Shopping for men's jewelry is an exciting assignment, especially when you pour in your creative juices to find a watch tailor-made for him. The men's watch market has evolved into a varied and diverse retail field to rival the women's market, and the savvy watch shopper should begin with a few guidelines to target the exact kind of time piece you want to pursue. So before you begin, have an idea if you want an elegant, casual, sports or hobby watch to cut down on the search time and zero in on the perfect gift.

Dress Watches. The classic dress watch for men is a versatile time piece that may be used for black tie events and is also appropriate with a fine business suit. The most favored gift watch may not be the most expensive model from Rolex, but rather a classic design of gold or sterling silver. The dress watch should match the utility your man will get from it, careful not to buy something so ostentatious that he shy's away from regular usage. Clean lines and timeless styling is always a safe guideline unless he has expressed an interest in the extravagant.

Casual Watches. This type of men's watch is the easiest to shop for and you can be sure he will get a lot of use from your gift. The casual watch ranges from the elegant to the simple with lots of room in between to match the features to his personality. If you are shopping for a military man, try a unique armed forces watch available to represent each of the primary branches. Whether he is current or former Marines, Army, Air Force or Navy, a military watch is a favorite for gift givers to show you care.

Sports Watches. As engaging as sports activities may be, we all still need to know what time it is, and a rock solid sports watch is on every man's wish list from time to time. You may need to know a little something about his interests and hobbies, so find out beforehand if you need a water resistant watch and to what depth the time piece will function. Diver's watches make a great gift and conversation piece and come in a variety of fashion colors. Whether he is a certified PADI or not, the diving watch is an attractive and durable watch that is sure to please.

Novel Watches. The novelty watch market has expanded to cover almost every sport and hobby imaginable, with clever time pieces fashioned to reflect his personality and interests. Whether he is an armchair Yankees fan or avid golfer, the novel watch accentuates his own unique passion in life. Sports, aviation, boating and cars are some of the top choices to thrill the most discriminating man. And the novel watch gift giving approach leaves you plenty of room to give something new and fresh year after year. The average man may not wear a novel watch everyday, but it sure is fun to build up a collection of artistic watches that reflect his expertise in life.