No, you don’t need a watch. And no, you definitely don’t need multiple watches. But don’t you want multiple watches? Isn’t it the little things that make life exciting? (Or at least tolerable?) We thought so.
And with that in mind, there are indeed many different types of watches. There are dive watches, pilot’s watches, GMT watches…the list goes on. And yes, at this point most of these distinctions are marketing mumbo-jumbo, because your iPhone does all this shit for you, anyway. But if you thought about everything in your life so practically, you would die of boredom. You would be so bored, you would be dead.
So without further ado, here are our favorite watches in each watch category, including a Smart Spend pick (for those on a budget), a Just Get This pick (for a best all-around pick that we recommend without thinking twice) and a Step Up pick (for those whose bonus checks just hit their bank accounts are looking to do some damage to the ol’ bottom line). Enjoy!
Dive Watches
Perhaps the most universally useful type of watch, the diver requires a robustness that makes it the perfect candidate for the “one-watch collection.” If you’re gonna buy just one type of timepiece, we’d recommend a dive watch: something with a minimum of 100m of water resistance, a screw-down crown, a rotating, count-up bezel for timing, a highly legible dial covered in a luminous substance, and a solid bracelet.
Of course, not every dive watch will have each one of these features: some will lack the screw-down crown, while others might come on a rubber strap instead of a bracelet. But if you only have room for one watch in your live, we’d say make it a diver.
The Smart Spend: Seiko SKX007
An affordable watch stalwart if ever there was one, this is one of the few ISO-rated dive watches you’ll find around this price and one of the first watches many will recommend if you want a mechanical watch, period. There’s not much to it other than the essentials — a simple but reliable movement, a proper bezel, a clear and legible dial and a case good for 200 meters — but that’s what makes it so damn endearing. (Note that the SKX007 has since been discontinued, and this has driven the price up to around $300 — but it’s still a hell of a deal.)
Price: ~$335
Just Get This: Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
Tudor’s Black Bay lineup is inspired by the Tudor-branded Submariners made during the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, and the Fifty-Eight is the greatest tribute to that era yet, thanks to a vintage-inspired 39mm case and a dial with old-school gilt dial or this crisp new model in all blue. The movement, of course, is wholly modern, and features a 70-hour power reserve and chronometer-rated accuracy.
Price: $3,700
The Step Up: Rolex Submariner
We all knew it would be here. This is because the Submariner is arguably the most influential watch of all time, inspiring countless other sports watches since its inception in 1953, and helping make dive watches into style statements outside the water. In its modern guise, it’s a clear evolution from the original, featuring a better movement (an automatic accurate to within two seconds a day), a ceramic bezel and a 41mm case water-resistant to 300 meters.
Price: $8,100
Dress Watches
Alright, so you have your trusty dive watch. Could you wear that thing with a tuxedo? I mean, you could, but it might look a little weird, unless your last name is Connery. The better bet, if you’re gonna expand your collection, is to go with a svelte dress watch. And though many dress watches are indeed made in precious metals, you can absolutely go for a steel model and not drop a month’s (or two or three months’) salary on one.
There are no firm regulations for what constitutes a dress watch, but most of them are relatively thin, tell only the time and nothing else (some even omit the seconds hand), and ship on a handsome leather strap. Here are some of our favorite examples.
The Smart Spend: Timex Marlin Hand-Wound
If you’ve never experienced the charm of a thin, handwound watch, rejoice — you’re young and have your whole life ahead of you. Also, however, if you’re on a budget, you should buy one of these. The Timex Marlin Hand-Wound is a precise recreation of a dress watch from the 1960s, complete with a 34mm case, a simple dial with a funky, midcentury typeface, and a leather strap. Everything you need, nothing you don’t — all for under $200.
Price: $199
Just Get This: Max Bill Hand-Winding
Celebrated industrial designer Max Bill’s work lives on in the form of this beautiful Bauhaus watch. Handwound and outfitted with a simple leather strap, it’s it’s one of the best values in dress watches under $1,000 and will easily pair with anything from jeans to a suit and tie. Available in several dial colors, it’s like a more refined version of the Timex Marlin (see below) — in this case, however, equipped with a Swiss movement and a luminous dial.
Price: $675
The Step Up: Cartier Tank Solo XL
One of the most iconic watches of all time, the Cartier Tank is almost like a tuxedo for the wrist. While it comes in a number of versions, the Tank Solo XL is a particularly classic look, has an automatic Cartier 1847 MC movement inside, and is the brand’s most affordable mechanical watch for men. Don’t be confused by the “XL” moniker — this is still a modest-wearing watch at 31mm wide, about 41mm in length, and under 8mm thick.
Price: $3,550
Pilot’s Watches
We get it — you don’t fly a plane, so what do you need one of these for. But thought pilot’s watches were originally indeed designed for those captaining aircraft, today the genre encompasses a whole slew of practical, rugged timepieces that can easily take many forms. From simple, time-only models recalling watches from the 1940s and 1950s to complicated chronograph, pilot’s watches truly run the gamut.
