Check my post count and take this as you will:
I'm a follower of the "You ponied up the cash, do what you like," camp.
BUT...but, but, but...
There are rules for dress that are, for all intents, codified. And though they're rarely followed anymore, especially in the States, there are times when rules is rules. A dress watch is a dress watch, and an Aqua Terra* ain't a dress watch. A Submariner, a Seamaster, anything with a ratcheting bezel... Strictly speaking, anything with a chronograph... Heck, anything on a metal bracelet; sports watches.
A lotta folks, present meta company excluded, of course, think a brand makes something fancy. That only makes them expensive.
None of us here is really making a statement by wearing a diver to a black tie event, unless you are, in fact, a professional diver ( astronaut, etc.. Insert applicable watch ).
For me, it comes down to respecting a convention. If someone has organized an event to which you were invited, you should adhere to the rules of that thing. It's not about me or my watch. I am now fortunate enough to have four really swell Omegas: An orange 2500 PO, a Seamaster MC, a SMPc in blue, and a Speedy Pro. And while I recreationally dive and have a job that demands I wear a watch with some considerable water resistance, if I get invited to a State dinner ( it could happen ), I'm strapping on my $200 Jules Jurgensen, because it's a dress watch. That would REALLY suck, but the choice was made before me. I also like to think that my witty banter and undeniable charm would get folks over the pot metal watch hump.
I liken it to this: I am firmly planted in the blue collar middle class ( the US version of middle class ). I can't afford a multi-course meal at a fancy restaurant but once a month or two, and still entertain the idea of this peculiar pursuit. So, when I take woman out, it's a big deal. It sticks in my craw something fierce when I do get out, only to find two tables over, some cracker won't take his damn hat off, or rolled up in his finest Tommy Bahama khaki shorts and aloha shirt with cigar bands on it. It's his money, he can afford to come to the same place, and he can do what he likes. Doesn't mean he should. The 'rules' are in place to provide a certain aesthetic, decorum... Am I ranting?
Someday I'll have enough scratch to buy a sweatazz dress watch ( Did somebody say Tresor? )**.
That said, I'd be afraid the big Ploprof would eat up a NATO. I'm all about a bracelet that shows off the case, but dang.
Do what you like, wear your watch and don't let it wear you, and be respectful of convention. It's the decent thing to do. Moreover, in this day and age, adhering to the convention is a LOT more interesting, since no one else does.
* Maybe, maybe, on leather. Maybe.
** I know, I know. $500 for a decent Geneve or Deville, then a service down the road. I'm thinking about it.
