I own the black CB and have tried on the taupe, both are very classy especially with the new buckle. It really comes down to what color will go better with your formal style clothing. Black is bold but goes well with anything, and the taupe is more muted but elegant. I like to match my band to bring out colors in whatever attire I'm wearing, so instead of just wearing a black band with a solid black shirt I'll wear a shirt with gray accents and a Watch band to match those accents. So you can go both ways, it's all about how you wear it.