Seemingly every tradition about the wedding process, from initial engagement to finally saying “I do,” has been mythologized. There are countless essential moments in between these two, shared between the couple, and also numerous friends and family. Few of these are as emotionally vaunted as the first look when a bride enters the chapel.
Everyone’s eyes are on the bride. The bride’s eyes are on the groom. The photographer might be the only one to keep their eyes on both parties involved.
Suits, dresses, rings, and earrings are all seen as traditional wedding attire. A piece less often thought of, though no less essential, is the wedding day wristwatch. If all traditions are followed, the entrance of the bride is the first time the groom will see her on the wedding day. It makes sense, then, that the groom should have some personal item the bride has yet to see him wear.
This should be a beautiful accessory, like a tie or cufflinks. As a horological expert, Jack Mason has particular expertise in watches. Because of this, we will be highlighting primarily timepieces to subtly enhance the first look experience.
All of our leather goods listed are customizable. All our watches come with personalized gift boxes for a unique experience for every groom. Either way, make your special day just slightly more special with a new piece to highlight your new transition.
Slim Bifold Wallet
Starting this list with a wallet may seem odd. After all, nobody is going to have their billfold out when reading their vows. However, there is a deeply personalized reason for starting this list with a wallet.
Most of Jack Mason’s leather goods come with options for monogramming. Gifting a personal leather item allows the bride the opportunity to present the first item with their new monogram. Monograms for individuals follow the first name, middle name, last name order. The order for married couples is slightly different.
Traditional married monogram order goes bride's first initial, groom’s last initial, bride’s maiden initial. Modern married monogram order goes bride’s first initial, groom’s last initial, groom’s first initial. In both cases, the center initial should be slightly larger than the surrounding ones. Introducing a new monogrammed item on this day is a special way to highlight the new evolution in your relationship.
Our Slim Bifold Wallet enhances the standard shape of the traditional billfold. A series of card and interior pockets with a distinct longhorn shape is available.
The whole of the wallet is elevated through premium British Tan leather and fabric lining. A red, white, and blue hand-stitched fabric detail provides “something blue,” because why should the bride have all the fun traditions?
Pursuit
We start our examination of watch ideas with a piece that embraces the standards of what a watch can be. The Pursuit is built to be a universally wearable watch, making it perfect for a wedding-day gift. It will be as wonderful at the wedding as at the office, on cozy weekend retreats, and anywhere else. This is achieved through a dedication to pilot watch essentials.
The dial is simple, with numbered hour indices and second markers in five-second intervals. A date window at the 6 o’clock position adds functionality, as do luminosity markers on the watch.
Notably, the Pursuit is available in three different styles. One features a black dial and brown leather strap, the second a navy dial and brown leather strap. The third version features gold plating and a military green canvas strap. Thanks to Jack Mason’s quick-release pins, you can change out your strap for any other 22mm strap for the wedding.
The essentials become essential for a reason. The Pursuit embraces these classic horological elements and updates them for the present day.
Ellum
We enter the world of the dress watch with this next subtle piece. Weddings are a time for formal attire, and our watches get no more formal than the Ellum.
The Ellum is immediately recognizable, thanks to the subtle curving dome of its elegant sunray dial. This is matched by slender indices which curve to match the arc of the dome. A double indice marker at the 12 o’clock position serves to add an outsized stylistic embellishment and improves quick legibility. Other dial embellishments include the Jack Mason name and a subdial with a razor-thin second hand.
The Ellum is made from 316L stainless steel and has water resistance at 100 meters, surprisingly powerful for dress watches. A sapphire crystal is notably scratchproof, being softer only than a small handful of other materials, including ruby and diamond. The softly ribbed crown contrasts with an otherwise slim case and is marked by a starry embellishment.
This same star is visible on the caseback of both Ellum models. One such model features a sky blue dial and silvery hands. Another uses a white dial and gold-colored hands. These slight differences cater to vastly different formalwear, making choosing the right watch for the groom's suit an easy task.
Canton Day-Date Automatic
The Ellum presents dress watches with the formality of leather and classic minimalism. For a man who prefers the bulk of metal bracelets and bolder dress watches, consider the Canton Day-Date Automatic. As the name suggests, this piece features both a date window and a day window at the 3 o’clock position. All other elements in the piece are as streamlined as befitting a dress watch.
This includes hour indices, save for numbering at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions, that are multifaceted. This style is furthered by the hands, whose dauphine style gives them a glimmering appearance under dappled sunlight. An examination of the caseback reveals the other signature elements making the Canton Day-Date special.
A glance at the caseback immediately reveals an exhibition window into the watch’s automatic movement. This gives the watch a subtle weight on the wrist. The caseback further shows the Jack Mason name, model name, and other fundamental design features. These include extensive water-resistance testing and an elegant and scratch-resistant sapphire watch crystal.
Two versions of the Canton Day-Date are available, both using stainless steel cases and metal bracelets. The first uses a blue dial with silver-colored contrast pieces. The second uses the same silvery indices but also black etching for second markers along the edge.
The Canton Day-Date invokes the subtlety of a dress watch but also the gentle heft of high-end automatic wristwear. Consider this for the man who leans to the bold and the formal for his daily attire.
Halyard Sport Chronograph
Every couple has their own traditions. From first date spots to favorite activities, there are plenty of memories leading up to the lasting first look down the aisle. The type of memory or habits you want to allude to should be reflected in the type of watch gifted. If your groom loves the water or being by the sea, consider a nautical watch.
Jack Mason’s Halyard Sport Chronograph takes visual cues from the elegance of boats and the brash ruggedness of the oceans. Choose it to make a powerful statement on your wedding day. The piece is framed by a unidirectional bezel, numbered, and colored to reflect on the main color of the dial. The outer edge of the dial features hour-marker indices, with an unnumbered outer scale.
The caseback is also a prime point for examination. A sculptural representation of the waves with an anchor in the center is depicted, alongside many design details for the watch. This includes the model number, water resistance at a competitive 100 meters, and sapphire crystal. The corrosion-resistant stainless steel which makes up the case is also emphasized.
This piece is fundamentally built as a perfect transitional watch from dry land to the high seas. The chronograph function works as well in either context, and a variety of styles helps it combine with most outfits. Choose it for a remarkable, sea-worthy wedding-day watch.
Overland Solar
The last watch on this list is for grooms with environmental issues close to their hearts. The Overland Solar is a version of our classic Solar Watch that hews towards more traditional design standards.
The watch is powered by a solar movement below the honeycomb-patterned perforations of the dial. Traditional hour numbered indices are elevated by the presence of a rotating compass bezel, among other elements.
A portion of each Overland Solar proceeds goes to benefit the ocean-waste cleanup efforts of the Jan & Oscar Foundation. This piece makes for a stylistic and moral victory for those with eco-friendly goals.
Choosing the Right First Look
A secret: When the first look happens, you won’t really be looking at the dress, or the suit, or the watch. You’ll be looking, first and foremost, at your very-soon-to-be-spouse. All the small details matter, but only in service of the big picture. Choose what you do so that you can bring out the best qualities and specific values of your partner.
That’s what matters in the end. And, because we haven’t said it up until now, congratulations on your marriage.
Sources:
Monogram Etiquette Married Couples I Etiquette School of Ohio
The Mohs Hardness Scale And Chart For Select Gems I Gem Society
17 Common Wedding Traditions And The History Behind Them | Southern Living.