The biggest requirement of a pilot’s watch is really that it’s legible to someone flying an aircraft. In the past this sometimes meant huge, oversized watches, but it could also easily mean a smaller, cleanly designed piece. These three watches will each get the job done admirably.
The Smart Spend: Stowa Verus 40
Stowa makes a great example of the classic Flieger style pilot watch in the same tradition as watches like the IWC Mark XI, and it’s got real history doing so. The Verus 40, however, is something a little different: that utilitarian military design has been ever so slightly tweaked to offer a more modern and refined product. The result still feels very much like a pilot’s watch, but makes a lot more sense for daily wear. It also helps that the watch offers all this for well under $1,000, complete with premium features such as sapphire crystal and a Swiss automatic movement.
Price: $755
Just Get This: IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII
IWC’s Mark line is a benchmark in military watches. The famous IWC Mark XI was made in 1948 for the British Ministry of Defense and was worn by British pilots, and the Mark XVIII feels descended directly from it. The Mark XVIII offers that history and character, an eminently practical and satisfying watch for everyday wear, an in-house automatic movement as well as IWC’s stellar build quality.
Price: $4,250
The Step Up: Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43
With a fascinating history and distinctive look, the Breitling Navitimer is one of the most iconic pilot watches ever — scratch that: it’s one of the most iconic watches of any kind. First produced in 1954 to offer pilots a range of functionality via its slide rule bezel and chronograph, the Navitimer features a captivatingly busy dial like little else available (apart from its imitators). This modern version is powered by the brand’s excellent in-house B01 movement and features a bold-wearing case measuring 43mm.
Price: $9,250
GMT Watches
Of the complications — that is, a watch movement feature that does something beyond simple time-telling — available to the modern watch buyer, perhaps none is as useful as the GMT. Designed in the 1950s to offer pilots and air crews the ability to track Greenwich Mean Time in addition to local time, the GMT function has since proliferated and become ubiquitous to the point in which it’s available even within budget watch offerings.
There are two primary types of GMT — that with an independently adjustable hour hand, and that with an independently adjustable GMT hand. Both are useful in different situations, and the availability of quality third-party movements that feature the latter configuration has allowed for increasingly more affordable GMTs in the past five years.
The Smart Spend: Baltic Aquascaphe GMT
Baltic’s Aquascaphe checks so many boxes that besides being the best budget GMT, it may also be amongst the best recent GMTs, period. You get a perfectly sized 39mm case that’s only 12mm thick, three handsome bezel color options, an automatic Swiss movement, a dive-ready water resistance rating of 100m, and either a super comfortable beads-of-rice bracelet or a Tropic-style rubber strap. If you’re on a budget, just pick one of these up and move on.
Price: ~$1,105+
Just Get This: Monta Skyquest
This is hands down one of the most utilitarian, badass GMT watches on the market. Because it has a 24-hour scale within the rehaut — plus a rotating 24-hour bezel — you can easily use it to track three different time zones. Built like a tank and water-resistant to 304m, it can take anything you can throw at it. Wear it to work, bring it with you traveling, wear it in the water — the Skyquest is a watch that was made to be abused. It doesn’t hurt that it’s pretty damn good looking, too.
Price: $2,190
The Step Up: Rolex GMT Master II
The OG. Rolex’s GMT Master debuted in 1954 and accompanied Pan Am pilots on their transcontinental flights during the beginning of the Jet Age. Of course, the modern watch is fair game for anyone, so long as you can get your hands on one. It features the Rolex cal. 3285 automatic movement with independently adjustable hour hand, a 40mm case, and your choice of bezel configuration and metal. (Keep in mind that the steel versions are currently only available on Jubilee bracelets.)
Price: $9,700+
Digital Watches
This is such a wide category that it can admittedly be tough to whittle down to just a few great picks. However, almost anything from Casio, the king of digital watches, will serve you well, from sub-$20 beaters to expensive, special edition G-Shocks. And does this mean we think nobody else makes a solid digital watch? It certainly doesn’t: gems from the likes of Timex, Hamilton and others are certainly on our radar, and are even among our favorites in the category.
But Casio continually does digital best. From their wide array of timekeeping features to the rugged quality of the average G-Shock, they have the digital watch nailed. (We believe in their products so much that we took the time to produce an exhaustive guide to them.) Here are three gems.
The Smart Spend: Casio World Time
If you just want a great throwback digital watch experience for everyday wear, the Casio World Time is worth checking out. For a paltry $15 or so (!) it offers one hell of a lot of watch. While the ultra basic but iconic F-91W is even cheaper, the World Time is better sized for modern tastes and has some extra features. It’s reasonably durable for its price, too — but if you break it you won’t be too sad and can easily replace it.
