we're a little jealous.

There's a more sophisticated, wiser breed of Big Money that often earns the most respect. We're talking about the guy who eschews a common business watch in favour of elegant haute horology pieces from the likes of Jaeger-LeCoultre, A. Lange & Söhne or IWC Schaffhausen. These watches are often more expensive but they are much more subtle and cultivated.

The consummate wheeler-dealer, the tasteless social climber, the tacky art collector, the trophy wife hunter. All sides of the same over-polished coin, and you can be sure what kind of watch he's wearing: a gleaming gold Rolex that quickly acquires a patina of scuffs and nicks from everyday wear on the shop floor.

This guy might not look wealthy at first glance, but his trendy second-hand facade has required huge expenditure of time and money to perfect. His watch is probably much the same - maybe a Nomos or a Panerai to complete a look that begs to be loved the way his Gen X parents never could. 

Benedict Cumberbatch's high-flying surgeon in Doctor Strange might keep a drawer full of Jaegers, but your typical non-magical doctor is probably less invested in luxury watches. They're content with "just" a Rolex "Presidential" Day-Date. Calm and confident is the name of the game.

Hot-shot, hot-head, generally hot, your stereotypical pilot loves adrenaline, debauchery and never backing down from a dare. You'll find them with their beloved Breitling Navitimers or, for those looking to branch out, maybe even a Cartier Santos.

Hip hop music is evolving all the time, but our image of the successful rapper seems to be stuck in the 90s with his bling and his crib. If the lyrics of classic hits is anything to go by, Rolex is by far the Swiss brand of choice, though superstars have also been seen with the likes of Hublot and Audemars Piguet.

If you wear an Apple Watch, stop. Or at least get yourself a TAG Heuer Connected.

It's easy to focus on the testosterone-filled world of male stereotypes, especially when it comes to watches, an industry that has long been dominated by men both buying and selling. Fortunately, ladies' watches are getting more and more attention in recent years, and we're proud to support that at Chronext with our superb ladies shop.