Best Men's Watches according to Experts

Tags: Selection of the best | Men's | Classic

4.11.2021 | 8 MIN

Choosing a watch is almost a science itself. What kind of style, for what occasion, it all needs to be taken into consideration. This guide will help you find the best of the most popular styles of men's watches.

1) For the beau monde. A cream of society between watches

Formal watches are the basis. An accessory, that reveals a lot about a man. Unless it is a highly formal event, there is a fairly large field to choose from.

For happy events, you don't have to be afraid to reach for a more colorful dial, or a design with a colored element that makes the overall look subtly special. Formal watches don't have to be dull. It should be a pleasure to take the watch to work wearing a shirt, as well as matching it with a T-shirt when you go to hang out with friends in the evening.

And that is exactly the Certina DS-1 Big Date watch, and its popularity only confirms it.An extraordinary shade of green, an interesting smoky transition, a polished case, and a mesh steel bracelet –  that's what I'm talking about. The watch is also available in different shades. A beautiful version is the blue one, and if you go with the black, it could be considered formal.

Although the rules for choosing a social watch are more relaxed than for a purely formal watch, it is still true that the watch should be rather minimalist, elegant and should not attract too much attention.

2) Ultra business mode. Should get approved by any etiquette master

Watches for formal events or a strict work dress code have quite clear rules. Above all, it must be really elegant and minimalist in design.

Materials also play a role. Forget a plastic case or silicone strap. The strap should be leather, and in the basic colors of leather – brown or black. The case should be made of steel or some expensive metal, in silver or gold. The reason for all this is based on established rules.

A specialist in social classic watches is the Swiss Tissot. I chose the Tissot Le Locle model because it meets all the criteria, and at the same time offers a good price/performance ratio, but most importantly, it is a beautiful watch.

Of course, you can also choose from other models and brands. But either way, be thorough when choosing a men's formal watch. It is a classic that will never go out of style, and if you choose the right piece, it might serve you for many, many years.

Formal watches are also about the size. The diameter of the case should not exceed 42 mm, and the thickness should be chosen for the watch to fit beautifully under the cuff of the shirt.

3) Sporty elegance

Sports style is incredibly sexy. No doubt about it. And the most popular sports watches certainly include chronographs, or watches with a stopwatch, even if there are very few people who can actually use the stopwatch in practice.

This category is reigned by Tissot and the Chrono XL watch. Universal design, sporty beat, but still somewhat slightly casual elegance. And that is the combination that has to be appreciated by any man. Well, almost any man, because even with such a versatile watch, you have to think of a few things.  And the most important one is the size.

As the name suggests, Tissot Chrono XL is a large watch that fits better on bigger wrists of bigger men. If you are an owner of a slim wrist, I would recommend you to try the watch in advance or to take a look at some smaller versions, either by Tissot or some other brands. There are many of them. Take a look at the whole offer of men's watches with chronograph. And we still have more tips for you:

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4) The immortal style of diving watches. Like James Bond

Diving watches are one of the categories that only a few people buy to really use for diving. And still, their popularity doesn't change. Actually, it is the opposite of that. And the interest is growing interest especially in those pure diving watches, which are functional not only aesthetically but also technically.

From the wide range, I chose the perfect representative of classic diving watches that are also a novelty of 2021 – the Certina DS Action Powermatic 80. Mechanical movement with a power reserve of incredible 80 hours, the ISO 6425 diving certification, and an ageless design reminding Bond movies.

For it was James Bond, Agent 007, who brought the immortality and strong popularity to diving watches. He managed to wear it with a tuxedo as well as with a wetsuit. But that is James Bond. Normal people might wear it to leisure and water activities. To complete a suit, you should still go with a classic formal piece.

Rotating bezel with a 60 minutes scale, great readability, high water resistance, strong luminescence, and backlight. Diving watches are stylish and practical at the same time. At the very least, you don't have to worry about drowning the watch.

5) Indestructible. A watch that survives the apocalypse

Some are afraid of the World War III, some of the mutating virus, others of natural elements. Owning this kind of watch has its advantages. Even in less catastrophic scenarios. Whether we are talking about a manually demanding job, working in the garden, adrenaline sports, soldiers, firefighters... Durable watches will definitely find a spot in your home.

For me, the perfect choice is the G-Shock Mudmaster GG-B100. The price/performance ratio – unrivaled. Durability – unrivaled. The chance of you destroying the watch – practically zero.

It was the Carbon Core Guard that appeared in the Mudmasters – the case is reinforced by carbon fibers to increase durability. And of course, in addition to shocks, the watch can easily handle dust, mud, water, even in the harshest conditions. Plus it includes practical sensors: compass, barometer (altimeter), thermometer, and pedometer.

