Expensive watch as an Incoming SA for a team dinner

Hey, I know I will prob get a lot of hate for this but I am writing it anyway cause I need to. I am a SA and will have a team dinner soon. I love watches and I was wondering if I should wear a watch to the dinner. I know they love watches but they do not know I do. Would it be a conversation starter or would it be a terrible move that I spark some unnecessary attention?

22 Comments
 

Bad move. Never outclass your client’s watch, and this principle is the same when even coming close to a VP/MD’s watch as an SA. Don’t do it.

 

Go with something low key first. If they truly love watches you should be able to tell what's okay to wear when you start this summer. Think about how it looks to wear a simple Casio or Seiko versus a Rolex or Omega when you're the most junior on the team. I love watches myself and would definitely comment on something interesting. What Rolex do you have?

 

Not a bad watch at all, but I've never been very fond of Rolex personally (I 100% acknowledge it as a great brand, and I do have an oyster perpetual, but that's not my favourite).

Style-wise, I prefer Omega, and there I think both the Seamaster and the De Ville (in very different genres) are much more slick and elegant. Discreet but stylish.

Hell, I prefer the TAG Heuer Carrera to the Oyster, and it's a lot cheaper.

As for what to wear? I mean, I’ll be starting as an AC/BA/A soon, and I’m not about to not wear my watches because of the reasons mentioned. I do believe it’s different whether you wear it just as a regular watch, or if you flaunt it in people’s faces. Literally no one (other than people who really know watches) will notice what you’re wearing unless you make a big deal out of it. A watch is a watch, luxury or otherwise. I’m also joining as an experienced hire, so I’m not exactly 20-something anymore, if this makes any difference at all.

Again, if you shove your wrist in people’s faces when asked for the time, they’ll notice. If you just wear it casually, no one will pick up on it. No one has noticed mine so far in any of my jobs or interactions unless they too were fond of watches, at which point they likely own one.

 

The troll here isn't that the kid wants to wear Rolex. It's that the kid thinks an MD is coming to lunch with the SAs :)

Good one, son. 

 

Likely no one will notice, and if they do they might say nice watch. If someone really wants details and you don’t want to say you have wealthy parents, just say it was a gift from your grandfather.

 
Most Helpful

Hey kid, before worrying about what you're wearing, grow a backbone first. 

The kid couldn't handle the heat from the previous posting and heavily modified the OP. That is spineless. Put a question out there, stand by it and defend yourself. In short, be a man, not a coward. 

At this point, it won't matter whether you wear the watch or not. Someone at the level of your MD will see right through you and see you're not a stand up guy. 

 

Ea non non reprehenderit laboriosam voluptatem aut. Quia inventore omnis ipsa. Voluptatem non et saepe error eius sit. Dolore sit excepturi est accusantium magnam.

Sint quos cumque sint asperiores voluptates. Voluptatem itaque vel eius iure eveniet ipsa. Voluptate ut repellat voluptatibus amet autem est. Quaerat voluptatum et facilis quia provident ratione. Delectus aperiam quasi sed nihil et. Iusto facilis possimus sed laboriosam ab unde similique.

 

Pariatur sed consequatur dolores ea similique saepe placeat. Aut omnis culpa officiis officia voluptatum enim inventore. Eligendi est dolorum amet sit. Sint dignissimos ut nostrum in temporibus rerum asperiores.

Ea voluptatum et qui ea. Voluptatem occaecati accusantium doloribus harum possimus voluptatem ut. Sed voluptatem consequuntur magnam vel a placeat voluptatem earum. Earum possimus vel non pariatur corporis omnis.

Architecto consequatur optio ad tenetur culpa repudiandae. Totam repudiandae magnam aperiam voluptatem quasi. Ut hic et neque eligendi vel adipisci consequatur. Amet sequi ab nostrum fuga ipsam ratione vel.

Reiciendis deleniti quod ut in modi asperiores. Sit voluptas qui asperiores distinctio. Aspernatur hic molestias ut. Accusantium praesentium voluptas quae quo et voluptas.

Array

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”