Animal print watch Ernest in black and beige

A zebra-print watch on a stretch-link strap

The stripes run from one end of the watch to the other, and the dial carries the same pattern as the strap. Black leads, with beige and a faded mauve behind it, taking the hard edge off a print that usually shouts. Around the dial, a silver-toned case draws a clean outline.

Numerals drawn large, read as part of the pattern

The numbers are drawn with an uneven line and sized so generously that they almost fill the dial. On a plain watch they'd be the only thing to look at; here they sit inside the stripes and become another layer of the print. A small touch of orange on the crown is the one flash of bright colour on the whole piece.

One hand is enough to put it on

The strap is made from slim metal links that open out and settle back. You pull it over your hand and it's on. No buckle to fasten, no second hand needed, and that matters more than it sounds when your coat is already half on. Every link carries the stripes, so the print continues all the way round your wrist.

Wearing it against prints you already own

Set against plain knitwear or a white shirt, this watch supplies the pattern and nothing else has to compete. It works the other way too, echoing a scarf or a bag that already carries a print, as long as the rest stays plain. If the stripes appeal but this particular design doesn't, there are plenty of other prints on the same stretch fit. And if you'd rather have something softer against the skin, look at the watches that swap the metal for printed fabric.

Heat and damp are what to watch for

A dry cloth over the links at the end of the day lifts the marks your skin leaves. Keep the watch away from a radiator, and off the bathroom shelf where steam settles: dry warmth and damp air are harder on a printed surface than daily wear ever is. Laid flat in a drawer, out of direct light, it keeps its contrast.