There is a huge scale of durable watches. And not just in the G-Shock line. Look for ideal outdoor watches for survivors, for example, from brands such as Traser or Luminox.

6) Something special. Limited

Limited editions have an exceptional charm. For some people, it means that they have something exclusive on their wrist, and for some, it can serve as an interesting investment.

The Swiss brand Alpina is well known to all lovers of traditional watchmaking and has been on the market long enough to build a solid name. And the limited edition we chose for our selection is something spectacular.

It's not just the design that takes the best from the classic pilot watches you've probably seen on wrists decades ago. And it's also not just the precision work or font that has been used in the 1920s.

The Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage has one other uniqueness. There is a cover on the back that can be opened, revealing the view of the mechanical movement. It is a reference to the so-called hunter case, which was often used in pocket watches. In wristwatches, it only serves as a nostalgic memory that enchants lovers of vintage style.

There are 1883 pieces in the limited edition – the same number as the year the Swiss brand was founded.

7) Sporty radio-controlled perfection

Citizen can do several things at the highest level. One of them is radio-controlled solar watches. Pilot watches from the Promarster series have been fulfilling the wishes of a lot of men for many years. For some, the watches may seem too difficult and not very clear. Among recent novelties, Citizen included a model that hit the desired spot: the Citizen Promaster Sky CB588.

Setting the watch using a radio signal, carefree maintenance thanks to a solar cell, and most importantly, a successful design that has received some praise. And no wonder. Creating a balanced sporty look with casual elegance is not that easy. And the CB588 looks absolutely divine on the wrist.

In addition, they have intuitive control, high water resistance, sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective layer, and great processing.

8) For retro fans. A collector's item that won't ever get old

Retro is not only immortal. But it can also bring time back in its own way. And owning a watch worn by famous presidents or one that was admired on a wrist of a movie hero, or perhaps a piece that was historically first in something... That's what every watch enthusiast wants!

That's exactly why I chose this Hamilton piece that managed all this. It is a re-edition of the first digital watch in the world from the '70s – the Hamilton PSR, also known as Pulsar.

The watch was worn by Elvis Presley, Elton John, President Ford, or actor Jack Nicholson. The watch also appeared on Roger Moore's wrist in Bond Live and Let Die movie. And that is just the beginning of the list.

But forget celebrities and milestones, the important thing is that the re-edition islooks good today. It doesn't have any smart tweaks, but that also might be the reason to love it.

Here, you can unleash your imagination and wallet. Some limited edition pieces can easily become a collector's item, or simply an interesting addition to the story.

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9) Smart classics. You can't stop the progress

Not everybody needs a smartwatch. But many will appreciate the smart features in watches that look like classic watches. There might not be that many of them on the market, but the gap is gradually starting to fill up.

As the name suggests, the watch has Bluetooth, so it can connect to a phone and do practical things like automatic time or date settings. But that's just the beginning. What might surprise you is that the watch can alert you to notifications by turning the hands or that you can decline a call with the crown. For example in the movies or at a meeting. Useful, right?

It can also save a GPS location, which it gets from a phone. The same goes for temperature. Independent on the phone is the pedometer. So even though it looks unrecognizable from the classic Festina Chrono Bike, it can count the steps you take in a day.

similar model in diving or elegant style has Festina's sister brand Lotus. And when it comes to Lotus and Festina, it is a successful and functional variant for everyone looking for an alternative to smartwatches. There is no need to charge the Hybrids from Festina and Lotus.

10) Carefree luxury.

Classic watches are probably technologically obsolete. Smartwatches surpass them in almost everything on paper. However, not everyone needs to know how many steps they have taken or when their pressure rises. You expect comfort, a feeling of luxury, premium materials, and, most importantly, precise time from the watch.

In that case, you want a watch with an advanced way of adjusting the time. Ideally, using GPS.

Watches with this technology are mainly produced by Japanese brands. Among the best are, for example, Seiko with its Astron models or Citizen with the Satellite Wave collection. Specifically, the Citizen Satellite Wave Eco-Drive CC9020-54E offers more than an enticing combination of technology, features, and sporty design.

The watch looks robust, but it is made of Super Titanium, so it is lighter than you'd expect, and yet it is still very durable.

It is a cool watch in every way, and you are going to love it not just for the way it looks or how precise it is processed but mainly for the carefreeness.

Thanks to the GPS signal reception, the time is precisely adjusted to the second anywhere on the planet. And not only the time, but also the date. So if you travel often, it is an ideal choice.

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