17 Questions to a well-dressed man – Romain Vesaphong
Photo credit: Romain Vesaphong
Romain Vesaphong might be better known for most people as the Sartorial Watchmaker on Instagram. Two worlds that are having more in common than most people think and yet not every watchmaker loves clothing and not every Sartorialist is into watches. Romain is blessed with both interests or rather passions and likes to share that with the world. He started out as a banker but was very passionate about watchmaking, he decided to follow his heart and joined the Haute Horlogerie School in France when he was 28 and graduated when he was 30 as a fully skilled watchmaker. He found his place in Neuchatel’s premium watch boutique where is repairing mainly watches from Rolex. Sometimes he also helps out in sales and technical advice to the customers. Clothes he loves since he was a kid, probably because his grandfather is a very elegant man who is passionate about ties and never leaves the house without one. When Romain was working at the bank, he mainly wore grey suits and never a pocket square which were quite sober outfits. But since he is living his passion now he decided on the day he was hired to explore his menswear passion and start to dress up. This lovely background story makes me so happy to ask Romain ‘’17 questions to a well-dressed man. And his answers you will find below.
What are you wearing today?
As I am living in a cold region, near Neuchâtel in Switzerland, today I chose to wear a warm flannel. A mid-grey woollen flannel sport jacket and a light grey high-waist woollen flannel trousers. I chose a classic light blue Bengal shirt with a floral pattern necktie made of vintage silk fabric. To give some colour to my outfit, I chose to wear yellow socks and a yellow, blue and red pocket square. The dark brown penny loafers I am wearing, I chose them because I was late this morning and I chose the first pair I could grab (laugh).
If you had to choose to spend money either on a suit or on a watch, what would you choose?
As a watchmaker, my natural answer would be “a watch”. But. As I already own a pretty nice collection, I am now ready to invest in a bespoke suit. To say the truth, this is my next project, and now, choosing the tailor will be the big challenge.
What jewellery could a man wear?
A watch of course! There are so many types of watches so any man can find the right watch for his wrist! A ring, a bracelet or a necklace are also nice to wear. I would prefer them sober and discrete.
Tie or a bowtie?
Both are very elegant, but my preference goes to the tie. I love the movement a tie can have.
Do you remember your first jacket?
Yes! It was a jacket worn by my grand-father. A navy blue jacket, quite heavy, my grand-mother gave me because my grand-father was no longer wearing it. It was part of a suit, and because the cut of both the jacket and trousers was quite “old school”, I was only wearing the jacket with blue jeans from time to time. After beginning my sartorial journey, I understood the quality of that suit, and made it adjusted to me. Now I proudly wear that navy suit. Actually I hesitated to wear it today.
What is your favourite watch?
No, don’t make me choose please! Honestly, I really love every watch I own, as each of them has its own story. For instance, at this precise moment, my favourite watch is my new Norqain Freedom 60 watch in bronze. A three-hands watch, in 39mm, which is a decent size in my opinion, not too big, not too small. That watch has a delightful vintage taste and the bronze will get a unique patina. I just love it.
Another watch I love is my Rolex Oyster Perpetual in 39mm with the eggshell white dial. This watch is very discrete, sober and elegant. It is very important to me as I bought it to celebrate my first certification at Rolex. I stop the listing here (teasing : I will name another one I love in the last answer), but you got it: I love them all.
Fountain pen or ballpoint?
Even if I find fountain pens beautiful, I use a ballpoint Montblanc Meisterstück on a daily basis, offered by my bosses for Christmas. So, ballpoint.
Have you found the perfect garment yet?
As my journey is at its beginning, I think I have many things to learn and to discover before I find the perfect garment. And sometimes, it is more emotion than perfection we are looking for.
Explain your biggest passion in one sentence?
I did all my studies in finance and bank industry, and I completely changed my professional path becoming a watchmaker at the age of 30.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Buying a new tie… “one more…” my wife would say. Or opening a beer… “one more…” my wife would still say (laugh).
Who is the best dressed man in the world for you?
This question is probably the most difficult question I had to answer. There are plenty well-dressed men all around the world, and choosing one is very difficult, and I spent a lot of time thinking how to choose. My first thought was Mr G. Bruce Boyer, because he has a strong knowledge of the menswear universe, and probably access to the best crafters, and his outfits are the faithful result of that: Never too much, just perfectly done. Then I had a second thought, and I cannot not mention Mr Akamine Yukio, whose I follow the Instragram profil with admiration. This Sir irradiates elegance, with always perfectly-built outfits. Two of the best dressed men in the world for me.
The best book you ever read?
Mémoires d’Hadrien (Memoirs of Hadrian) by Marguerite Yourcenar. For me, that book is the quintessence of literature. In both the content (wisdom and depth of the thought) and Marguerite Yourcenar unique writing style.
Which city should one go shopping?
London. Because I love the British style, and Savile Row is a place that always fascinated me. I did not have the chance to shop in that street yet. Not yet.
Tweed or flannel?
I like both. A different feeling and I guess a different application too. I cannot choose sorry.
The most elegant restaurant in the world for you?
Kualao Restaurant, a traditional Lao food restaurant in Vientiane, Laos. It is not a “starred” restaurant, but since I am a kid, I always loved that place for the traditional outfits waitresses and waiters were wearing, the very kind, delicate and precise service, and the warm and elegant atmosphere.
Describe your style in three words?
Classic, elegant, humble.
Best purchase you did in the last 6 months?
A garment, I would say a hopsack Teba jacket from Lopez Aragon. An accessory, a medallion pattern seven-fold silk tie from Gentlemenclover. A watch, a Rolex GMT Master II with blue and red bezel, a.k.a. “the Pepsi”.