Price: ~$15
Just Get This: Casio G-Shock 5600
Since debuting 1983, G-Shock has been the gold standard in indestructible, function-first plastic watches. Though it’s since been joined by multitudes of fashion-focused models, one particular G-Shock series still embodies these values and the original design: the 5600. It’s tough, affordable, light, comfortable, fun, unpretentious and kind of a perfect overall watch. When equipped with a positive display and Tough Solar, and the G-Shock 5600 (whether it begins with G-, GW-, GWX- DWE-, etc.) can’t be recommended highly enough. (For an alternative G-Shock classic, look for the same features in a 6900 series model.)
Price: ~$97
The Step Up: G-Shock Full Metal
If the plastic G-Shock 5600 is the ultimate practical watch, the recent version that’s been rendered in steel has a more serious presence. It’s also got Tough Solar and all the premium traits you want, including scratch-resistant sapphire crystal (as found on luxury watches), radio synching for better accuracy and bluetooth connection. A steel bracelet even mimics the look of the original resin band. With the iconic look but a more luxurious feel, this is a digital watch with appeal to dedicated watch enthusiasts, though it remains reasonably affordable.
Price: ~$500
Field Watches
You might think of a field watch as a simplified dive watch: meant to withstand the rigors of the outdoors, they’re generally simple, time-only watches with fixed bezels and less water resistance than a diver that still perform adequately in wet conditions. Classically, they’re based on a military model of a black, time-only dial with white numerals and indices and a fabric or leather strap — though some iconic models, such as Rolex’s Explorer, are equipped with matching steel bracelets.
Field watches truly run the price gamut: you can pay well under $100 for one, or you can pay close to $10,000 for one. Thankfully, however, all this choice means that there’s truly a field watch out there for everyone, and every type of budget.
The Smart Spend: Timex Camper Mk 1
The MkI line resurrects a watch that Timex made for the military in 1982, though this model replicates the beloved Camper. Powered by a quartz movement, it’s got a 40mm steel case rather than the plastic of the original — which was meant to be replaced after damage rather than repaired. The basic design has lent itself to myriad aesthetic variations. While only water-resistant to 30m, it’ll generally hold up well, and its field-watch design is dressed up with tasteful dial highlights, a black-coated case and a nice grosgrain strap.
Price: $110
Just Get This: Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical
Hamilton’s 2020 update to the ever-popular, bang-for-buck Khaki Field Mechanical is one of our favorites. Its affordable price and convincing vintage aesthetic harken back to the old Hamilton-made US military watches of the mid 20th century, and now a black case gives it a modern, serious feel — though any of the finishes and colors are winners in our book. What’s more, the movement inside is a decidedly old-school hand-cranker, adding to those vintage vibes, but it’s also the Swatch Group’s latest, complete with a solid 80-hour power reserve.
Price: $525
The Step Up: Rolex Explorer
Watch nerds know the Explorer as the first watch up to the peak of Everest (though a Smiths came along for the ride as well) and this fact, to many, makes it infallible. (Being a Rolex probably helps, too.) This reference is the most recent and boasts an automatic movement with the brand’s superaltive chronometer accuracy (as in it’s guaranteed more accurate than your standard COSC-approved watch), and features the brand’s proprietary Chromalight lume that glows a sharp blue in the darkness. Perhaps the ultimate field watch.
Price: $6,550
Chronographs
Ever see a timepiece with two little buttons protruding out of the side of the case? That’s a chronograph, which is essentially a wrist-borne stopwatch. While these used to be relegated completely to the mechanical realm, quartz chronographs have since become quite popular, especially in less expensive “fashion watches.” And your favorite G-Shock? That thing is a chronograph, too, albeit a digital one.
Mechanical chronograph movements can make a watch quite expensive — indeed, the most famous models from well known marques ain’t cheap — but again, the proliferation of high-quality, relatively affordable Swiss and Japanese movements have recently made inexpensive, quality chronos available to the masses. The following are some of our faves of the mechanical variety.
The Smart Spend: Yema Speedgraf
With its classic vintage looks, reverse-panda dial, 39mm size and solid specs, the French brand Yema’s Speedgraf presents an attractive package. Further, it features an interesting movement from Seiko that isn’t all that common outside of watches from the Japanese brand itself. (It even has the column wheel and vertical clutch that enthusiasts tend to value.) On top of it all, little touches like applied indices and a box-style domed sapphire crystal lend it a refined feel.
Price: $1,499
Just Get This: Omega Speedmaster Professional
The Speedmaster Professional you can buy today is nearly identical to the one worn to the moon in 1969 — it has the same case shape and size, the same dial design, nearly the same movement, even. And that’s fine. The Speedmaster of the ’60s was built to meet NASA’s incredibly tough standards, and its iconic status as the first watch on the moon makes it a must-have for any serious watch collector.
Price: $6,300+
The Step Up: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
The Daytona is one of the most beloved and sought-after watches, both on the vintage and new watch markets. The current model is especially a fan favorite, as the addition of a black-on-white panda color scheme, red Daytona text and a black ceramic bezel give it the appearance of a reference from the 1960s. While not cheap — and nearly impossible to buy at retail — it’s a watch that will simply never go out of style.
Price: $13,150+