As 2019 unveils its promises and opportunities, we thought this would be a good time to showcase a selection of the best watches we found in 2018. So whether you’re looking for a birthday present for the watch-lover in your life, or are treating yourself, you can’t go wrong with the entries on this list.
The Big Top Ten guide to the best men’s watches features the best watch brands in existence. It’s not all about Rolex, Omega and TAG – there’s a host of top pieces for any budget right here.
While some people might be replacing watches with smartwatches or fitness trackers, we still believe a quality timepiece is an essential executive accoutrements. Serving two purposes; it makes a statement about your style and standing, and it tells you the time (which is incredibly useful).
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph
Audemars Piguet, also known as AP, is a favourite of the rap elite. The company was founded in 1875, and the Royal Oak is the brand’s most popular model. We love this simple stainless steel model with a blue Grand Tapisserie pattern dial. It features a a self-winding manufacture calibre 2385 movement with a 40-hour power reserve, and is water resistant to 50 metres.
Price: £21,500
Baume Small Seconds
Baume is a sustainability minded watch brand which only launched earlier this year (2018). The brand aims to use sustainable, recycled, and up-cycled materials where possible, and the elegant watches are fully customisable, with over 2000 permutations achievable on an online configurator.
Price: £430 |
Price: £395
Price: £680
Timex MK1 Aluminum
Though any number of great Timexes could’ve made this list, we’re particularly enamored with the newly reissued MK1 — a recreation (of sorts) of a short-lived 1980s military-issue watch. While the original was meant to be disposable and had a mechanical movement inside and a plastic case protecting it, this version swaps both with a more reliable quartz engine and a higher-quality case made from anodized aluminum.
Price: £50
Orient 3 Star
Using an automatic movement based on an old caliber originally from Seiko, the Orient 3 Star is a simple, utilitarian automatic akin to the Seiko 5. While there’s not much in the way of fit and finish, it does have a well-proportioned 37mm case, a stainless steel bracelet and a colorful dial. Its as simple of an automatic watch you can get, but therein lies its charm.
Price: £50.00
Citizen NH8350-83L
You’d be forgiven for thinking Citizen’s entire lineup is made up of its quartz Eco-Drive watches, but the brand does, in fact, make some mechanicals. The NH8350, for instance, packs a Miyota 8200 automatic movement into a clean-cut stainless steel case and comes adorned with a shimmering, sunray blue dial. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better mechanical dress watch for less.
Price: £90.00
Bertucci A-2T Titanium
Cases made from solid titanium — loved for its lightweight, durable and hypoallergenic properties — are not such a common site on sub-$150 watches, which is what makes the young U.S. watch brand Bertucci an enticing option. Similarly enticing is the classic field watch dial design, the Japanese quartz movement inside and a 100-meter depth rating.
Price: £80.00
TAG Heuer Men’s Kirium F1
Founded by Edouard Heuer in 1860 in St-Imier, Switzerland, TAG Heuer has a distinguished history of offering luxury timepieces designed for use by the “active man”. Furthering this brand identification, the company has been long been associated with the finest in sailing and auto racing, and is a premier sponsor of Formula 1.
TAG Heuer offers luxury watches which are as appropriate for an evening spent in the Casino de Monte-Carlo as they are for a day of sailing the America’s Cup course in San Francisco Bay.
The Kirium F1 incorporates the qualities men have come to expect from TAG Heuer over the last century and a half. This TAG Heuer offering is made from stainless steel and is clasped to the arm with a soft leather band. The black face is backlit and covered with a sapphire crystal cover which provides great protection for the silver analog dial while eliminating reflected light which could make the face of a watch difficult to read while on the water.
Price: £800
